This study presents a Systematic Literature Review of peer-reviewed research published between 2019 and 2025, guided by PRISMA 2020 standards and employing Gioia, Corley and Hamilton (2013)'s thematic analysis framework.
Abstract
The integration of sustainability in Information Systems (IS) education has emerged as a strategic priority in Higher Education, driven by the urgent need to tackle environmental challenges and foster responsible digital transformation. Despite growing scholarly and institutional interest, the literature on this topic remains fragmented, lacking a unified pedagogical and theoretical foundation to guide effective integration processes. This study presents a Systematic Literature Review of peer-reviewed research published between 2019 and 2025, guided by PRISMA 2020 standards and employing Gioia, Corley and Hamilton (2013)’s thematic analysis framework. The review synthesises current approaches to embedding sustainability within IS education, identifying key thematic pillars and curricular strategies. The review identifies ongoing gaps in educator preparedness, conceptual clarity, and empirical validation. To address these challenges, a novel framework for integrating sustainability into IS programs is proposed, offering actionable guidance for curriculum designers, academic policymakers, and computing education researchers. This work contributes to the emerging discourse on sustainability-driven computing education and supports the development of pedagogical models aligned with global Sustainable Development Goals.
This study develops the Socio-Technical Impact (ST-Impact) model, a sustainability-oriented curriculum design framework for management information systems (MIS) education, aimed at preparing future professionals to design and govern digital systems in socially and environmentally responsible ways. The rapid diffusion of emerging technologies, particularly generative AI, has intensified the need for MIS professionals who can integrate technical competence with social responsibility, ethical reasoning, responsible digital design, and public-value-oriented problem solving—competencies that remain unevenly addressed in existing MIS curricula. To address this gap, the study adopts a design science research approach, conducting a systematic review, reported in accordance with PRISMA 2020, and a design-oriented narrative synthesis of 120 international studies published between 2010 and 2025. Learning activities, student-produced artifacts, and assessment mechanisms were extracted as curriculum design units, while governance-related indicators were coded according to stakeholder requirements, accountability, equity, accessibility, privacy, safety, explainability, and sustainability. The resulting ST-Impact model comprises six iterative modules and a three-layer evaluation system. Its design coherence and practical plausibility are examined through an evidence-to-model traceability mapping, an illustrative comparative analysis of publicly visible curriculum structures, and an adaptable 15-week syllabus architecture. By translating abstract concepts of societal impact, responsible digital design, and digital sustainability into actionable curriculum design elements, this study contributes a literature-grounded foundation for future empirical validation in MIS education.
Digital transformation in higher education represents not only a technological shift but also a fundamental change in pedagogy, aligning with the demands of a globalized society. This systematic literature review (2020–2024) examines how emerging technologies in higher education impact learning outcomes, foster entrepreneurial innovation, and advance Quality Education (SDG 4).
Conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a comprehensive search of Scopus and Web of Science databases was performed. This process yielded 41 relevant studies, which were subsequently appraised for quality using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklist.
Using bibliometric analysis and network mapping, we identified four major thematic clusters in the literature. Based on these clusters, we propose an integrative theoretical framework that links digital transformation initiatives to educational outcomes, innovation, and sustainability goals.
We outline crucial future research directions (e.g., addressing infrastructure challenges, enhancing digital pedagogy, and scaling innovation labs) to guide scholars and practitioners. Our review provides a timely synthesis of current knowledge and offers actionable insights for leveraging digital transformation to improve global educational quality and equity.
Aisha Ansari, Haroon Bakari, Elaaf Awan et al.· Frontiers in Education· 0 citations
This article critically examines Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) within teacher education, considering its alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals. Adopting a theoretical-critical approach, this study is based on a critical narrative review of national and international publications from 2015 to 2024, combined with thematic analysis. Forty-two works were selected from databases including Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO) and the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES), and were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal interrelated gaps across multiple dimensions that hinder the effective implementation of ESD. Conceptually, an anthropocentric and economistic bias predominates, accompanied by a lack of epistemological reflection on alternative frameworks such as planetary health. In the pedagogical dimension, behaviorist approaches emphasize individual actions without critically addressing socioeconomic structures, thereby weakening interdisciplinarity. Institutionally, resistance persists toward breaking with rigid disciplinary curricula, alongside insufficient support for transdisciplinary practices. Politically, the study identifies a disconnect between Brazil’s National Common Curricular Base (Base Nacional Comum Curricular — BNCC) and the effective integration of environmental themes, as well as the hegemony of a competency-based neoliberal logic that depoliticizes education. These gaps are particularly evident in teacher education, which lacks robust curricular components and adequate professional development opportunities. Critical environmental education emerges as a transformative perspective by fostering ecological awareness and socio-environmental justice. The study concludes that overcoming these challenges requires strengthening critical, interdisciplinary, and territorially contextualized training practices that integrate scientific, social, and ethical-political knowledge, thereby preparing educators to transform the structures that perpetuate the socio-environmental crisis.
