Visualizing the Knowledge Domain of Academic Mobility Research from 2010 to 2020: A Bibliometric Analysis Using CiteSpace

Abstract

Academic mobility, given its importance in the dissemination of knowledge and globalization of research collaboration, has received growing attention over the past decades. Based on a bibliometric analysis of the literature on academic mobility (119) from 343 journal articles in Web of Science over the period of 2010 to 2020 with the use of CiteSpace, this paper outlines the research intellectual map, such as the most active contemporary institutions, journals, and popular regions/countries; dissects the network of categories and summarizes the emerging trends and future research opportunities for academic mobility. The results of the study are: (1) England is the most productive region followed by China and Netherlands in terms of publication; (2) Utrecht University, The Polytechnic University of Valencia, and Russian Academy of Science are the most productive institutions; (3) The publications are mainly in the subject categories of Education, Business and Economics, and Geography; (4) Gender, scientific practice, brain drain are the main keywords for discussion; and (5) Louise Ackers is the most influential author in this field and International Migration Journal is the most frequently cited journal over the past decade. Our paper contributes to the relevant body of literature by systematizing the literature on academic mobilities through CiteSpace, a visualized analytical tool for undertaking bibliometric analysis, providing valuable references for researchers and practitioners who want to further explore this knowledge area.