Research hotspots and trends in digitalization in higher education: A bibliometric analysis

This bibliometric analysis reviews 8521 articles related to the digitalization of higher education, spanning from 1968 and 2023, sourced from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC), PubMed, and Scopus databases. Employing this analytical framework, we identify key authors, leading institutions, and influential countries while highlighting high-impact literature and intricate collaborative networks within this field. Through an examination of high-frequency keywords and topics, this study maps the knowledge structure of the field, suggesting emerging hotspots and setting the trajectories for future research directions. Notably, the study by Crawford et al., in 2020 has received the highest number of citations, marking a significant impact. Furthermore, Spain has been particularly active, emerging as a leader in the volume of contributions to digital research in higher education. Keywords such as "co-creation", "competency", "hybrid teaching", and "digital writing" are identified to drive future research trends, reflecting a growing interest in these areas. Meanwhile, themes like "e-learning" and "blended learning" are expected to remain central in upcoming research work.