In today's digitally-driven world, education plays a vital role in fostering ICT competence and digital citizenship. This study, grounded in social cognitive theory, investigates how principal digital leadership and teacher professional competence collectively influence these aspects among university students. Employing a stratified random sampling approach, we surveyed 331 participants comprising teachers and first-year, and fourth-year undergraduate students from public universities in Jiangsu province, China. The study utilized validated scales to assess principal digital leadership, ICT competence, teacher professional competence, and digital citizenship. We explored the mediating role of ICT competence and the moderating effect of teacher competence in this relationship. Analysis revealed that principal digital leadership directly enhances ICT competence, while its effect on digital citizenship is mediated through this competence. Additionally, teacher professional competence not only directly boosts ICT skills but also moderates the impact of principal leadership on these skills. These findings underscore the critical interplay between leadership and teaching quality in fostering technologically proficient and responsible digital citizens. The study provides insights into educational strategies that integrate both dimensions for optimal student outcomes, highlighting the importance of a holistic approach in developing digital competencies in higher education.