The evolving landscape of sustainability competencies: a mixed-methods bibliometric review of ESD scholarship

Purpose This study aims to map the evolving research landscape of sustainability competencies within Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) by identifying key contributors, examining the intellectual structure of the field and uncovering dominant themes and emerging directions to inform curriculum design, educational policy and future research agendas. Design/methodology/approach A mixed-methods design was used, combining bibliometric analysis with content analysis. Data comprised 248 articles retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC, 2021–2025). CiteSpace was used to conduct co-citation, co-authorship and keyword analyses to map collaboration networks, intellectual structures and thematic clusters. Content analysis of highly cited articles provided complementary qualitative depth to validate and contextualize the bibliometric findings. Findings European countries, particularly Spain, occupy central roles in global research collaboration networks, with Sustainability and Journal of Cleaner Production identified as the leading publication venues. Key contributors, including UNESCO, Rodrigo Lozano, Walter Leal Filho and Katja Brundiers, define the field’s conceptual and institutional foundations. Thematic clusters reveal core domains including action competence, digital pedagogy, teacher agency and whole-institution approaches. Content analysis further confirms a broader disciplinary shift toward interdisciplinary integration, ethical artificial intelligence (AI) and localized implementation of sustainability competencies. Research limitations/implications The study is limited to articles indexed in the WoSCC, which may exclude relevant publications from other databases such as Scopus or Google Scholar. The temporal scope (2021–2025) captures recent trends but does not reflect the full historical development of the field. Additionally, bibliometric analysis captures structural and relational patterns in the literature but cannot fully account for the qualitative depth or contextual nuances of individual studies. Practical implications Policies should support capacity-building initiatives that integrate sustainability into teacher education programs. Second, digital tools and AI offer significant potential to personalize and scale sustainability learning. However, their adoption must be guided by ethical standards and inclusive access strategies. Policymakers should develop clear frameworks for using educational technologies to support sustainability goals. Third, Whole Institution Approaches are essential. Institutional change, not just curricular reform, is needed to embed sustainability across governance, operations and pedagogy. Schools and universities should adopt systemic strategies that align teaching, leadership and community engagement with sustainability values. Finally, cross-sector collaboration is vital. Partnerships between academia, industry and policy sectors ensure that sustainability competencies translate into practical, labor market–relevant skills. Incentivizing university–business collaboration can enhance employability and real-world impact. Originality/value This study offers a focused bibliometric synthesis of sustainability competencies as a distinct subfield within ESD, using recent data (2021–2025) that existing broader ESD reviews do not cover. By integrating bibliometric and content analysis, it moves beyond structural mapping to interpret thematic evolution and practical implications. The findings provide a comprehensive framework of sustainability competencies and deliver actionable insights for educators, institutional leaders and policymakers seeking to embed ESD into higher education curricula and institutional strategy.