Across the world many universities do not benefit from access to a local or national university sustainability network where best practice is shared and action plans are implemented per the national context. Nor for them is there a sustainability framework which reflects the social, cultural, economic and ecological circumstances of their region. It is with this in mind the UN Sustainable University Framework has been created. Recognising the many different contexts and possibilities around the world, the UN Sustainable University Framework embraces the common elements of the existing Frameworks and assessment tools developed by existing university sustainability networks. The result is a universal stepped approach which any and every university can apply to its country context. Using the Framework enables the university to create its unique pathway to become sustainable. The collective framework has been designed to align, aggregate and amplify the work of existing Higher Education sustainability tools with the aim of presenting an empowering, collaborative and global definition as to what is a sustainable university and a framework to become one. Reflecting the holistic approach of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and most sustainability network accreditations, the framework takes a whole‐institution approach to ensure that sustainability is integrated across all aspects of the organisation. The UNEP Framework presents a university as comprising four Core Areas. These are: Teaching and Research, People and Society, Environment and Climate, Administration and Governance. This whole‐institution Quadruple Bottom Line approach ensures that the sustainability potential of every part of a university is included in its sustainability planning and action.