The main objective of this article was to conduct a case study on how the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco (UFRPE) had been working to integrate the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into its core areas of activity, taking into account the institutionalization process of the 2030 Agenda. The Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have an essential educational role, shaping individuals to have skills and knowledge of values and attitudes that take sustainability, among other aspects, into account. In other words, Universities are environments of transformation, with a key role to promote good internal and external practices, exercising their socio-environmental responsibility. The 2030 Agenda guides nations and, more specifically, institutions and people, to promote strategies that target sustainable and resilient actions. It can be observed that this is a global movement and should take place collectively. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals and, thus, the 169 targets display an ambitious plan of integrated and indivisible actions that envision the three pillars of Sustainable Development: economic, social and environmental. The analysis presented in this article addressed the sphere of governance within Public Administration, focusing on the context of HEIs and the instruments employed to institutionalize sustainability. Based on the case study of UFRPE, significant progress was identified, such as the institution’s performance of 91.4% in the Integrated Index of Environmental and Social Sustainability, part of the governance and public management assessment conducted by the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) in 2024, which evidenced the institution’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Nevertheless, challenges persisted, particularly of financial and structural nature, along with the need for more robust mechanisms to measure the actual impact of the actions undertaken. The research emphasized the importance of integrated strategies across the pillars of teaching, research, extension, management, and innovation, reinforcing the transformative potential of HEIs in promoting a more just, inclusive, and sustainable society.