Introduction

Globalisation describes the growing interconnectedness and interdependence of global economies, societies and cultures, fuelled by advancements in communication, transportation and trade (World Trade Organization, 2021).

Advancements in communication and information technology have fuelled globalisation, enabling faster and more convenient access to information, goods and services worldwide. The liberalisation of trade policies, such as the reduction of trade barriers and tariffs, has also played a significant role in globalisation (International Monetary Fund, 2021).

The impact of globalisation has been both positive and negative. On one hand, globalisation has led to increased economic growth, as countries have been able to specialise in their comparative advantages, leading to greater efficiency and productivity. Globalisation has also led to an increase in the availability of goods and services, as well as lower prices for consumers. On the other hand, globalisation has led to greater inequality, as countries that are not able to compete in the global marketplace have been left behind, leading to a widening income gap. Globalisation has contributed to the exploitation of workers in developing countries, as companies capitalise on low wages and lenient labour regulations.

Higher education plays a crucial role in personal and professional growth and is widely acknowledged as a key driver of economic development and social mobility. It generally refers to education beyond the secondary level, including programmes at universities, colleges and vocational or trade schools. The benefits of higher education are numerous and well documented, including improved earnings potential, better job prospects and a higher standard of living (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), 2018).

There are many factors that contribute to the importance of higher education, including increased demand for skilled workers in a rapidly changing global economy. This has led to a growing recognition of the need for individuals to have access to high-quality educational opportunities in order to succeed in today’s competitive job market (National Centre for Education Statistics, 2021).

Higher education has also been shown to have a positive impact on the economy as a whole, with studies indicating that countries with higher levels of educational attainment tend to have higher levels of economic growth and a more robust workforce. For example, a study by the OECD found that higher levels of education are associated with higher levels of innovation, entrepreneurship and productivity.

Globalisation of higher education refers to the increasing internationalisation of universities and the exchange of students, faculty and knowledge across national borders. The trend has been driven by advances in communication and transportation technologies, as well as a growing demand for higher education worldwide (De Wit, 2011).

A significant aspect of globalisation in higher education is the rising number of international students studying abroad. The UNESCO Institute for Statistics reports that the number of international students increased from 2.1 million in 2000 to 5.5 million in 2019. This trend is driven by a variety of factors, including the desire for a better education, the opportunity to learn a new language and culture, and the ability to build a global network (Tiechiler, 2017).

Another aspect of globalisation in higher education is the growth of international collaborations and partnerships between universities. These partnerships allow universities to share resources, exchange ideas and collaborate on research projects. For example, the Erasmus programme in Europe has promoted student and faculty exchanges across universities in various countries, while the Association of Pacific Rim Universities unites top institutions from the Pacific Rim region to foster collaboration and exchange (European Commission, 2012).

Globalisation’s impact on higher education has been predominantly positive, offering benefits such as expanded access to education, enhanced educational quality and increased diversity within the student population. However, it has also raised some concerns, including the unequal distribution of resources and opportunities between countries, the exploitation of international students and the potential for cultural homogenisation.

Despite these challenges, globalisation in higher education is expected to continue to grow in the coming years. In order to ensure that this growth is sustainable and equitable, it is important for universities, governments and international organisations to work together to address the challenges and opportunities posed by globalisation (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 2021).

Globalisation is a phenomenon that has been transforming the world in many ways. One of the most significant areas of globalisation has been the internationalisation of higher education. This process involves the movement of students, academics and academic programmes across borders, as well as the development of international collaborations and partnerships between universities. The globalisation of higher education has become a major trend in the 21st century, with an increasing number of universities and students seeking to participate in this global movement. In this essay, I will examine the drivers of globalisation in higher education, its benefits and challenges, and the implications for the future.

The drivers of globalisation in higher education are diverse and complex. One of the main drivers is economic. With the rise of the knowledge economy, many countries have recognised the importance of education as a key driver of economic growth and competitiveness. As a result, there has been an increasing demand for higher education across the world, and this has led to the growth of a global market for education. In addition, the growth of multinational corporations and the increasing importance of global trade have created a need for a global workforce that is well-educated and mobile.

Another driver of globalisation in higher education is the increasing use of technology. Advances in communication technology have made it easier for students and academics to collaborate across borders, and for universities to offer courses and programmes online. This has led to the development of new models of global education, such as Massive Open Online Courses, which allow students to access courses from universities all over the world.

