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Higher education research in Asia: an archipelago, two continents or merely atomization?

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Abstract

This study analyzes higher education research in Asia since the 1980s, based on internationally indexed publication data, focusing on research approaches and themes. The analysis is based on scientometrics, science visualization, and social network analysis measures and methods. We find an increase in the number of higher education publications in both specialized and non-specialized higher education journals, although at a much faster rate in the latter. Based on the results of a community algorithm, research themes were grouped into two research approaches in line with theoretical expectations on the organization of higher education research: (1) teaching and learning approach and (2) policy approach. We found these approaches to have an equivalent representation in both specialized and non-specialized journals, although the system policy theme is found to be highly influential of other themes in specialized journals. However, a scholarship schism between the approaches is evident. Further, in the 1980s, the policy approach was dominant in Asia, while in the 2000s there is greater focus on the teaching and learning approach. A further analysis of eminent researchers of higher education in Asia confirmed the schism and indicated a slight cross-fertilization between higher research approaches, but also found evidence of the isolation/atomization of these scholars.

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Notes

  1. The higher education literature analyzed in this article refers mainly to publications written in English, the most common language found in indexed international journals datasets such as SCOPUS (Wagner and Wong 2012). Although not included in the analysis of this article, Asian countries have scholarly communities in higher education research that publish their research in national scientific outlets, in the country’s native language.

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Acknowledgments

This research was financially supported by the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), Portugal, and by a Research Grant from the University of Macau.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Innovation, Technology and Policy Research IN+, Instituto Superior Técnico, Technical University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal

    Hugo Horta

  2. Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China

    Jisun Jung

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  1. Hugo Horta
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  2. Jisun Jung
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Correspondence to Hugo Horta.

Appendix

Appendix

Journal list

Chronicle of Higher Education, Higher Education, Research in Higher Education, Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, Studies in Higher Education, Innovative Higher Education, Times Higher Education Supplement, Journal of Geography in Higher Education, Journal of Higher Education, Higher Education Policy, Teaching in Higher Education, Internet and Higher Education, Journal Official Journal of the Association of Black Nursing Faculty in Higher Education, Tertiary Education and Management, Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, Review of Higher Education, Higher Education Quarterly, International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, Higher Education Research and Development, Arts and Humanities in Higher Education, Quality in Higher Education, Higher Education in Europe, Active Learning in Higher Education, Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, Journal of Further and Higher Education, Art Design Communication in Higher Education, Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, Alternative Higher Education, Christian Higher Education, Journal of Continuing Higher Education, Perspectives Policy and Practice in Higher Education, International Perspectives on Higher Education Research, Journal of Computing in Higher Education, Assessment Evaluation in Higher Education, Journal for Higher Education Management, Naspa Journal about Women in Higher Education, Higher Education and Research in the Netherlands.

Asian countries:

Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, China, Hong Kong, Macao, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Mongolia, Taiwan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Buthan, India, Iran, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, East Timor, Viet Nam, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Georgia, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Occupied Palestinian Territory, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Yemen.

Source: Composition of macro geographical (continental) regions, geographical sub-regions, and selected economic and other groupings http://unstats.un.org/unsd/methods/m49/m49regin.htm.

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Horta, H., Jung, J. Higher education research in Asia: an archipelago, two continents or merely atomization?. High Educ 68, 117–134 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-013-9695-8

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