Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education: A Decade of Research Insights Through Bibliometric Analysis

This study aims to examine the key research characteristics of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education (HE), identify major collaborative networks, and highlight the main AI research trends and topics over the past decade. Adopted as a bibliometric analysis on AI research in HE between 2014 and 2024, the relevant literature was retrieved from the Web of Science (WOS) in November 2024. After the publications obtained from initial screening (n=37, 545) on the WOS were eliminated based on the application of the predetermined inclusion/exclusion criteria, 2, 195 eligible documents were analyzed for their main characteristics, collaborative networks, research trends and topics on VOSviewer. According to the results, a significant upward trend has been found with a particular acceleration in both publications and citations since 2014. Collaboration trends clarified distinct clusters of research activity, with Europe, English-speaking countries, and Latin America forming strong intra- and inter-regional networks. Keyword clustering analysis further demonstrated research priorities, with core areas such as AI concepts, data analytics, and educational strategies whereas topics like academic ethics, security, and robotics are still emerging in the field.