In the context of uneven digital transformation among Southeast Asian countries, this study provides a comprehensive overview of digital competence in higher education during the 2017–2026 period using a bibliometric approach. The dataset comprises 676 documents from the Scopus database, processed using VOSviewer and Microsoft Excel. The results indicate a sharp increase in publications from 2024 to 2026, predominantly in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. The keyword co-occurrence map identifies six main thematic clusters, reflecting research interests in artificial intelligence applications, digital competence in curricula, personal factors in technology use, employment and human resource development, digital transformation, entrepreneurship education, and sustainable development. The findings reveal a research gap in explaining the disparities in publications and research collaboration among these countries, as well as in clarifying the relationship between digital competence, responsible artificial intelligence, and sustainable development. Future studies should focus on the role of policies, institutional resources, and the nexus of digital competence and entrepreneurship education with sustainable development goals.