Components of Sustainable Leadership in Universities: Systematic Review of the Literature and Proposal of a Taxonomy

ABSTRACT

Universities play a pivotal role in promoting sustainable development by adopting sustainable management practices and preparing future leaders with a focus on sustainability. This study investigates the interplay between sustainable leadership, pro‐environmental behaviour and organisational commitment at universities, with a particular focus on the environmental dimension of sustainability, and proposes a taxonomy based on cluster analysis. A systematic literature review (SLR) of 134 peer‐reviewed articles from the Web of Science (WOS) database, published up to December 2023, was conducted using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Bibliometric techniques, including co‐word and co‐citation analysis (VOSviewer) and visualization tools (R‐Studio), were employed to identify thematic clusters and emerging trends. The analysis revealed five thematic groupings and three co‐citation clusters, emphasizing the connections between sustainable leadership models, organisational behaviour, education and innovation. The proposed taxonomy highlights the dynamic interaction between management practices, educational frameworks and innovation ecosystems. Future research should explore these relationships in diverse university settings to advance sustainability strategies in higher education.