Sheeran, ZaneSutton, AnnaCooper-Thomas, Helena D.2025-11-062025-11-062025Sheeran, Z., Sutton, A., & Cooper-Thomas, H. D. (2025). Investigating the relationships between student well-being and perceived environmental sustainability: Student environmental attitudes as a moderator. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-07-2024-04601467-6370https://hdl.handle.net/10289/17758Purpose: Higher education institutes (HEIs) face two key challenges: low levels of environmental sustainability and students with low levels of well-being. This paper suggests that, because of the interconnectedness of sustainable development goals, there may be a single solution to meet both these challenges, namely, increased sustainability. The purpose of this paper is to test whether higher perceived sustainability is associated with higher well-being, moderated by student attitudes towards the environment. Design/methodology/approach: This study followed a quantitative design. Students enrolled at a New Zealand university completed an online questionnaire (n = 292) measuring student perceptions of their HEI’s environmental sustainability, their attitudes towards the environment and their well-being. Regression and moderation analyses were conducted to test hypothesised relationships. Findings: Students’ sustainability perceptions positively predicted student well-being. However, student attitudes towards the environment did not moderate this relationship. Originality/value: This study contributes to an emerging field by investigating the relationship between sustainability and well-being. The findings suggest HEIs may be able to improve their performance in multiple ranking criteria (student well-being and environmental sustainability) by focusing on sustainable practices and supporting students in their personal sustainability efforts.enThis is an accepted version of an article published in the International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education. © 2025 Emerald Publishing.sustainabilitywell-beingenvironmental attitudesimpact rankingsSDGsJournal Article10.1108/IJSHE-07-2024-04601758-673939 Education41 Environmental Sciences39 Education41 Environmental sciences4 Quality Education