J. Gomes-Figueiredo, Janete do Rosário Amaro Crisanto· Revista Brasileira de Ciênci...· 0 citations
The growing acceleration of socio-ecological crises has increased demands for higher education to move beyond disciplinary teaching toward competence-based sustainability education. In science teacher education, this shift requires not only aligning curricula with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) but also developing transformative sustainability competencies. This review analyzes the relationship between UNESCO’s Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) learning objectives and the European GreenComp framework, exploring their integration into science education programs. Based on a qualitative thematic review of 65 publications published between 2015 and 2025, the study identifies a strong emphasis on normative and methodological aspects of sustainability education, while critical-political perspectives and futures literacy remain less represented. The paper proposes an integrative model built around three interconnected dimensions: SDG-oriented learning objectives, sustainability competences, and a critical socio-ecological perspective. The findings indicate that effective curriculum design in science teacher education must combine content-oriented and competence-oriented approaches. UNESCO’s ESD objectives provide socio-environmental relevance and normative guidance, whereas GreenComp contributes systems thinking, anticipatory competences, and action-oriented learning. However, the review warns that sustainability education risks remaining functional rather than transformative unless issues of power, inequality, and socio-ecological justice are explicitly addressed.
I. M. Muñoz-García, Alicia Jurado-López, Jorge Pozuelo-Muñoz et al.· Sustainability· 0 citations
Despite the importance of the Information Technology (IT) sector for sustainability, there is a lack of guidance for including Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in IT degree programs. This research investigates perspectives of staff, students and industry, and contextual factors, to develop strategies for embedding sustainability in IT curricula. We conducted a case study at an IT department in a major Australian university, through semi-structured interviews and workshops with academic staff (n=10), students (n=28), and industry professionals (n=5), and by analysing documentation such as university plans, handbooks and company reports. A thematic analysis was used to synthesise perspectives, and sustainability topics were mapped to IT knowledge areas. While IT professionals have increasingly important roles in addressing sustainability challenges, many IT staff and students are unaware of, or uncertain about, sustainability’s relevance to their field. Additional barriers to integrating sustainability into IT programs include lack of educator expertise, overcrowded curricula, and the lack of tailored resources and support. We provide an empirical account of stakeholder perspectives on integrating sustainability into IT curricula in Australia. We offer a framework and recommendations to address these issues through loose, program-level coordination, training and resources to empower educators, paving the way for more profound change. This case study offers valuable insights for integrating sustainability into IT curricula, along with a framework and strategies that can serve as useful starting points for universities to take practical, educator-led steps towards ESD.
Sarah Webber, Madeleine Antonellos, Lucy A. Sparrow et al.· The Compass· 0 citations
Education plays a fundamental role in promoting sustainability by equipping learners with the knowledge, skills, and values required to address complex environmental, social, and economic challenges. In this context, STEM education has emerged as a powerful framework for fostering interdisciplinary thinking, problem-solving, and innovation aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals. This review examines recent advances in the integration of sustainability into STEM education across different educational levels, from primary education to higher education. Particular attention is given to current pedagogical approaches, interdisciplinary learning, teacher training, emerging digital technologies, and institutional strategies that facilitate the incorporation of sustainability into STEM curricula. To complement the qualitative discussion, a descriptive publication analysis is presented to identify research trends, major thematic areas, and emerging directions in the field. Furthermore, a conceptual framework is proposed to organize the relationships among educational context, resources, pedagogical processes, learning outcomes, and societal impact. Overall, this review highlights the opportunities and remaining challenges for developing sustainability-oriented STEM education and provides recommendations for future research, curriculum development, and educational policy.