https://ojs.merga.net.au/index.php/mted <p>Mathematics Teacher Education and Development <span style="font-size: 0.875rem;">(MTED) is </span><span style="font-size: 0.875rem;">an official journal of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia, Inc. (MERGA), is an international refereed journal that provides a stimulating collection of articles with a focus on mathematics teacher education. MTED is an open access publication.</span></p> Mathematics Research Group of Australasia en-US Mathematics Teacher Education and Development 1442-3901 https://ojs.merga.net.au/index.php/mted/article/view/1391 <p class="MTEDAbstract" style="margin: 24.0pt 36.0pt 24.0pt 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype',serif;">This article presents a scoping review of international peer-reviewed literature (2015–2025) examining how sustainability is addressed in initial mathematics teacher education (IMTE). Guided by five research questions, the review synthesised 24 empirical studies to explore how sustainability is conceptualised, integrated, and challenged in IMTE contexts. Two dominant conceptualisations emerged: “mathematics for sustainable development,” which positions mathematics as a tool for engaging with socio-environmental issues; and ”sustainability of mathematics-related knowledge,” which emphasises the lasting impact of IMTE on prospective teachers’ knowledge, skills, and dispositions. Each conceptualisation gives rise to distinct, yet sometimes overlapping, pedagogical approaches. The former is associated with socio-critical mathematical modelling, interdisciplinary project-based learning, and reflective pedagogy, while the latter foregrounds technology-enhanced instruction, culturally responsive teaching, and development of transferable competencies. Persistent barriers, however, include rigid curricula, limited faculty expertise, conceptual uncertainty, and misaligned policy frameworks. Addressing these challenges requires systemic action through curriculum reform, interdisciplinary professional development, and integration of sustainability competencies into accreditation standards. The review showed how conceptual framings of sustainability inform pedagogical practice, reveal structural obstacles, and guide strategic responses, offering a foundation for reimagining IMTE as a transformative space for preparing mathematics teachers to contribute meaningfully to sustainable futures.</span></p> Constantinos Xenofontos Aleksandra Khara Fadum Trude Sundtjønn Copyright (c) 2026 Mathematics Teacher Education and Development 2026-09-18 2026-09-18 28 2 3 3