The benefits of globalisation in higher education are many. For students, it provides the opportunity to study in a different country, learn a new language and gain valuable international experience. This can be particularly valuable for students from developing countries, who may not have access to high-quality education in their own countries. For universities, globalisation offers the opportunity to attract a diverse range of students, expand their research collaborations and enhance their international reputation. It also provides opportunities for the development of joint degree programmes, which can be mutually beneficial for both universities and students.

However, there are also significant challenges associated with globalisation in higher education. One of the main challenges is the issue of quality control. As more and more universities enter the global market for education, it becomes increasingly difficult to ensure that the quality of education is consistent across countries and institutions. This can lead to a proliferation of low-quality programmes and degrees, which can undermine the value of higher education as a whole.

Another challenge is the issue of cultural and linguistic differences. When students and academics from different countries come together, they bring with them different cultural norms and values, which can create misunderstandings and conflicts. Language barriers can also be a significant challenge, particularly for non-native English speakers who may struggle to keep up with lectures and assignments.

Despite these challenges, the globalisation of higher education is expected to persist in the future. As more and more countries recognise the importance of education as a driver of economic growth and competitiveness, they are likely to invest in their higher education systems and seek to participate in the global market for education. This will create new opportunities for students, academics and universities but will also require new approaches to quality control, cultural and linguistic diversity, and the use of technology.

In conclusion, the globalisation of higher education is a complex and multifaceted process that is transforming the world of education in many ways.

The term ‘globalisation of higher education’ is depicted in the line graph in Figure 1, illustrating the growing number of articles on the topic since 2016. In that year, 14 articles were published, followed by 12 in 2017, 23 in 2018, 14 in 2019, 17 in 2020, 27 in 2021 and 14 in 2022.

Figure 1. Simple Line Graph (Documents Per Year).

Source: Scopus.

 

Methodology

To meet our research objectives, we performed a bibliometric analysis. The initial step in this approach involves identifying and collecting articles for analysis that accurately reflect the publication landscape of globalisation in higher education. The second stage presents bibliometric analysis by using RStudio and VOS viewer.

Given these reasons, a bibliometric analysis was conducted to evaluate and map the relevant literature on globalisation in higher education. This analysis will provide a comprehensive overview of existing publications by addressing the following three research questions:

(1)  What are the annual publication trends in the field of globalisation of higher education?

(2) Who are the primary contributors, including journals, authors, countries and documents, related to the globalisation of higher education?

(3)  What are the most frequently discussed themes and emerging trends in the globalisation of higher education?

Search Strategy and Data Collection

For searching the literature on globalisation of higher education, Scopus database was used with the following keywords’ syntax.

‘Globalisation’ OR ‘Transnational’ OR ‘Multiculturalism’ AND ‘Higher Education’ OR ‘University’ OR ‘Institutions’.

The search terms were applied to the TIT-ABS-KEY field in the Scopus database. We initially retrieved a total of 5,789 articles, with 232 documents selected for analysis (see Figure 2). After narrowing the search to articles published between 2000 and 2022, we found 5,623 relevant articles. Further filtering to include only those related to business management and accounting reduced the number to 306 articles.

Figure 2. PRISMA Method Procedure for Identifying and Selecting the Documents.

 

After filtering data that belongs to articles and reviews and conference articles, then apply limits to, we got 238 articles. In the last filtering, we select only English language articles. Finally, we got 232 articles, then exported in CSV format to obtain all the data which will be analysed with the help of VOSviewer and RStudio.

Keywords (‘Globalisation’ OR ‘Transnational’ OR ‘Multiculturalism’ AND ‘Higher Education’ OR ‘University’ OR ‘Institutions’) relates to higher education.

The globalisation of higher education is a multifaceted phenomenon encompassing various dimensions such as internationalisation, cross-border collaboration, cultural diversity and the role of educational institutions in a globalised world.

Globalisation: This is the overarching concept that refers to the increasing interconnectedness and interdependence of countries and cultures around the world. In the context of higher education, globalisation involves the internationalisation of educational institutions, programmes and students. Citizens will have access to ever-greater educational options as a result of educational globalisation. Student mobility is one of the most obvious effects of globalisation (Ganaie & Mohi-Ud-Din, 2021).

Transnational: This term emphasises activities or phenomena that occur across national boundaries. In higher education, transnational initiatives might include partnerships between universities in different countries, joint research projects or the establishment of branch campuses abroad. Over the past 40 years, internationalisation has had a profoundly disruptive effect on higher education, affecting service delivery, research and teaching in numerous nations (Mittelmeier & Yang, 2022).

Multiculturalism: This refers to the coexistence and interaction of diverse cultural groups within a society or institution. In the context of higher education, multiculturalism is relevant as universities strive to create inclusive environments that celebrate cultural diversity among students, faculty and staff. Due to the unprecedented effects of globalisation on higher education, educators and students must be ready to communicate in linguistically and culturally diverse settings both at home and abroad, in the classroom and in the workplace (Strotmann & Kunschak, 2022).

Higher education: This encompasses all forms of education beyond the secondary level, typically referring to colleges, universities and other post-secondary institutions. Globalisation in higher education involves international collaboration, mobility of students and scholars, and the global exchange of knowledge and ideas.

University: This specifically refers to institutions of higher learning that offer undergraduate and graduate education, research opportunities and sometimes professional training. Universities play a central role in the globalisation of higher education as they establish partnerships with foreign institutions attract international students and engage in global research collaborations.

Institutions: This term can encompass a wide range of organisations, including universities, colleges, research institutes and governmental bodies involved in education policy. In the context of globalisation, institutions shape and are shaped by international trends in higher education, including policies related to mobility, accreditation and funding.

Together, these keywords capture the diverse dimensions of globalisation in higher education, including international collaboration, cultural diversity, transnational mobility and the role of educational institutions in shaping and responding to global trends.

Sample Characteristics

A total of 232 articles are selected for analysis (Figure 3), which have been collected from 141 sources (articles, reviews etc.), and annual growth rate is 12.74%. The average citation per document is 18.36. These documents are authored by 486 researchers; there are 83 authors of single-authored documents, 16.38% international co-authorship and 2.31 co-authorship per documents. Eight hundred and 10 author’s keywords found, and 11,443 is the number of references that have been cited in 232 articles.

Figure 3. Main Information of the Dataset.

Source: R Studio.

 

Visualised map of countries: Figure 4 likely presents a geographical map that visually represents the countries involved in research on the globalisation of higher education. The visualisation might use different colours, shading or markers to indicate the level of involvement or significance of each country in this area of study. By portraying the global distribution of research activity, this map can offer insights into the geographical spread of scholarly interest and engagement in the topic.

Figure 4. Country Scientific Production.

Source: R Studio.

 

Top 10 corresponding countries: Figure 5 lists the top 10 countries that are most prominently engaged in research on the globalisation of higher education. It likely provides numerical data or statistics regarding the contribution of each country to the body of literature in this field. This could include metrics such as the number of research articles published, citations received or funding allocated to related projects. By highlighting the leading contributors, Figure 5 offers valuable insights into the global landscape of research on higher education globalisation, shedding light on which countries are driving scholarly inquiry and innovation in this area.

Figure 5. Top 10 Most Influencing Countries.

Source: R Studio.

 

Figure 6 presents the three-field analysis with keyword on the right, countries on the left and the authors on the middle side of the figure. This figure shows that Malaysia is the top most country working in the related field, then followed by Australia, the United Kingdom and Brazil. Top author is Canigha G., followed by Ku J. and Wilkins S. Then, top keywords are career development, multiculturism and advising relationship.

Figure 6. Three-field Plots of Authors, Countries and Keywords.

Source: R Studio.

 

Figures 7 and 8 show the graphical representation of most relevant affiliation. Most relevant affiliations explain university or institution that are closely related to their current field of work or research. Top three most relevant affiliations are Auckland University of Technology with six articles, Leuphana University Luneburg with five articles and Plymouth University with five articles.

Figure 7. Most Relevant Affiliation.

Source: R Studio.

 

Figure 8. Top 10 Most Relevant Affiliation.

Source: R Studio.

 

Corresponding Author’s Country: The corresponding author of a scholarly publication is the individual who is primarily responsible for communicating with the journal editors, handling correspondence related to the submission and review process and ensuring that all authors approve the final version of the manuscript before publication. The corresponding author’s country refers to the geographical location where this author is based, typically representing their institutional affiliation or place of employment.

Publication By-line: The publication’s by-line, mentioned in the statement, is the section at the beginning of a research article that lists the names of all the authors, along with their respective affiliations and contact information. This information provides readers with crucial details about the authors’ institutional affiliations and locations, including the corresponding author’s country.

Graphical representation: Figures 9 and 10 likely present a graphical representation of data related to the corresponding author’s country across a set of academic publications. The graph may depict the distribution of corresponding authors by country, highlighting the top contributors and their respective article counts. This visualisation offers valuable insights into the geographical distribution of scholarly contributions within a particular field or research domain.

