Sustainable development is generally understood as a system of special measures taken to meet the needs of the current generation, ensure economic and social progress, with the condition of preserving the environment and resources without prejudice to society in the future. Higher education is a key factor in the sustainable development of organizations, the economy and the state as a whole. As elements of the public sector, higher education institutions are subject to the attention of other participants in the system — entrepreneurs, the state, the population, who naturally expect from universities a high level of disclosure of economic, social and environmental information. The article examines the issues of sustainable development in relation to higher education organizations in the context of two paradigms: the first is the fulfillment of their basic educational and educational functions in the professional development of students and research projects commissioned by the state, regions, and business. The second is to create a positive, modern image to ensure competitive advantages in the struggle to attract business representatives and other stakeholders for the purpose of long — term partnerships. The relevance of the study is related to the commitment to introduce sustainable development reports into theacademic system of Russian education.