The influence of online university education on the creation of sustainable businesses

Pedro Aceituno Aceituno, Carlos Humberto Ruiz Freire, Shannon Kathleen Jones and María García de Blanes Sebastián

Social Responsibility Journal, 2026, vol. 22, issue 9, 1984-2000

Abstract: PurposeThis study aims to analyze the influence of online university education, not only in fostering entrepreneurial intentions but also in the actual creation of sustainable businesses by students, while also considering the contribution of other academic, contextual and personal variables.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative and cross-sectional design was used, using structural equation modeling (SEM) to assess both direct and mediated relationships between online university education and the creation of sustainable businesses. Data were collected from an online Spanish university participating in the international GUESSS project. The sample consisted of 881 students.FindingsThe study demonstrates the positive impact of online university education, career intentions and level of studies, as well as the significant mediating role of University Climate and Knowledge Branch, highlighting the key role of the online academic environment in sustainable entrepreneurship.Practical implicationsThe findings provide key insights for policies, teaching practices and institutional strategies that promote online educational environments conducive to interdisciplinary and impactful sustainable entrepreneurship, with special attention to the role of University Climate and Knowledge Branch.Social implicationsThe results underscore the importance of promoting interdisciplinary approaches, strengthening sustainable institutional cultures and fostering active learning methodologies to enhance the creation of sustainable businesses.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research is among the first to empirically examine the contribution of online university education to the actual creation of sustainable businesses by students, expanding the traditional focus on entrepreneurial intentions.

Keywords: Online university education; Business creation; Sustainability; Career intentions; Level of education; Knowledge branch (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eme:srjpps:srj-05-2025-0430

DOI: 10.1108/SRJ-05-2025-0430

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