Figure 9. Corresponding Author’s Country.

Source: R Studio.

 

Figure 10. Top 10 Corresponding Author’s Country.

Source: R Studio.

 

Specific data: The statement provides specific data from Figure 9, focusing on the top three corresponding author’s countries:

(1)  USA (the United States of America) with 40 articles: The United States is a leading contributor to academic research across various disciplines. With 40 articles, it indicates a significant presence of corresponding authors based in the USA, highlighting the country’s prominent role in the field under consideration.

(2)  United Kingdom with 31 articles: The United Kingdom is renowned for its contributions to scholarly research and academic publishing. With 31 articles, it demonstrates a substantial representation of corresponding authors affiliated with institutions in the United Kingdom, reflecting the country’s engagement in the research area examined.

(3)  China with 17 articles: China’s emergence as a major player in global research and innovation is reflected in its representation among corresponding authors. With 17 articles, it signifies a notable presence of Chinese researchers contributing to the body of literature in the field, underscoring the country’s growing influence in academic publishing.

Bradford’s law is often used in research to help identify core journals in a field, which are likely to publish the most important and influential research. Researchers may use Bradford’s law to develop a list of key journals to search when conducting a literature review or to determine which journals to target when submitting their own research for publication. Figure 11 represents the graphical representation of Bradford’s law and Figure 12 represents the table of top 10 source clustering through Bradford’s law.

Figure 11. Source Clustering Through Bradford’s Law.

Source: R Studio.

 

Figure 12. Top 10 Source Clustering Through Bradford’s Law Table.

Source: R Studio.

 

Most relevant journals: The term ‘most relevant journals’ refers to scholarly or academic publications that hold significant authority and prestige within a specific discipline or field of study (Figure 13). These journals are highly respected by researchers and scholars due to their rigorous peer-review process, high editorial standards and the quality of the research they publish. Authors often target these journals to disseminate their research findings to a wide audience of peers and experts in the field.

Figure 13. Main Relevant Sources.

Source: R Studio.

 

Figure 14 likely presents data or information regarding the most relevant journals in a particular research domain. It may include metrics such as the number of articles published by each journal, citations received, impact factors or other indicators of influence and importance within the field. Examples: The statement provides specific examples of journals that are considered the most relevant in the context of research related to a particular topic or field.

Figure 14. List of Most Relevant Journals.

Source: R Studio.

 

Let us examine the examples given: International Journal of Educational Management (15 articles):

This journal focuses on issues related to educational management, including organisational leadership, policy, administration and governance in educational institutions. With 15 articles, it appears to be the most prominent journal in the field, indicating its significance as a forum for publishing research in educational management (Table 1).

Table 1. Descriptive Data of Latest 15 Studies (2021 and 2022).

 

Voluntas (eight articles): Voluntas is a scholarly journal that focuses on the study of voluntary action, philanthropy and non-profit organisations. With eight articles, it holds a notable presence in the field of voluntary sector studies, suggesting its importance as a platform for publishing research on philanthropy and non-profit management.

Education and Training (seven articles): Education and Training is likely another journal specialising in issues related to education, training and professional development. With seven articles, it is recognised as a significant publication in the field, offering researchers a platform to disseminate research on various aspects of education and training.

A tree map is a visualisation tool that is commonly used in research to display hierarchical data (Figure 15). It is a type of treemap chart that represents data in a rectangular layout. Figure 16 shows the keyword and frequency of the most frequent keyword. The word curricula has six frequency (4% contribution), higher education has six frequency (4% contribution) and innovation with five frequency (4% contribution).

Figure 15. Tree Map.

Source: R Studio.

 

Figure 16. Table of TreeMap.

Source: R Studio.

 

Co-authorship Analysis by Authors

Co-authorship analysis involves examining and measuring the collaboration between authors, institutions and countries to assess their interconnectedness. Figure 17 illustrates the co-authorship network among authors, showing a total of 485 authors, 199 clusters, 597 links and a total link strength of 629. The top three most productive authors are Caniglia G., with two documents, 92 citations and a link strength of 15; John B., also with two documents, 92 citations and a link strength of 15; and Wiek A., with two documents, 92 citations and a link strength of 15 (Caniglia et al., 2018).

Figure 17. Co-authorship Analysis by Authors.

Source: VOSviewer.

