Towards the sustainability of university education: a bibliometric analysis in the Web of Science
Keywords:
Employability; education; higher education; university governance; bibliometric analysis.Abstract
Objective: To analyze the evolution of scientific research on employability, as a pillar of sustainability in university education, as perceived by higher education students during the period 2008-2023, in order to promote the development of sustainable careers in higher education institutions through comprehensive training and the strengthening of personal resources. Design/Methodology/Approach: This consisted of a bibliometric analysis based on information collected from the Web of Science (WoS) database, analyzed using RStudio with the Bibliometrix statistical package and its Biblioshiny web interface. A total of 210 articles obtained using the search algorithm (“perceived employability” AND (“higher education” OR “universit*”) corresponding to the period studied were examined. Results/Discussion: Scientific production on the subject is distributed geographically, with a predominance in Europe (40.9%) and Asia (36.3%), followed by America (11.3%), Africa (9%), and Oceania (2.2%). Most studies are concentrated in the period 2022-2023, with an average annual growth rate of 31.38%. Conclusions: The findings highlight the growing importance of aligning the skills acquired in higher education with labor market requirements in order to improve the employability of graduates. This trend has intensified in recent years, as evidenced by the concentration of studies and the geographical expansion of research, reflecting the global relevance of the topic. Originality/Value: The work provides an updated conceptual map that highlights the global expansion and diversification of the field, offering strategic guidelines for curriculum management and the strengthening of sustainable careers in universities.
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