Mapping the historical development and landscape of research about transnational higher education: a scientometric analysis from comparative and international perspectives

Figures & data

Figure 1. The number of journal articles related to TNHE in WoS core collection with trend-lines (1999–2021).

Table 1. A list of top 10 most productive authors in the TNHE field.

Frequency	Author	Institution	First Publication
14	Stephen Wilkins	The British University in Dubai	2011
13	Ka Ho Mok	The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong	2008
8	Nigel Healey	University of Limerick	2008
7	Ravinder Sidhu	University of Queensland	2006
6	Johanna L. Waters	University College London	2013
5	Jane Knight	University of Toronto	2006
5	Syed Zamberi Ahmad	Abu Dhabi University	2015
5	Kun Dai	The Chinese University of Hong Kong	2019
4	Maggi W. H. Leung	Utrecht University	2013
4	Lan He	Yunnan University of Finance and Economics	2016

Figure 2. A visualization of country collaboration network.

Figure 3. A visualisation of author co-citation network.

Table 2. Top 10 most cited authors with co-citation frequency.

Author	Frequency	BC	Author	Frequency	BC
Knight J.	208	0.48	Altbach P.G.	95	0
Wilkins S.	114	0.04	Ziguras C.	71	0.30
McBurnie G.	113	0.27	OECD	67	0.33
Marginson S.	101	0.26	British Council	62	0.02
Mok K. H.	96	0.55	Huang F.	60	0.02

Figure 4. A visualisation of the journal co-citation network.

Table 3. Top 10 most cited journals with co-citation frequency.

Journal	Frequency	BC	Impact Factor (2021–2022)
Journal of Studies in International Education	274	0.11	2.762
Higher Education	263	0.15	3.947
Studies in Higher Education	142	0.2	4.017
Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management	134	0.1	2.553
International Journal of Educational Management	115	0.22	1.838
International Higher Education	112	0.07	–
International Journal of Educational Development	88	0.17	1.873
Higher Education Research and Development	88	0.08	2.849
Higher Education Policy	84	0.06	1.640
Teaching in Higher Education	84	0.31	2.750

Table 4. Top 25 references with strongest citation bursts.

References	Strength	Begin	End	1999–2022
Davis et al. (2000)	3.96	2005	2006
McBurnie and Ziguras (2006)	11.27	2009	2016
Dunn and Wallace (2006)	7.04	2009	2014
Olds (2007)	4.1	2009	2012
Naidoo (2009)	6.71	2011	2016
Becker (2009)	4.34	2011	2014
Huang (2007)	4.27	2011	2014
Altbach and Knight (2007)	6.77	2013	2016
Smith (2009)	4.62	2013	2016
Wilkins and Huisman (2012)	9.12	2015	2018
Shams and Huisman (2012)	5.85	2015	2018
Miller‐Idriss and Hanauer (2011)	4.54	2015	2016
Heffernan et al. (2010)	4.06	2015	2018
Knight (2016)	10.89	2017	2022
Healey and Michael (2015)	5.06	2017	2020
Kosmützky and Putty (2016)	5.01	2017	2022
Healey (2016)	4.71	2017	2020
Knight (2015)	4.37	2017	2018
Healey and Michael (2015)	3.88	2017	2018
Wilkins (2017)	4.69	2019	2022
Hoare (2013)	4.28	2019	2022
Levatino (2017)	4.26	2019	2022
Mok (2016a)	3.99	2019	2022
Hu and Willis (2017)	3.99	2019	2022
Ahmad and Buchanan (2017)	3.93	2019	2022

Figure 5. A time-zone visualisation of keyword co-occurrence.

Davis, D., A. Olsen, and B. Anthony. 2000. “Transnational Education Providers, Partners and Policy: Challenges for Australian Institutions Offshore.” In The 14th Australian International Education Conference, Brisbane 2000. Brisbane, Australia: IDP Education Australia.

 Google Scholar

McBurnie, G., and C. Ziguras. 2006. Transnational Education: Issues and Trends in Offshore Higher Education. New York: Routledge.

 Google Scholar

Dunn, L., and M. Wallace. 2006. “Australian Academics and Transnational Teaching: An Exploratory Study of Their Preparedness and Experiences.” Higher Education Research & Development 25 (4): 357–369. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360600947343.

