Enhancing employability through higher education: a bibliometric analysis

Mapping Thematic Structures in Higher Education: A Bibliometric–Thematic Analysis of High-Impact Journals

The study aims to identify thematic lines for a research journal in Higher Education. Methodologically, a qualitative–analytical documentary study was conducted, combining bibliometric analysis, thematic analysis, and comparison with international normative frameworks. The corpus consisted of 20 Q1 journals in the field of Education (Scimago Journal Rank). Based on the analysis of keywords, subject areas, and editorial scopes, dominant conceptual cores in current research were identified. The results were subsequently interpreted through expert judgment, aligned with UNESCO’s ISCED-F and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and externally validated by ten international specialists. As a result, eleven main thematic lines were identified that structure contemporary research in higher education, including: university quality and governance, curriculum design, competency-based education, learning assessment, faculty development, educational innovation and technologies, student experience and well-being, inclusion and equity, internationalization, social engagement, and academic integrity. The study concludes that the delimitation of thematic lines based on bibliometric evidence and expert validation constitutes a robust and replicable editorial strategy that strengthens the scientific identity of journals, improves their international positioning, and strategically guides research agendas in Higher Education.

Exploring the Landscape of Curriculum Quality Management in Higher Education

This study aimed to map global publication trends, intellectual structures, and thematic orientations in research on curriculum quality management in higher education, using data retrieved from the Scopus database from the earliest publications up to 2025. A descriptive bibliometric approach was employed using Biblioshiny and VOSviewer to analyze 525 selected documents, including journal articles, conference proceedings, and review papers. The findings revealed a steady increase in publication activity over the past two decades, with a notable peak in 2024, indicating growing global attention to curriculum quality in higher education. The distribution of publication sources reflected the field’s interdisciplinary nature, with strong contributions from engineering and health professions education. At the institutional level, the University of California and McGill University emerged as leading contributors, while the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom dominated publication output. An analysis of highly cited publications showed that influential studies mainly originated from professional education, particularly medical, and health professions education, and emphasized competency-based training, curriculum evaluation, and quality improvement. The thematic analysis identified several core research areas, including curriculum development and accreditation, professional education and clinical training, learning outcome–based evaluation, and institutional strategies for curriculum improvement. Emerging topics such as curriculum mapping, simulation-based learning, and mentoring systems indicated a shift toward more evidence-based and practice-oriented approaches to curriculum quality management.

Gamification and Flipped Classroom Research: A Bibliometric Analysis of Trends of Scopus-Indexed Publications

This study examined 325 scientific articles from Scopus on gamification research within flipped classroom and technology-enhanced learning contexts. The study aimed to identify publication trends, research productivity, and emerging thematic patterns in this field. Bibliometric analysis and systematic mapping are lacking, making it difficult to understand research trends, collaboration patterns, and key themes. A bibliometric approach was employed to map trends in scientific publications. Data were collected using the Scopus database, applying Boolean operators. The selection criteria included questions about elementary, middle, and high school students and publications published between 2014 and 2024. Data analysis was carried out using VOSviewer and Bibliometrix. The findings revealed a clear increase in global research activity, with substantial growth in annual publication output. Keyword analysis revealed six interrelated research trends: New Ways of Teaching, Psychological Dimensions and Learner Engagement, Technology Drivers and Digital Environments, Implementation Context: Learning Environment and Curriculum, Evaluation of Goals and Developing Competencies, and Methods for Studies in Education. Gamification literature grew by 169 papers between 2014 and 2021. Although productivity grew between 2021 and 2024, the total number of papers was 156. This study shows that pedagogy, psychology, and technology are interconnected. It can help teachers and policymakers use gamification and AI- and Virtual Reality-enhanced teaching methods. This study emphasizes the integration of pedagogy, psychology, and technology in a comprehensive bibliometric analysis. The findings can help educators and policymakers develop new pedagogical methods, particularly using Artificial Intelligence and VR. Keywords: bibliometric analysis, flipped classroom, digital learning, gamification, and innovative classroom.

Graduate Employability of Management Students in India: A Critical Review and Bibliometric Analysis

Purpose: The aim of the paper is to provide a critical review and multi-tool bibliometric analysis of graduate employability in management education, specific to India. The study reviews 85 papers (2003-2025) selected using PRISMA and introduces the Multi-Level Employability Framework (MLEF) as an integrative theoretical framework aimed at answering the structural factors behind issues impacting employability of management students in India. Design/Methodology/Approach: Scopus and ABDC-indexed papers were searched using PRISMA, which provided 540 preliminary records, reduced to 85 articles. The tools used were: VOSviewer (v1.6.20) used to map key words co-occurrences; bibliometrix used to plot strategic themes; a country affiliation analysis across 22 countries; and ABDC 2022 quality distribution list. Cross-validation was done by deploying a dual-network diagram that compared an author co-citation and keyword co-occurrence networks. Findings: Six thematic clusters were found. The biggest cluster (n=19, 22.4%), was the India and Emerging Economies cluster, which is a rarity as most studies favour western scholarship over emerging countries. The dominance towards supply-side of talent pool, i.e., quality of institutions, curriculum etc. is bibliometrically validated. The dual-network analysis shows that grit and cultural intelligence have standalone empirical support, but are marginal to the mainstream models of employability, even though they have been found to be relevant to the outcomes of Indian management graduates. Originality/Value: This is an original work not published anywhere.

Research on work-integrated learning: Overview of publication trends

Trends and Developments in Special Education Research by Indonesian Researchers: A Bibliometric Analysis in Scopus Database

This analysis aims to identify and map the development and trends of special education research conducted by Indonesian researchers through a bibliometric approach, including publication productivity, collaboration patterns, citation dynamics, and thematic structure. Document selection was carried out using the PRISMA method using the keyword strategy “TITLE-ABS-KEY (“special education”) AND AFFILCOUNTRY (Indonesia)” within the Scopus database, resulting in a total of 101 documents being analyzed to ensure the substantive relevance and academic contributions of Indonesian researchers. Further analysis used the R Program and VOSviewer to generate primary dataset information, map keyword networks and clusters, and identify topic novelties in the field of special education in Indonesia. The bibliometric analysis concludes that special education research in Indonesia has shown a significant growth trend, is collaborative, and has become increasingly thematically diverse in recent years. Cluster mapping and keyword visualization reveal that the focus of studies extends beyond disability to include technology integration, strengthening pedagogical foundations, and the dynamics of inclusive assessment and practice. Furthermore, the novelty analysis indicates the emergence of new themes such as “Early Childhood Education”, “Scientific Literacy”, and “Autism Spectrum Disorder”, which signal a more specific direction for research development. However, integration with the deep learning approach, a priority of national education policy, remains underexplored. Therefore, more systematic and strategic follow-up research is needed to strengthen academic contributions while aligning with the educational transformation agenda in Indonesia.