SDGs-Oriented Integration in School Governance A Bibliometric and Knowledge-Map Analysis

SDGs-Oriented Integration in School Governance: A Bibliometric and Knowledge-Map Analysis AbstractIn response to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) proposed by the United Nations (2015), the education sector has gradually incorporated the concept of sustainability into school governance strategies and operational practices, thereby reflecting long-term educational reforms and addressing societal needs. This study aims to examine the academic development and research trends related to “sustainability” and “school governance” between 2005 and 2024. The researchers adopted a bibliometric approach using the Web of Science Core Collection (SCI-EXPANDED, SSCI, AHCI) and Scopus databases, with “sustainability,” “school governance,” or “school management” as the primary search terms. After applying screening criteria (publication years from 2005 to 2024, document types limited to Articles, Review Articles, and Early Access) and following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) procedure, a total of 1,283 documents were included in the final analysis. This study employed the CiteSpace 6.4R1 bibliometric software for analysis and data visualization, focusing on four main aspects: (1) annual and geographical distribution of publications; (2) major journals and their academic impact; (3) highly cited papers and core research topics; and (4) primary research countries and author keywords. The results indicate a steady growth in the number of publications on “sustainable development” and “school governance” over the past two decades. The United States (n = 336), Australia (n = 105), and the United Kingdom (n = 97) stand out for their publication volume, with the United States being the leading contributor. Sustainability (Switzerland) and The International Journal of Management Education rank highly in both publication output and citation frequency. The most frequently cited studies predominantly address higher education reform, responsible management education, and corporate social responsibility, suggesting increasing scholarly attention to sustainable development within educational research. Further analysis of keyword co-occurrence, clustering, and timelines identified three central themes. First, school management requires a sustainable transformation, particularly emphasizing organizational culture and institutional reform to meet long-term social and environmental needs. Second, cross-disciplinary innovation in operations and teaching practices—especially curriculum design and campus resource integration—has garnered growing attention, reflecting a heightened focus on collaborative strategies and sustainable teaching models within education. Finally, SDGs play a crucial role in educational management strategies and resource allocation, emerging as a key agenda in school governance and prompting in-depth exploration in related research domains. These research trajectories align with the global emphasis on sustainability and point toward future directions, such as interdisciplinary collaboration, supportive policy mechanisms, and strengthened partnerships among schools and community organizations. In conclusion, this study integrates bibliometric methods with data visualization to clarify the research foci and developmental trajectories of “sustainable development” and “school governance” over the past 20 years. Future research could broaden the cultural context by conducting horizontal cross-national comparisons and longitudinal case studies, while also incorporating diverse research methods—such as qualitative interviews and action research—to further explain the practice models and impact mechanisms of sustainable school management. Due to language limitations in the chosen databases, this study may have omitted significant Chinese-language literature, suggesting that future cross-national comparative investigations could fill potential gaps. By reinforcing the interplay between education systems and the SDGs, this field can foster educational innovation and responsible transformation, thereby contributing to the realization of global sustainable development goals. Keywords: Bibliometrics, Sustainable Development, School Governance, SDGs