In university organizations, employees’ innovative behavior plays a significant role in improving administrative processes, enhancing the quality of educational and research services, and increasing responsiveness to stakeholders’ needs. One of the key factors influencing such behaviors is perceived organizational support, which reflects the extent to which employees believe that the organization values their contributions and cares about their well‑being. The present study aimed to explain the effect of perceived organizational support on the innovative behavior of university employees, with a particular emphasis on the mediating role of job engagement. This study was applied in terms of purpose and descriptive‑correlational in terms of method. Data were collected using standard questionnaires measuring perceived organizational support, job engagement, and innovative behavior. The statistical population consisted of university employees, from which the research sample was selected using a random sampling method. Data analysis was conducted using the structural equation modeling approach and relevant statistical software, and the construct validity and reliability of the instruments were confirmed at acceptable levels. The results indicated that perceived organizational support had a positive and significant effect on job engagement as well as on innovative behavior. Furthermore, job engagement positively predicted innovative behavior, and the test of indirect effects showed that job engagement played a significant mediating role in the relationship between perceived organizational support and innovative behavior. This means that part of the effect of organizational support is transmitted through increasing employees’ energy, absorption, and enthusiasm for their work. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that strengthening supportive mechanisms within universities—such as organizational justice, attention to employees’ job needs, constructive feedback, and recognition of employees’ efforts—can enhance job engagement and ultimately promote innovative behaviors. These results can be useful for university managers in designing human resource policies and motivational programs aimed at improving organizational innovation.