Unlocking STEM for environmental sustainability: A bibliometric review of SDG-driven education
Khaleel AlArabi 1 , Othman Abu Khurma 2 * , Huda Ahmad Alkhalaileh 3 , Sheikha Al-Buraiki 4 , Badriya Al Sadrani 1 , Qasim AlShannag 5
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1 College of Education, Al Ain University, Al Ain, UAE2 Emirates College for Advanced Education, Abu Dhabi, UAE3 Department of Professional Development, Sharjah Education Academy, Sharjah, UAE4 Faculty of Education and Arts, Sohar University, Sohar, OMAN5 Pedagogy, Technology and Teacher Education Division, Emirates College for Advanced Education, Abu Dhabi, UAE* Corresponding Author

Abstract

This study aims to determine the role of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in enabling sustainable development from an environmental perspective within the framework of sustainable development goals (SDGs). The Scopus database was analyzed to review peer-reviewed sources published from 2015 to the year 2025 to identify the current trends of research, prominent authors, methodological approaches, and thematic trends in the connection of STEM education and environmental sustainability. The final inclusion criteria were based on the PRISMA screening process, which has identified 78 studies in total out of the 1,227 records initially identified as part of the review process. The findings show that the number of scholars who are interested in the intersection of STEM education and sustainability has increased significantly, especially regarding SDG 7, SDG 12, and SDG 13. Moreover, the study offers suggestions for creating better environments that encourage collaboration to unlock the full potential of STEM education in attaining sustainable development objectives. However, the finding shows that there are significant geographical differences in production and limited integration of interdisciplinary research in certain areas. The study contributes to the literature by providing a broad perspective of the research trend, and the major gaps that would be used in future research. But the results indicate notable geographical disparities in research production and limited integration of interdisciplinary frameworks in some regions. The study contributes to the literature by providing a comprehensive overview of research trends and identifying key gaps that can inform future research, policy development, and educational practices aimed at strengthening the role of STEM education in achieving global sustainability goals.

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Review Article

EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, Volume 22, Issue 4, April 2026, Article No: em2820

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/18331

Publication date: 08 Apr 2026

Article Views: 18

Article Downloads: 14

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