Abstract
This study aims to investigate the influence of human agency and contextual factors on sustainability research internalization (SRI) among faculty in higher education institutions (HEIs), in which HEIs are treated as a service ecosystem. Data from 410 faculty in Taiwan's HEIs, randomly selected from the authors of SDGs-related papers in international journals ranked in SCOPUS database, were analyzed. Results reveal that human agency and university sustainability practices positively influence SRI. A mediation model based on Self-Determination Theory indicated that human agency, university sustainability practices, participative goal setting, and perceived government control on SRI are mediated by the faculty's autonomous motivation. However, participative goal setting shows a negative effect on SRI when mediated through a sequence from controlled to autonomous motivation, as externally motivated faculty find sustainability research cumbersome unless supported by rewards. This study is a progress towards a theory of SRI for faculty in HEIs and offers insights for practitioners in realigning research service systems for sustainable development.