Exploring Collaboration and Productivity in the Higher Education Scientific Community

In this study, we analyze research collaborations and their characteristics in the higher education (HE) scientific community in recent years. Specifically, we focus on the most influential journals in the field according to the Academic Journal Guide 2021— the Academy of Management Learning & Education, the British Educational Research Journal, Management Learning, and Studies in Higher Education—to create our dataset composed of 1,322 articles. Using a bibliometric analysis technique, we design a comprehensive map of scientific production and impact in recent years (2016–2021). We study authorship and co-authorship in the HE field, highlighting the most productive authors and countries and the collaborations that emerge through network analysis. We also perform a citation analysis to examine the impact of the field. Finally, we conclude our discussion with a call for an in-depth study of the most debated and emerging topics in the field.