Sustainable Universities and Strategic Management: Bibliometric Analysis and Systematic Review

Background/purpose. This study aims to examine the evolution of scientific knowledge and research trends related to the strategic management of sustainable university institutions. Strategic management is of utmost importance for effectively leading any organization, such as a university institution. These are organizations that seek to raise quality standards to improve their mission and achieve organizational objectives. In this sense, strategies play a fundamental role in managing sustainable educational organizations.

Materials/methods. This research employed bibliometric analysis and systematic literature review methods. The articles used were obtained from the Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) databases. The search process was based on the Prisma methodology.

Results. The search revealed 23 articles published between 2015 and 2025 that met the established inclusion criteria. It was evident that although there are many studies on sustainable development in universities, little research focuses on strategic management to achieve a sustainable university; thus, the term “strategic management in universities” is rarely used in the scientific community. The articles were written using various research methods, but they are generally presented as case studies. 2024 was the year with the highest scientific output on the subject, while Portugal, Brazil, and Indonesia stood out as the most productive countries.

Conclusion. Among its many objectives, strategic management seeks to integrate academic, technological, innovation, knowledge management, organizational transformation, and participatory management areas to achieve sustainable university institutions. To do so, it must have a clear vision, strategies, and objectives, to promote the operations of the staff and the organization, allowing it to remain competitive with other universities over time.

Keywords: Sustainable development, strategic management, university, sustainability

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