 Google Scholar

Olds, K. 2007. “Global Assemblage: Singapore, Foreign Universities, and the Construction of a ‘Global Education Hub.” World Development 35 (6): 959–975. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2006.05.014.

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Naidoo, V. 2009. “Transnational Higher Education: A Stock Take of Current Activity.” Journal of Studies in International Education 13 (3): 310–330. https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315308317938.

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Becker, R. F. J. 2009. International Branch Campuses: Markets and Strategies. London: Observatory on Borderless Higher Education (OBHE).

 Google Scholar

Huang, F. 2007. “Internationalization of Higher Education in the Developing and Emerging Countries: A Focus on Transnational Higher Education in Asia.” Journal of Studies in International Education 11 (3–4): 421–432. https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315307303919.

 Google Scholar

Altbach, P. G., and J. Knight. 2007. “The Internationalization of Higher Education: Motivations and Realities.” Journal of Studies in International Education 11 (3–4): 290–305. https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315307303542.

 Google Scholar

Smith, K. 2009. “Transnational Teaching Experiences: An Under-Explored Territory for Transformative Professional Development.” International Journal for Academic Development 14 (2): 111–122. https://doi.org/10.1080/13601440902969975.

 Google Scholar

Wilkins, S., and J. Huisman. 2012. “The International Branch Campus as Transnational Strategy in Higher Education.” Higher Education 64 (5): 627–645. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-012-9516-5.

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Shams, F., and J. Huisman. 2012. “Managing Offshore Branch Campuses: An Analytical Framework for Institutional Strategies.” Journal of Studies in International Education 16 (2): 106–127. https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315311413470.

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Miller‐Idriss, C., and E. Hanauer. 2011. “Transnational Higher Education: Offshore Campuses in the Middle East.” Comparative Education 47 (2): 181–207. https://doi.org/10.1080/03050068.2011.553935.

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Heffernan, T., M. Morrison, P. Basu, and A. Sweeney. 2010. “Cultural Differences, Learning Styles and Transnational Education.” Journal of Higher Education Policy & Management 32 (1): 27–39. https://doi.org/10.1080/13600800903440535.

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Knight, J. 2016. “Transnational Education Remodelled: Toward a Common TNE Framework and Definitions.” Journal of Studies in International Education 20 (1): 34–47. https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315315602927.

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Healey, N., and L. Michael. 2015. “Towards a New Framework for Analysing Transnational Education.” Higher Education Policy 28 (3): 369–391. https://doi.org/10.1057/hep.2014.17.

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Kosmützky, A., and R. Putty. 2016. “Transcending Borders and Traversing Boundaries: A Systematic Review of the Literature on Transnational, Offshore, Cross-Border, and Borderless Higher Education.” Journal of Studies in International Education 20 (1): 8–33. https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315315604719.

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Healey, N. M. 2016. “The Challenges of Leading an International Branch Campus: The ‘Lived experience’ of In-Country Senior Managers.” Journal of Studies in International Education 20 (1): 61–78. https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315315602928.

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Knight, J. 2015. “International universities: Misunderstandings and emerging models?” Journal of Studies in International Education 19 (2): 107–121. https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315315572899.

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Wilkins, S. 2017. “Ethical Issues in Transnational Higher Education: The Case of International Branch Campuses.” Studies in Higher Education 42 (8): 1385–1400. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2015.1099624.

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Hoare, L. 2013. “Swimming in the Deep End: Transnational Teaching as Culture Learning?” Higher Education Research & Development 32 (4): 561–574. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2012.700918.

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Levatino, A. 2017. “Transnational Higher Education and International Student Mobility: Determinants and Linkage.” Higher Education 73 (5): 637–653. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-016-9985-z.

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Mok, K. H., and X. Han. 2016a. “From ‘Brain Drain’to ‘Brain bridging’: Transnational Higher Education Development and Graduate Employment in China.” Journal of Higher Education Policy & Management 38 (3): 369–389. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360080X.2016.1174409.

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Hu, M., and L.-D. Willis. 2017. “Towards a Common Transnational Education Framework: Peculiarities in China Matter.” Higher Education Policy 30 (2): 245–261. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41307-016-0021-9.

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Ahmad, S. Z., and F. R. Buchanan. 2017. “Motivation Factors in Students Decision to Study at International Branch Campuses in Malaysia.” Studies in Higher Education 42 (4): 651–668. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2015.1067604.

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar