This study presents a systematic literature review aimed at mapping the main areas of study on the relationship between higher education institutions' strategic alliances and sustainable entrepreneurship. To that end, it carried out three complementary analyses: topic mapping, co-citation, and overlay visualization, in order to provide a comprehensive picture of that relationship from 1994 to 2022. The empirical approach is based on a total sample of 207 articles published in the Web of Science database, which was screened in terms of title, abstract and keywords, and subject to a search protocol involving inclusion and exclusion criteria. Using VOSviewer software, a three-pronged approach is used to identify five topic clusters: (1) The impact of entrepreneurship on community sustainability and social innovation; (2) Strategic alliances for sustainable development, innovation, and performance; (3) Value creation through social entrepreneurship partnerships; (4) Challenges for knowledge-based sustainable cities; and (5) Collaboration between businesses and social enterprises; revealing the role of knowledge, co-creation, sustainable entrepreneurship, and social innovation as levers of sustainable development. As a result of this systematic literature review, a holistic research framework is proposed, positioning sustainable entrepreneurship as a priority target for strategic alliances in higher education institutions, with reference to the experience of implementing the European University concept. This framework helps to position joint cooperation and strategic alliances among the major stakeholders in knowledge-based economies, which frequently leads to knowledge-based development based on sustainable entrepreneurship.