From Inclusion to Sustainability: A Systematic Review of Research Trends in Sustainable Inclusive Education (2015–2025)

ABSTRACT This systematic review reconceptualizes inclusive education (IE) as a cross‐cutting strategy for sustainable development. We analyze 2729 articles published between 2015 and 2025, identifying 357 that explicitly address sustainability. Using PRISMA 2020, bibliometric mapping, and binomial generalized linear models, we examine temporal, geographic, methodological, and thematic patterns. Findings show a 4.5‐fold increase in sustainability‐focused IE research, closely aligned with global SDG frameworks. Africa and Europe lead regionally, and mixed‐methods designs show the strongest association with sustainability. However, critical asymmetries persist: community stakeholders are underrepresented, core education disciplines engage minimally, and economic (31.3%) and environmental (22.7%) SDGs dominate over SDG 4 (11.1%) and social goals (14.2%). Keyword analysis confirms sustainable IE as an emerging subfield oriented toward global frameworks and digital transformation. The study advances theory by positioning IE as a sustainability‐enabling system and offers actionable directions for integrating social justice and environmental resilience into education policy and research.