The leadership of the university teacher has the most important role in the development of the educational institution and society. Universities are facing rapid societal changes and the need for innovative pedagogical approaches, including the potential for faculty members to emerge as leaders both within and beyond their classrooms, becomes increasingly salient. Teacher leadership in this context represents a collaborative ethos, where educators engage in shared decision making, curriculum development, and pedagogical innovation, thereby enhancing both academic and institutional outcomes. University teachers play a crucial role in achieving the 4th Sustainable Development Goal by leveraging their leadership skills to provide inclusive, equitable, and high-quality education. Teacher leadership and student satisfaction are considered to be interconnected but, in turn, teacher leadership is influenced by teacher disposition. The intricate interplay between professor leadership and student satisfaction within higher education institutions (HEIs) reveals significant implications for both faculty and student experiences. This study investigated two aspects: firstly, the effect of teacher dispositions, especially motivation, communication, conscientiousness, teacher efficacy and willingness to learn, teacher leadership, and secondly, how teacher leadership affects student learning satisfaction. A survey was developed using questionnaire structural equation analysis using SmartPLS 4.0. Three hundred eighty-nine students studying in public universities in Mongolia participated in the survey. The research results show that teacher dispositions such as motivation, communication, and conscientiousness positively affect teacher leadership. In addition, it was proven that teacher leadership positively affects student learning satisfaction.

A university’s reputation is a key indicator of the quality of its education, the competitiveness of its alumni, its institutional influence in society, and its degree of global recognition, including its ranking and rating among higher education institutions (HEIs) around the world. This not only enhances institutional standing and secures positions in international rankings but also promotes sustainable education practices. In addition, students, their parents, and their partners select universities due to their trust in the reliability of a university’s public reputation and ranking. This study proposes a model to assess a university’s reputation based on specific factors. In this research, the dependent variable is university reputation, the mediating variable is university social responsibility, and the independent variables include the teacher reputation, alumni reputation, research and innovation, and cooperation. A survey of 5902 respondents—including alumni, employers, and parents—offers diverse perspectives on university reputation. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling tools (Smart PLS 4.1 and SPSS 25.0). The findings confirm that social responsibility has a strong and positive influence on university reputation. Furthermore, faculty and alumni reputation, research and innovation, and external collaboration directly enhance universities’ social responsibility. This suggests that social responsibility serves as a key mediating variable in the relationship between institutional capacity and reputation. This study represents the first empirical assessment of university reputation in Mongolia, addressing a notable gap in the literature. By incorporating context-specific insights and stakeholder perspectives, the research offers both theoretical contributions and practical implications. The results provide a foundation for developing regionally responsive strategies to improve the quality of higher education and advance sustainable development goals.