Developing sustainable employability competencies through skill-based higher education: a systematic and field-based mixed-methods study in Iran

Purpose This study aims to design a systematic and context-based framework for developing sustainable employability competencies through skill-based higher education in Iran. The profound gap between graduate competencies and the dynamic demands of the labour market has led to consequences such as unemployment and reduced productivity, rendering a fundamental reassessment of higher education's function inevitable. Design/methodology/approach This research employed a two-stage mixed-methods design. Initially, a systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines across the Scopus and Web of Science databases (2020–2025), and two major Persian databases, (SID) and Magiran resulting in the selection of 37 international articles. Subsequently, a qualitative study was undertaken using a grounded theory approach. In-depth, open-ended interviews were conducted with 10 academic and organizational experts (higher education administrators and planners), selected through purposive sampling, continuing until theoretical saturation was achieved. Data were analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding based on the Strauss and Corbin paradigm model. Findings The systematic review extracted five main competency domains: “Knowledge and Understanding,” “Cognitive Skills” (problem-solving, critical thinking, creativity), “Functional Skills” (effective communication, teamwork, leadership), “Personal and Entrepreneurial Skills,” and “Ethics and Professionalism.” In the qualitative phase, a paradigm model was identified comprising six categories: the “core phenomenon” (purposeful skill-based education), “causal conditions,” “contextual conditions,” “strategies” (individual-organizational, structural-institutional, and macro-social), “intervening conditions,” and “consequences” (individual, organizational, and societal). Originality/value The novelty of this study lies in presenting an integrated and context-sensitive framework for the establishment of skill-based education in Iran. While drawing upon global competency frameworks, it specifically addresses the country's local characteristics, structural-cultural challenges, and institutional barriers. This identification provides a strategic roadmap for policymakers and educational administrators to facilitate the realization of sustainable employability and to strengthen the social responsibility of universities.