Abstract:

Framework:
Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) play a key role in society and show a growing commitment to sustainable development issues. Understanding the perceptions, expectations, and motivations of Higher Education (HE) students about University Social Responsibility (USR) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030, observing their impact on service quality and satisfaction, allows for verifying the success of the implemented strategies and programs.

Objective:
At the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), a study was carried out with the main objective of identifying and comparing the factors that define students' perceptions of USR and SDGs 2030, allowing the analysis of their impact on perceived service quality and satisfaction, through a survey with validated scales that aimed to test whether responsible and sustainable universities lead to perceived service quality and satisfaction.

Methodology:
The survey was answered by students of degree courses at UTAD and was composed of a set of 46 questions about the USR, segmented into 4 dimensions (teaching/training, extension, internal management/functioning, and research); 20 general questions about the USR, service quality, and satisfaction; and 9 general questions about the achievement of SDG 2030 at the university.

Results:
In a population of 3799 eligible students, 823 questionnaires (22%) were accessed, resulting in 623 (16%) completed and validated questionnaires.
The final sample of the study consisted of 66.5% undergraduate and integrated master's students (3rd year or higher), 29.5% master's students, and 4.0% doctoral students. As for gender, the sample was mostly female students (63.1%). The distribution of age groups shows greater representativeness in the 20-year (23.4%) and 21-year (27.9%) age groups.

This research boasts an evaluation model of social responsibility and sustainable development at the university and presents statistical robustness that allows attesting that the dimensions of USR precede the quality of services and satisfaction of university students contributing to the achievement of SDGs 2030. Overall, we found that students consider that the university contributes to solving social problems and it incorporates the SDGs in its activities and therefore working for the success of the 2030 Agenda.

Implications:
This study offers a strategic tool for HEIs to carry out a diagnosis of their policies regarding social responsibility practices as an antecedent of service quality and satisfaction, through the perception of students, and in how these points impact on HEIs contributions to the achievement of the SDGs 2030.

Originality:
As a differentiating factor, the study of the perception of the SDGs was included in order to promote the implementation of sustainability criteria and thus stimulate a more effective management of USR.

Keywords:

University Social Responsibility, Sustainable Development Goals 2030, service quality, satisfaction, students, Higher Education, 2030 Agenda.