Universities have a responsibility to lead society towards a sustainable future. Universities prepare most of the world's managers, decision-makers and teachers, and themselves play significant roles in national and global economies. Universities across the world are now responding to these needs for more sustainable forms of human activity. Several key forces are driving this change. There is demand for expertise from students and employers. Sustainability in curriculum, research and operations confers economic and social advantages on universities. And university leaders acknowledge their responsibility in this arena. Together, these factors uniquely position universities to influence the direction society takes. But in Australia, Universities have been slow to implement sustainability policy and practice, even slower than industry in many instances. To determine current progress, we surveyed all Australian universities and a selection of international universities. The survey revealed extensive commitment and actions by universities throughout the world. Progress is reflected in growth of the number of signatories to declarations of sustainability, the development of national and international networks of university staff devoted to improvement in sustainability, and impressive innovation in environmentally sustainable design and practice.