Background/purpose: The innovation behavior of university personnel has garnered much attention, with innovation intention being a crucial factor in this process. This study aimed to investigate the impact of university personnel's innovation intention on their innovation behaviors, focusing on the mediating effect of challenging pressure in the relationship between innovation intention and innovation behavior. Materials/methods: This research utilized a quantitative methodology, gathering data from personnel at 38 universities in Guangdong Province, China, through a structured questionnaire survey. Statistical analysis and structural equation modeling were employed to investigate the influence of innovation intention on innovation behavior. Results: The findings indicated a favorable correlation among the three characteristics of innovation intention: behavioral attitude, perceived organizational support, and innovation self-efficacy. Behavioral attitude, and innovation self-efficacy positively influenced innovation behavior; however, perceived organizational support exerted no significant effect on innovation behavior. Challenging pressure moderated the connection between innovation intention and innovation behavior. Conclusion: This study provides novel insights into the mechanisms that drive innovative behavior among university personnel, a previously underexplored domain. The findings highlight the importance of individual, organizational, and environmental factors in influencing employee innovation behavior, offering important guidance for university personnel's innovation behavior and university development, and providing valuable insights for other organizational and employee management practices.