Purpose: This paper aims to analyze how Colombian Universities have incorporated the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development goals (SDGs) into their missions and visions. Design/methodology/approach: The study used a documentary design to analyze the content of the missions and visions of the 86 Colombian Universities registered with the Ministry of National Education (MEN). Findings: The study shows that universities are primarily aligned with Goal 13 as follows--climate action and this alignment is carried out to a great extent by the university's governance, culture and activities. In contrast, there was a predominance of intentions to address the social dimension of sustainable development (SD). Research limitations/implications: The study focused on examining universities' missions and visions, which leaves out other sources of information that could account for university practices linked to the SDGs and sustainability. Practical implications: The study's results reveal the degree to which the universities are aligned with the SDGs in Colombia, which serves as a basis for the formulation of guidelines by the MEN and other organizations to strengthen the processes that contribute to the 2030 Agenda. Originality/value: Research on how universities align with the SDGs is not a new topic, but it is scarce in the Colombian context. This research contributes to this gap by addressing the topic from a holistic and comparative perspective of SD education.