 

In the context of institutions (Figure 18), there are total 428 universities, 217 clusters, 387 links and 393 total link strengths. The top three institutions are Chuvash Pedagogical University, Russia with two documents, 24 citations, 12 total link strength, three clusters and 10 links, Department of Psychology, Loyola University, Baltimore, United States with three documents, 56 citations, two clusters, 12 total link strength and 10 links and Kazan State University of Architecture and Engineering, Kazan, Russian Federation with two documents, 56 citations, 12 total link strength, three clusters and 10 links.

Figure 18. Co-authorship Analysis by Institutions.

Source: VOSviewer.

 

Co-authorship Analysis by Countries

Figure 19 analyses international collaboration by examining how countries are working together to publish articles on the globalisation of higher education. The analysis includes a total of 43 countries, 12 clusters, 75 links and a total link strength of 91. The United Kingdom leads with 41 documents, 1,255 citations, a link strength of 21 and 17 links. The United States follows with 54 documents, 1,497 citations, a link strength of 19 and 12 links. Australia ranks third with 26 documents, 373 citations, a link strength of 15 and 13 links.

Figure 19. Co-authorship Analysis by Countries.

Source: VOSviewer.

 

Citation Analysis

Citation analysis measures how many times articles, authors, journals, institutions and nations cite each other to assess the strength of their linkages.

In Figure 20, for countries’ citation analysis, there are total 485 items, 377 clusters, 324 links and 338 total link strengths. Top three authors have more citations, Wilkins S. with six documents, 209 citations, 25 total links strength, five clusters and 23 links, Caniglia G. with two documents, 92 citations, 22 total link strength and 18 links, and John B. with two documents, 92 citations, 22 total link strength and 18 links.

Figure 20. Citation Analysis by Authors.

Source: VOSviewer.

 

In Figure 21, there are total 15 documents, six clusters and 14 links. Top three documents are ‘assessing satisfaction in transactional higher education’; author of this document is Wilkins S. with 128 citations and five links, ‘creating value in transactional higher education: the role of stakeholder management’; author of this document is Bolton D. with 35 citations, six clusters and three links and ‘transactional education and total quality management: a stakeholder-centred model’; and author of this document is Shams S. M. R. with 30 citations, four clusters and one link (Shams, 2017).

Figure 21. Citation Analysis by Documents.

Source: VOSviewer.

 

Discussion

Research methodology: The study employs bibliographic review, VOSviewer and RStudio as tools for analysing the globalisation of higher education. These tools enable the analysis of citation patterns, authorship trends, publication volumes and the origin of instructional materials using data from the Scopus database.

Emerging major clusters: Major clusters of authors, journals, nations, articles and institutions are identified in the study. However, these networks are dispersed across additional networks beyond the primary clusters, suggesting the complexity and interconnectedness of research in this field.

Scope for further research: Despite the existence of major clusters, there remains significant scope for new or additive research on globalisation of higher education. Prospective authors are encouraged to explore new avenues, indicating that the field is still in its early stage of development.

Interdisciplinary nature: The study highlights the interdisciplinary nature of research on the globalisation of higher education. Researchers from various disciplines, including business management, sociology and finance, contribute to understanding this field.

Contribution to literature: The study contributes to the literature by providing an overview of research trends in the globalisation of higher education. It aims to assist business management and other researchers in identifying areas requiring further research and in evaluating theory development.

SSS: The findings suggest that the globalisation of higher education is a dynamic and evolving field with opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration and new research directions. The bibliometric analysis conducted in the study offers insights that can inform future research agendas and contribute to theoretical advancements in the field.

In summary, the findings indicate the complexity of the globalisation of higher education and highlight the need for continued research and interdisciplinary collaboration to advance understanding in this area. The study aims to provide valuable insights for researchers and practitioners seeking to contribute to the literature and inform future research agendas.

Limitations of This Study

This study relies solely on the Scopus database and is restricted to the subject areas of business management and accounting. It includes only English language articles. As a result, the findings may not fully represent all research in the field of globalisation of higher education, as other databases such as Web of Science and J-Gate were not considered. The study encompasses only articles, conference articles and review articles on the topic. This analysis may be less useful for researchers without access to Scopus, as it is not open-access software. Additionally, the use of VOSviewer software is crucial for this analysis, and an understanding of VOSviewer is necessary to replicate it. We hope this study will help set the agenda for future research in the field of globalisation of higher education.

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this article.

Funding

The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship and/or publication of this article.

ORCID iD

Shikha Chahar  https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8885-9351