Developing Social Sustainability in Higher Education: Evidence from a Framed Field Experiment with Causal Inference Analysis

Social sustainability is increasingly important in higher education, especially concerning student employment and educational programmes. Educational institutions are incorporating sustainability into their curricula and aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to enhance student learning and societal impact. However, measuring the impact of these initiatives on student employment and entrepreneurial attitudes is challenging. There are no standardised metrics, and it is difficult to isolate the effects of specific programmes from other factors influencing career paths. To address this, we conducted a framed field experiment. This experiment compared students, entrepreneurs, and university professors involved in the “Impresa IN Accademia” (IINA) project (treatment group) with those who were not (control group). The goal is to quantify differences in employment, motivation, and benefits between the two groups, focusing on students. The study aims to determine if participation in the IINA project has a measurable impact on students’ career outcomes and overall university experience. The results of the data analysis indicate that the IINA project had a mixed effect on students, entrepreneurs, and university professors. Participation in the project did not significantly affect students’ employment and motivation to work in companies. However, all categories showed substantial direct and indirect benefits from participation, con-firming the project’s potential to bridge the gap between universities and the world of work.