The Vice-Rector for Research explained, "There is no question that the JKU would not join the Alliance for Sustainable Universities. Sustainability is vital to society and we have been committed to it for years. We have also pledged to continue to focus on sustainability in the future. At the JKU, we consider this to be a cross-disciplinary issue and as a university, the JKU - as a campus-style environment and full university with four faculties - is uniquely positioned and can make cutting-edge contributions."

At the end of August 2018, JKU Rector Meinhard Lukas signed the UniNEtZ "Memorandum of Understanding" which defined the sustainable development goals.

The alliance pools universities’ resources to strengthen sustainability in education, research, university management and do its part to contribute to advances in maintaining and creating sustainable society.