Islamic entrepreneurship education in the era of sustainability and digital transformation

Abstract

Islamic entrepreneurship education is emerging as a consequential domain at the intersection of Islamic ethical values, sustainability, and digital transformation in higher education. Yet the literature remains fragmented and frequently confined to localized contexts, with limited integration into broader entrepreneurship education debates. This study maps the intellectual structure and research trends in Islamic entrepreneurship education through a systematic bibliometric review of publications from 2020 to 2025. Following PRISMA procedures, bibliographic records from Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Dimensions were analyzed using VOSViewer to examine publication dynamics, keyword co-occurrence, and collaboration patterns. The results reveal four thematic clusters: technology-oriented entrepreneurship pedagogy, entrepreneurial intention and gender-related issues, leadership and human-centered learning, and entrepreneurial culture and behavioral constructs. Publication output rises markedly after 2020 and peaks in 2023–2024, reflecting post-pandemic interest in sustainability and digital resilience. Despite this growth, gaps persist in integrating Islamic Work Ethics with sustainability frameworks, leveraging digital learning tools, and developing cross-national research collaboration. To address these limitations, the study proposes an integrative analytical lens combining Islamic Work Ethics, the Theory of Planned Behavior, and transdisciplinary learning, offering implications for theory development and for designing scalable, inclusive entrepreneurship education aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals