A Bibliometric Analysis of Romanian Educational Research in Web of Science: Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities for Global Integration

Abstract

Over the past 30 years, Romanian Educational Research (RER) has strived to enhance its global visibility. This study examines the evolution and structure of RER through a bibliometric analysis of 10,396 publications indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection from 1975 to 2024. The results reveal fluctuating productivity, with growth driven by national and international initiatives, and challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conference papers dominate research output, while articles and reviews are less frequent. Although domestic sources offer valuable publication opportunities, increasing visibility in high-impact journals is essential for international recognition. Universities across various regions contribute significantly, with research intensive institutions producing the bulk of articles and reviews. Five primary research clusters emerged, including studies on student performance factors, digital transformation in education, curriculum development and students’ skills, competency-based education and teacher training, as well as advancements in teaching, learning, and assessment practices. The study highlights the importance of international collaborations, particularly with institutions in Europe, the United States, Canada, and Australia, to boost the worldwide impact of Romanian research. These findings provide insights into the current state of RER and suggest that fostering international partnerships and leveraging local strengths can enhance its global presence and contribute to academic diversity.

1. Introduction

The rapid expansion of higher education has catalysed a significant boost in research efforts, with more research programs, specialised faculty, and universities prioritising this vital area. This shift is particularly evident in the field of educational research (ER), showcasing a growing commitment to research excellence within academia (Herrington & Summers, 2014). ER is inherently diverse, drawing knowledge from multiple areas, including the field of higher education, and disciplines like educational psychology, special education, and teacher education (Aman & Botte, 2017; Huang et al., 2020; Tosun, 2022a; Hernández-Torrano et al., 2021). Its importance cannot be overstated—it deepens our understanding, refines professional practice, and influences policy decisions (Creswell, 2012). Primarily driven by higher education institutions and research centres, ER continues to shape the future of learning and teaching (Ion et al., 2019).

When considering the growth in research publications across various scientific domains, bibliometric approaches—which apply statistical methods to analyse scientific papers—prove invaluable for capturing the dynamism and influence of research (Cobo et al., 2011). This quantitative method allows for the description, evaluation, and monitoring of published research (Zupic & Čater, 2014). Utilised across multiple scientific fields, bibliometrics helps track their progression, including the contributions of organisations and authors. According to Aman and Botte (2017), databases like Web of Science (WoS) are essential for monitoring the evolution of national publication cultures and achieving international recognition due to their comprehensive and reliable data.

Positioning our study within the framework of bibliometric approaches, we focus on Romanian educational research (RER). Located in the south-eastern part of Europe and under communist regime until 1989, Romania has only recently started to gain prominence in the ER field, seeking to boost its international profile. Singer (2013) previously noted that RER had yet to establish a significant global presence, and Crețu and Ciolan (2015) highlighted its limited impact on educational practices and policies. Given the time elapsed since these assessments, our study aims to determine if RER has improved its visibility and influence on the global stage, providing an updated evaluation of its current status. We anticipate that the analysis in this study will provide new insights into the state of RER.

Due to the limited number of bibliometric studies on RER, our study aims to fill this gap by analysing data from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) spanning 1975–2024, while acknowledging that this covers only part of the national research output. Our investigation addresses key research questions about this field:

RQ1: What are the document types, productivity trends, main sources, and contributing institutions in RER over time?

RQ2: What are the main research themes in RER, the latest developments, critical research gaps, and opportunities for further research?

RQ3: What are the characteristics of international and interinstitutional collaboration among Romanian scholars in ER?

Therefore, we consider that such a study holds both international and national relevance. Internationally, the study provides insights into Romania’s position in the global educational landscape. Highlighting the contributions of a developing country to the field can broaden and enrich the global perspective on ER. The study helps recognize the work of Romanian researchers and institutions, drawing attention to their contributions and facilitating international collaborations and access to resources. Researchers from other countries interested in international collaborations or comparative analysis can find this study particularly useful. Nationally, the study can support the understanding of the specific characteristics of ER in Romania, highlighting its unique features and trends. It could assist Romanian researchers and decision-makers in coordinating their efforts to enhance the quality and impact of future research. Additionally, this study is essential for identifying gaps and opportunities in Romania’s specialised literature, guiding the efficient allocation of resources to priority research topics and the development of new educational initiatives and policies (Ion et al., 2019). Focusing efforts on underexplored or emerging subjects is decisive for advancing knowledge in the field.

2. Research Background

2.1. ER Through the Lens of Bibliometric Analysis

Interest in analysing education publications indexed in databases like WoS and Scopus has grown considerably in recent years, with bibliometric studies increasingly focusing on global, regional, country-specific, cross-country, and topic-specific reviews. For instance, Aman and Botte (2017) conducted a bibliometric analysis of European ER in WoS-indexed journals, revealing increased research output and international collaborations and noting that publishing in English enhances European researchers’ global impact and citation rates. Following this, Ivanović and Ho (2019) performed a bibliometric analysis on 2091 highly cited journal articles in the “Education and Educational Research” category from the SSCI by the WoS, finding that the United States dominates the field, with its academic institutions and journals.

Huang et al. (2020) used key co-occurrence networks to identify key ER topics from 2000 to 2017, such as interactive learning, teaching strategies, teacher education, or equity and social justice. Tosun (2022a) then conducted a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of 93,699 ER articles published between 1974 and 2020 in WoS journals, revealing significant trends and core research topics such as higher education, teacher education, professional development, and assessment, which varied across countries and educational sub-disciplines. In parallel, Sezgin et al. (2022) analysed WoS-indexed articles and reviews from 2011 to 2020 in key ER categories, showing a steady increase in publications and open access (OA) papers, indicating growing research activity and accessibility.

Other authors have also examined ER at the regional level. For example, Hernández-Torrano et al. (2021) used a descriptive bibliometric approach to analyse 6754 WoSCC-indexed publications (1992–2020) on ER in post-Soviet countries, highlighting the potential of these scholars to contribute to the international research. Furthermore, Barrot (2023) conducted a bibliometric review using the Scopus database (1996–2019) to examine ER in Southeast Asia, highlighting its development, trends, and impact, and emphasising the region’s contributions to global research.

Additionally, we note the interest of some authors in bibliometric analyses of ER publications at a national level. We mention here the analyses of the ER of Switzerland (Diem & Wolter, 2013), Australia (Perry, 2018), Turkey (Tosun, 2022b), Spain (Fernández-Cano & Fernández-Guerrero, 2022), Saudi Arabia (Mohsen & Ho, 2022), and others. Moreover, other scholars have undertaken comparative bibliometric analyses of ER across countries, such as the studies comparing ER between Sweden and Australia (Lindblad & Lindblad, 2013), Singapore and Sweden (Nylander & Tan, 2022), or Singapore, Japan, and South Korea (Li, 2023). In addition, other authors have centred on topic-focused bibliometric analyses, such as e-learning, classroom dialogue, flipped classrooms, and so on, as highlighted by Mohsen and Ho (2022). These studies not only highlight the diversity and ever-evolving nature of ER, but also provide a framework to analyse how similar areas and trends might emerge in Romania.

There is an increasing emphasis on understanding and assessing the evolution and impact of ER through quantitative data analysis across various geographic contexts and topics. This approach highlights the importance and potential of researchers from various regions to contribute to the global research literature. In this context, it is particularly useful to shed light on the landscape of RER by viewing it as part of an international phenomenon.

2.2. The RER Context

ER in Romania has experienced a complex and often dramatic evolution, mirroring the country’s political and social changes. Bîrzea (1995), a prominent Romanian educationalist and researcher, details this progression, noting promising developments in the interwar period useful for the establishment of experimental laboratories and institutes in major universities. However, under communism from 1945, research was strictly controlled and aligned with the regime’s ideology. In 1977, the fields of psychology, pedagogy, and sociology were deemed undesirable by the communist authorities and excluded from higher education. The fall of the communist regime in 1989 revived ER, signalling a return to normality. In 1990, the disciplines of psychology, pedagogy, and special psycho-pedagogy were reinstated within the academia, leading to the establishment of faculties of Psychology and Educational Sciences in various universities across the country. They have contributed to the development of a new generation of experts in educational sciences. In the same year, the Institute of Educational Sciences was re-established, making significant contributions through research and studies that informed and guided reform measures in the Romanian education system.

Currently, in Romania, ER is carried out by a broad range of professionals and institutions, including university faculty in specialised departments, as well as scholars focusing on topics in didactics. Doctoral and postdoctoral researchers also contribute significantly. The 2011 Law of Education introduced a significant change by classifying universities into three categories based on their evaluations: universities of advanced research and education, universities of education and scientific research, and education-focused universities, thereby redefining their roles in research and teaching. Furthermore, researchers affiliated with national institutes, such as the National Centre for Education Policy and Evaluation and other similar entities, actively participate in this field.

Research efforts are primarily supported by national and European funding, including Erasmus and Horizon projects, with initiatives aimed at enhancing research capacities and promoting international collaborations. The Romanian Ministry of Education and Research and the Executive Unit for the Financing of Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation (UEFISCDI) facilitate participation in national, international, and European research projects, ensuring alignment with European standards and enhancing the global visibility of Romanian research.

Years ago, Bîrzea (1995) noted that Romania was expected to experience a new beginning in ER. Based on this expectation, Hatos (2016) argued that a discussion of RER cannot begin without understanding the main trends of the past. Given the evolving landscape of ER, a bibliometric study of the field is essential to understand and fully leverage national contributions in the global educational context, while also providing valuable data to improve and guide future research efforts.

3. Methodology

3.1. Methods and Tools

Web of Science and Scopus are two bibliographic databases frequently used in bibliometric studies across various fields. Romanian research is covered in both databases, which provide extensive coverage of academic literature. For example, during the period 1975–2024 (the focus of this study), WoS indexed 366,799 documents across all categories for Romania, while Scopus included 344,229 documents for the same period. However, we used WoS, the leading research database, due to its substantial influence in Romanian higher education where its publications are considered a “highly desirable academic product” (Vîiu & Păunescu, 2021). Its authority impacts research evaluation, the classification of higher education institutions, funding, and career advancement. Another reason for using the WoS database in this study was its specific filter options, which allowed the dataset to be created by focusing exclusively on categories related to education. This possibility of obtaining a dataset exclusively focused on education-related categories allowed for a better alignment with our research questions. In contrast, Scopus does not offer a comparable search option, as education is embedded within the broader field of social sciences. Certainly, it is possible to search for education-specific key terms in Scopus. However, this approach could have introduced a methodological inconsistency, as it relies on a different selection criterion than WoS. This discrepancy would have led to selection bias, affecting the comparability of the results. Moreover, the use of generic terms such as “education” or “learning”, which frequently appear in studies from other fields such as psychology, sociology, and technology, would have increased the risk of erroneous inclusion of unrelated documents in the dataset. The lack of dedicated education categories in Scopus makes it difficult to precisely delineate ER. Furthermore, WoS-indexed educational papers are more likely to be published in prestigious international journals, reinforcing its relevance for high-impact research.

In the specialised literature, there are numerous bibliometric studies conducted using a single database, demonstrating that such analyses are common and can provide valuable insights. For example, WoS has been widely recognized as a key resource in bibliometric studies on ER, as discussed in Section 2.1. of this study. In this regard, our choice to use the same database ensures comparability with other bibliometric analyses in the field of education. In Romania, WoS is accessible for researchers through a partnership between the Ministry of Education and Research and higher education institutions or research organisations.

To analyse and visualise research trends of RER, we employed Biblioshiny 4.0 and VOSviewer 1.6.18, two widely used bibliometric software. As highlighted by Moral-Muñoz et al. (2020), these free programs are highly effective for conducting bibliometric analysis at conceptual, intellectual, and social levels of scholarly communication.

3.2. Sources and Data Collection

Following PRISMA guidelines (Page et al., 2021), we searched the WoSCC database in July 2024. To identify relevant documents, we selected the SSCI, SCI-EXPANDED, A&HCI, ESCI, CPCI-SSH, CPCI-S, BKCI-SSH, and BKCI-S indexes. We then focused on documents within four education-related categories. The search was further refined to include only documents from Romania and limited to three types published in English—articles, reviews, and proceedings papers (with at least one Romanian author). After applying data cleaning procedures, we obtained a total of 10,396 papers, which were downloaded in a tab-separated format. Figure 1 illustrates the refining process that led to the final dataset. Other bibliometric studies in the field of education (Tosun, 2022a; Hernández-Torrano et al., 2021; Ivanović & Ho, 2019; Sezgin et al., 2022), have also used the options provided by WoS related to educational categories to create a comprehensive body of documents for analysis.

The exclusive focus on WoS-indexed documents means that this study does not capture the entire RER, but only a specific segment of it. Publications from national or regional journals that are not indexed in WoS are not included in this study. These journals constitute an important part of RER and could be the focus of a complementary study. Therefore, the findings of this study should be interpreted considering its stated goal—to analyse the visibility and impact of RER research on the global stage. From this perspective, WoS remains the appropriate database for such analysis.

4. Results

4.1. Characteristic of Document Types

This study focused on three types of documents in English: proceeding papers, articles, and reviews, which together accounted for 98.37% of Romanian publications indexed in WoS. Our analysis covered 10,396 publications, with proceeding papers being the most prevalent (8958), followed by articles (1412) and reviews (26). These document types were selected for their prominence in RER and their relevance to our study’s theme, given their high visibility, frequent use for disseminating findings, and importance in academic evaluation. Review articles, though less common, were included for their role in synthesising and critically assessing existing literature. Figure 2 illustrates the distribution across educational categories.

Notably, one third of the analysed publications are OA, especially those post-2010. Among the 10,799 authors, 82.44% have worked on multi-authored projects, reflecting a strong emphasis on collaborative research. Typically, each document has an average of 2.45 co-authors, indicating frequent small-team collaborations. The Collaboration Index of 1.28 suggests that multi-authored papers are more common than single-authored ones.

4.2. Trends and Dynamics of ER Related Publications

Figure 3 illustrates the temporal evolution and document type dynamics of WoS publications in RER from 1975 to 2024. This period can be categorized into four distinct phases. The Early Stage (1975–2002) had low and stable publication output, with 93 documents comprising mainly conference papers and some articles by 164 authors. The Growth Stage (2003–2013) marked a significant increase, with 3887 publications primarily driven by conference papers, supported by the efforts of over 4800 authors, and reflecting increased participation in both domestic and international academic events. The Peak Production Period (2014–2019) saw the highest output, 5571 documents, with a strong emphasis on conference papers but also a noticeable rise in journal articles, indicating growing academic collaboration and research maturity. In contrast, the Diminished and Recovery Phase (2020–present) experienced a decline to 845 publications, with a marked shift toward journal articles, highlighting a response to contemporary challenges and adaptation to research practices.

Throughout these periods, conference papers showed a consistent presence, peaking in 2014–2015, with a subsequent decline and partial recovery by 2018–2019. Since 2020, there has been a downward trend in conference paper submissions. The number of articles remained relatively low until 2010 but began increasing from 2011, with the highest number of indexed articles (n = 155) recorded in 2023. Notably, in 2021, for the first time, the number of articles surpassed conference papers, indicating a shift towards more journal-based research outputs. Review papers emerged only between 2014 and 2024, indicating a recent increase in interest in this type of publications.

4.3. Main Sources of Publications

In our study, Romanian researchers mainly published in conference proceedings and journals. About 29% of the conference papers come from two major international conferences in Romania: The International Scientific Conference “eLearning and Software for Education”, now in its 19th edition (1694 papers, 2010–2019), and the International Conference Edu World, having reached its 11th edition (882 papers, 2013–2019). Regarding the 1438 articles and reviews, these were published across more than 350 sources, with 60% in ESCI-indexed journals. Most publications (37%) are concentrated in the top three Romanian journals (

Table 1. Journals with at least 30 publications by Romanian authors.

Journal Name	Number of Publications	Percentage (%)
Revista Românească pentru Educație Multidimensională	278	19.33
Journal of Educational Sciences & Psychology	195	13.56
Journal of Psychological and Educational Research	58	4.03
Education Sciences	38	2.64
International Journal of Education and Information Technologies	31	2.15
Problems of Education in the 21st Century	30	2.08

).

4.4. The Distribution of Institutions

Table 2. Distribution of publications for the top 10 prolific universities.

University	Type	Conference Papers		Articles and Reviews
		n	%	n	%
University Politehnica of Bucharest	R&E	1310	92.84	101	7.16
University of Bucharest	R&E	899	87.45	129	12.55
Babeș Bolyai University from Cluj	R&E	495	73.88	175	26.12
Bucharest University of Economic Studies	R&E	529	90.58	55	9.42
Alexandru Ioan Cuza University	R&E	396	74.58	135	25.42
Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu	E&R	490	93.87	32	6.13
University of Pitesti	E	462	95.65	21	4.35
Gh. Asachi Technical University	R&E	436	97.98	9	2.02
Politehnica University Timișoara	R&E	379	94.51	22	5.49
Transylvania University of Brasov	E&R	340	87.40	49	12.60

R&E = Universities of advanced research and education, E&R = Universities of education and scientific research, E = Education-focused universities.

shows that most top institutions are advanced research universities, with seven of the top ten falling into this category.

These universities focus on conference papers, accounting for 73.88% to 97.98% of their output. Babeș-Bolyai University leads with 26.12% of its publications being articles and reviews, totalling 175. Other major contributors include Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, the University of Bucharest, and the University Politehnica of Bucharest, each with over 100 articles and reviews.

4.5. Co-Occurrence Network

Conceptual structure analysis examines relationships among concepts to identify key themes, trends, and dynamics in a field. To uncover this structure, we used co-occurrence networks, thematic maps and factorial analysis.

The co-occurrence network is a foundational bibliometric tool used to analyse and illustrate the connections between keywords or terms that frequently appear together in research literature. Figure 4 presents this co-occurrence network, where each term is depicted as a bubble. The size of each bubble reflects the frequency of the term’s co-occurrence with other keywords, while the proximity of bubbles represents the closeness of their relationship. The larger and more central a bubble is, the more frequently that keyword appears alongside others, signifying its prominence within the dataset.

We used the VOSviewer software to extract keywords from the selected documents and visualise their connections. Of the 20,099 author keywords, only those with at least 30 occurrences (99 in total) were included in the analysis. For each of the 99 keywords, the total strength of the co-occurrence links with other keywords were calculated. The keywords with the highest frequency and with the greatest total strength are “education” (571 occurrences and 551 total link strength), “e-learning” (499 occurrences and 344 total link strength), and “higher education” (336 occurrences and 306 total link strength).

The research landscape is organized into five major clusters, which are interconnected and often overlap, as many papers address multiple themes.

The red cluster has 29 high-frequency co-occurrence keywords, making it the largest. Keywords like “students”, “performance”, “teachers”, and “motivation” are among its primary nodes. These are linked to concepts like “personality”, “school”, “family”, “emotional intelligence”, “self-efficacy”, “anxiety”, and “resilience”. This emphasises the importance of exploring the diverse and multifaceted factors that influence the academic performance of students. This cluster also reveals a noticeable focus on studying “intercultural education”, “inclusive education”, “attitudes”, and “values” within educational settings. Furthermore, the inclusion of terms like “physical education”, “health”, and “sport” highlights an emphasis on students’ physical development alongside their mental and physical health well-being.

The green cluster (24 items) includes themes associated with the digital transformation of education and the incorporation of cutting-edge technologies, especially in higher education. It incorporates terms like “e-learning”, “blended learning”, and “distance learning”, which emphasize the variety of technologically based educational delivery modalities while guaranteeing “quality assurance”. Concepts such as “serious games”, “gamification”, “virtual reality”, and “augmented reality” highlight the integration of cutting-edge technologies designed to enhance student motivation and engagement through interactive and immersive experiences. “Engineering education” and “physics education” seem to be the areas more closely connected to this research direction. Terms like “knowledge management” and “cloud computing” indicate the use of digital tools to manage and organize educational processes and information.

Research concerns about curriculum adaptation and modernization in light of globalization and changing educational demands are shown in the blue cluster (18 items). The use of keywords like “communication”, “critical thinking”, “creativity”, and “collaboration”—often referred to as the “4C’s of education”—reinforces this emphasis by highlighting the essential skills that students must possess in order to thrive in educational and professional settings of the twenty-first century.

The yellow cluster (18 items) focuses on themes such as “lifelong learning”, “adult education”, “competences”, “teacher training”, and “professional development”. It reflects a strong emphasis on competence-based education, continuous learning, and sustainable development. Finally, the dynamics of the teaching, learning, and evaluation processes (“assessment” and “evaluation”)—with an emphasis on their “quality” and “efficiency”—are the subject of the purple cluster.

4.6. Thematic Map

Thematic maps classify and visualise research themes based on centrality and density, placing them in quadrants to show development and significance. Centrality indicates a theme’s importance, while density shows its development level, enabling the visualisation of four distinct themes (Figure 5).

Motor themes are at the heart of RER, providing key directions for current and future studies. These include topics such as “stress” (41 occurrences), “self-efficacy” (35), “health” (34), “anxiety” (31), “depression” (28), “beliefs” (27), life (26), “work” (25), metanalysis (22), and strategies (20). These themes are both central and well-developed, underscoring their importance in the field. The high density and centrality of these themes suggest a concentrated research effort aimed at understanding and mitigating psychological stressors in educational settings, as well as promoting self-efficacy and overall mental health among students and educators.

The lower right quadrant features basic themes such as “model” (67 occurrences), “achievement” (62), “motivation” (49), “personality” (41), “scale” (39), “predictors” (38), “validity” (32), “satisfaction” (29), “validation” (28), and “engagement” (24). These themes form the backbone of RER, representing fundamental constructs that are widely applicable across different studies.

The lower left quadrant contains emerging or declining themes, such as “education” (170 occurrences), “students” (114), “impact” (70), “knowledge” (48), “school” (44), “teachers” (42), “perceptions” (35), “technology” (33), “higher education” (32), and “quality” (27). Themes in this quadrant are less developed and exhibit lower centrality, which may indicate that they are either in nascent stages or experiencing waning interest.

The upper left quadrant is occupied by niche themes with high density but low centrality, such as “attitudes” (35 occurrences), “gender” (29), “system” (26), “experience” (17), “context” (14), “information technology” (11), and “success” (10). These are highly specialised topics that, while well-developed, have limited applicability beyond specific contexts.

In addition to the four main themes presented in the thematic map, two additional clusters are positioned at intersections: one between Motor and Basic Themes, and the other between Niche and Emerging or Declining Themes. The first cluster highlights key terms such as “children” (77), “behaviour” (50), “adolescents” (43), “prevalence” (24), “risk” (22), “people” (21), “physical activity” (17), “childhood” (16), “instruction” (15), and “care” (14), emphasising its focus on various aspects of child development and well-being. The second cluster reflects an interest in optimizing “performance” (97) within educational and organizational contexts, focusing on “management” (37), “memory” (15), “reliability” (15), “educational policies” (13), and “emerging trends” (10).

4.7. Factorial Analysis

Factorial analysis helps us identify key areas or themes in the RER field, find gaps in the literature, and understand how different topics are connected or separated in academic research. The conceptual structure map using the MCA (multiple correspondence analysis) method (Figure 6) illustrates the relationships and groupings of various keywords in ER (Aria & Cuccurullo, 2017).

The map is divided into two dimensions (Dim 1 and Dim 2), capturing 33.15% and 16.16% of the data variance, respectively. The clusters are colour-coded, each colour representing a cluster of words (a “topic”). Keywords are close to each other because a large proportion of documents treat them together and they are distant from each other when only a small fraction of documents uses these words together (Aria & Cuccurullo, 2017).

On Dimension 1 we see a broad spectrum of educational research themes ranging from practical applications and management to psychological factors. Keywords on the right (e.g., “self-efficacy”, “stress”, and “depression”) are associated with psychological well-being and personal development. Keywords on the left (e.g., “skills”, “knowledge”, and “management”) relate to practical educational processes and institutional factors.

On Dimension 2 there are differentiated themes based on their focus on engagement and motivational factors versus general educational and psychological factors. Keywords at the top (e.g., “engagement”, “classroom”, and “motivation”) are related to student engagement and motivational strategies. Keywords at the bottom (e.g., “satisfaction”, “health”, and “prevalence”) focus on broader educational and health-related issues.

These dimensions are important because it allows us to visualize and interpret hidden structures and patterns in the dataset, facilitating the identification of clusters and associations between variables.

In our study, we also used a factorial map (Figure 7) to visualize and analyse the internal structure of bibliometric data, identifying relationships and patterns that can inform subsequent strategies and decisions in ER (Aria & Cuccurullo, 2017). The factorial map reveals two distinct clusters of research documents, each with unique contributions to the field of ER.

The map displays the most contributing papers which offer valuable insights into current research trends, and their influence on the clustering suggests that they should be considered key references in further studies.

Cluster 1 (red cluster) focuses on educational psychology, particularly on emotional education and psychological methods in teaching. The top contributors’ papers (Maricuțoiu et al., 2023; Uğur et al., 2015; Cavioni et al., 2023) explore topics like teacher well-being, student self-development, and emotional competencies. The presence of recent works from 2023 highlights this cluster as an active and evolving research area, emphasising the growing importance of emotional and psychological factors in education.

Cluster 2 (blue cluster), as shown in Figure 7, explores educational psychology in a broad and comparative context, addressing both the psychological factors influencing learning and the challenges of integrating innovative teaching methods in modern education systems. The top contributing papers examine key themes such as student engagement across cultures, explored by Lam et al. (2016), the adoption of mobile technologies in classrooms (Gorghiu et al., 2020), and the impact of educational strategies and personality traits on academic persistence (Holman et al., 2019). Together, these works provide a cohesive understanding of how diverse educational environments and psychological factors shape learning outcomes, making them valuable references for addressing both theoretical and practical challenges in education.

4.8. Citation Context Analysis

Citation analysis is a valuable tool for studying academic communication, the interdisciplinary nature of a scientific field, and knowledge creation. Citations link documents, ideas, and arguments, allowing us to measure the influence of authors, institutions, and journals while tracking their impact over time. Bibliometric analysis also examines citation networks, revealing connections between citing and cited documents. Co-citation, where two documents are cited together, helps trace paradigm shifts and the evolution of different schools of thought over time.

Figure 8 shows that document citations fluctuated from 1975 to 1990, averaging 1.0 per article in 1983. The 1991–2000 period showed more variability, with citations peaking in 1995 (5.17 citations). Citations increased significantly from 2001 to 2014, reaching 7.55 in 2002. High citation rates continued from 2015 to 2024, with a peak of 3.27 in 2021.

Our dataset reveals that the 1412 articles have been cited 7844 times, averaging 5.56 citations per item, with a peak of 1235 citations in 2023. The 26 review articles from 2014 to 2024 received 405 citations, averaging 15.58 per item. More numerous, the 8958 conference papers accumulated 12,951 citations (1.44 per item), showing an upward trend until 2019 (1669 citations) before declining in 2020.

Table 3. Top 10 most cited documents.

Author/s	Title	Publishing Source	Type	WoS Category	Citations
Muntean (2011)	Raising engagement in e-learning through gamification	Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Virtual Learning	PP	E&ER	235
Divaris et al. (2008)	The academic environment: The students’ perspective	European Journal of Dental Education	A	ESD	205
Lam et al. (2012)	Do girls and boys perceive themselves as equally engaged in school? The results of an international study from 12 countries	Journal of School Psychology	A	PE	187
Grosseck (2009)	To use or not to use web 2.0 in higher education?	World Conference on Educational Sciences	PP	E&ER	144
Lam et al. (2014)	Understanding and measuring student engagement in school: The results of an international study from 12 countries	School Psychology Quarterly	A	PE	144
Vasilescu et al. (2010)	Developing university social responsibility: A model for the challenges of the new civil society	2nd World Conference on Educational Sciences	PP	E&ER	139
A. E. Iancu et al. (2018)	The effectiveness of interventions aimed at reducing teacher burnout: A meta-analysis	Educational Psychology Review	R	PE	137
Popescu (2010)	Adaptation provisioning with respect to learning styles in a Web-based educational system: An experimental study	Journal of Computer Assisted Learning	A	E&ER	103
Sulea et al. (2015)	Engagement, boredom, and burnout among students: Basic need satisfaction matters more than personality traits	Learning and Individual Differences	A	PE	102
Crossley et al. (2016)	Combining click-stream data with NLP tools to better understand MOOC completion	6th International Conference on Learning Analytics and Knowledge	PP	E&ER	90

A = Article, R = Review, PP = Proceeding paper.

shows the top 10 most cited publications, which include five journal articles, one review, and four conference papers, with the most cited work being a conference paper. The most works fall under the E&ER category (5), focusing on various themes like gamification in e-learning (Muntean, 2011), the use of Web 2.0 tools in higher education (Grosseck, 2009), the role of higher education institutions in fostering social responsibility among students (Vasilescu et al., 2010), the integration of click-stream data and natural language processing techniques to predict student success in MOOCs (Crossley et al., 2016), and learning styles in web-based systems (Popescu, 2010). One paper is under the ESD category, exploring students’ views on the academic environment (Divaris et al., 2008). Four papers are classified under the PE category, addressing psychological aspects like student engagement in school (Lam et al., 2012, 2014), basic needs satisfaction, and burnout reduction interventions for teachers (A. E. Iancu et al., 2018) and students (Sulea et al., 2015).

The publication dates of these works range from 2008 to 2018, providing a substantial period for the accumulation of citations and reflecting the evolving interests and diverse themes in ER. The results show that six of these are articles published in journals within their respective educational categories. Only one publication is a review (A. E. Iancu et al., 2018). Four conference papers are among the most-cited works. Notably, the most cited publication is in fact a conference paper (Muntean, 2011). The paper addresses an emerging theme at the time of its publication, namely gamification in e-learning. The introduction of game elements in the learning process and the examples provided attracted the attention of researchers looking for innovative ways to increase student engagement. As a result, the work has been referenced by authors from more than sixty countries in studies primarily examining student engagement and motivation within digital learning environments.

The second most cited publication is an internationally collaborative article by Divaris et al. (2008), offering a comprehensive analysis of dental students’ experiences and perceptions of their educational environment. The paper offers insightful advice on how to design learning environments that support students’ overall growth and academic achievement, successfully preparing them for their future employment. It is a study that has garnered significant attention from researchers, particularly those publishing in journals focused on medical and dental education. The most cited review (A. E. Iancu et al., 2018) provides essential contributions to understanding and addressing teacher burnout through a meta-analysis of 23 controlled studies evaluating the effectiveness of interventions aimed at reducing this syndrome.

In essence, these highly cited works illustrate diverse areas of interest, primarily focused on technology-based education, educational psychology, and the academic environment. All ten of the most cited works have above-average Category Normalised Citation Impacts (CNCIs), according to data from WoS. This indicator illustrates the ratio of a document’s actual times cited count to the expected count for a document of the same type, from the same category, and published in the same year.

4.9. Co-Citation Analysis

Co-citation analysis defines a research field’s intellectual boundaries, revealing subareas, emerging fronts, and connections with other specialties. Figure 9, created using VOSviewer, shows co-citation networks where each circle represents a researcher. Larger circles indicate authors who are cited more frequently, and closer proximity indicates stronger links between researchers.

Figure 9 shows five author clusters, reflecting their thematic orientations and publishing interests: red focuses on foundational educational theories, blue integrates technology into education, yellow takes a cross-disciplinary approach, purple emphasises digital learning, and green is oriented towards cognitive psychology.

The Historiograph tool in Biblioshiny visualizes the chronological evolution of scientific literature in a specific field. Its main purpose is to identify the most influential papers and how they are connected through citations (Figure 10). The result is a timeline-like graph that illustrates the flow of knowledge from older to newer works (Aria & Cuccurullo, 2017).

Figure 10 illustrates the identification of foundational works, the evolution of key concepts, and the visualization of connections between influential studies. It helps researchers observe how newer papers build upon earlier ideas, fostering the development of new research directions.

4.10. Collaboration Patterns

The country-based analysis (Figure 11) reveals researchers affiliated with Romanian institutions, highlighting their active roles within the Romanian research ecosystem, regardless of nationality.

Romania is the central node with 10,396 documents, 20,729 citations, and a total link strength of 1681. The size of the node suggests a high level of collaborative activity with numerous countries worldwide, reflecting Romania’s significant contribution at different levels. The top collaborating countries are the USA (with 213 documents, 2536 citations, and a total link strength of 257), Germany (with 114 documents, 656 citations, and a link strength of 302), the UK (with 101 documents, 1048 citations, and the highest total link strength of 351), and Italy (with 72 documents, 472 citations, and a link strength of 279). In terms of regional collaborations, countries like Poland (40 documents, 245 citations, a d link strength 187), Hungary (39 documents, 315 citations, and link strength 142), and the Czech Republic (14 documents, 77 citations, and link strength 78) demonstrate strong regional collaboration within Eastern Europe. Romania also shows notable collaboration with countries from Southern Europe such as Spain (111 documents, 612 citations, and link strength 300) and Greece (39 documents, 727 citations, and link strength 161).

Broader global collaborations include Canada (with 35 documents, 743 citations, and a link strength of 133), Australia (with 19 documents, 455 citations, and a link strength of 129) and China (with 25 documents, 831 citations, and a link strength of 151). Emerging collaborations are seen with countries like Portugal (with 61 documents, 881 citations, and a link strength of 268), the Netherlands (with 60 documents, 1063 citations, and a link strength of 228) and France (with 73 documents, 703 citations, and a link strength of 229). There is potential for growth in collaborations with countries like Mexico (with 12 documents, 69 citations, and a link strength of 56) and Malaysia (with nine documents, 282 citations, and a link strength of 78).

Regarding collaboration between institutions, the University of Bucharest (989 documents, 2702 citations, and total link strength 336) and National University of Science Technology Politehnica Bucharest (814 documents, 1524 citations, and total link strength 304) are central research hubs in Romania’s ER landscape, demonstrating extensive collaboration and significant research output. Institutions like Babeș-Bolyai University (299 documents, 1893 citations, and total link strength 47) are impactful, conducting high-impact studies within specialized or smaller research networks. Institutions with moderate document and citation counts but lower total link strengths, such as the University of Pitești (457 documents, 582 citations, and total link strength 61) and Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu (403 documents, 265 citations, and total link strength 46), have the potential to expand their collaborative networks to enhance their research impact. Universities such as the University of Craiova (272 documents, 426 citations, and total link strength 92) and Politehnica University of Timișoara (268 documents, 490 citations, and total link strength 53) contribute significantly within their regions and technical fields, showing balanced contributions to both research output and collaboration.

The data presented in Figure 12 illustrate a continuous growth in Romania’s international ER collaborations, categorized into three distinct phases: 1970–1990 (academic isolation and limited collaborations); 2000–2009 (the rapid growth of European collaborations), and 2010-present (the diversification of partnerships and strategic collaborations).

• 1970–1990. During this period, Romanian research was predominantly local, with few international partnerships. Joint publications with foreign researchers were rare due to administrative barriers, restricted access to international networks, and the geopolitical context before 1989.
• 2000–2009. With Romania’s integration into the European Union (EU), academic partnerships expanded rapidly, especially with Western European countries. Access to programs like Erasmus+ and Horizon facilitated academic mobility and joint projects. During this period, collaborations with Spain increased exponentially, driven by common participation in European consortia and a shared interest in digital education.
• 2010–present. After 2010, collaborations with the USA, Germany, the UK, France, and Canada grew significantly, reflecting Romania’s deeper integration into broader international research networks. There is also a diversification of partnerships toward Eastern Europe and Asia, indicating an increasing openness to transregional cooperation.

The graph from Figure 13 illustrates the evolution of the average number of citations based on the presence of international collaborations, highlighting a clear advantage for publications produced in global partnerships.

Regardless of the period, papers co-authored with researchers from other countries have, on average, received approximately 35% more citations than those authored exclusively at the national level.

5. Discussions

Our paper focuses on mapping out the landscape of ER in Romania, uncovering trends, and highlighting areas for future investigation. Considering the results, this section interprets the findings related to the research questions. To begin with, we address RQ1: What are the document types, productivity trends, main sources, and contributing institutions in RER over time?

Our findings indicate that Romania’s primary contribution to ER is through proceeding papers, which account for 86% of all documents analysed. This trend emphasises the engagement of Romanian researchers in conferences to disseminate their findings, showing a clear preference for this type of publication. Several factors contribute to this, including the accessibility of conferences and the quicker publication timeline associated with conference proceedings. Moreover, an established academic culture in Romania highly values conference participation, reinforced by the numerous domestic conferences held over the years in the field of education. Since 2000, the internationalisation of Romanian HE has led to a gradual shift from publishing in Romanian to English, a transition that has presented challenges. This move towards English-language publications aims to enhance visibility and academic impact, supported by conferences conducted in English.

Similar conference-centric publishing cultures have been observed in countries like the Czech Republic or in some Southeast Asian countries, influenced by national research funding systems and the proliferation of domestic conferences (Vanecek & Pecha, 2020; Purnell, 2021). Despite this preference for conferences, Romanian researchers’ participation in international conferences abroad remains limited due to language barriers and associated costs, such as translation, proofreading, and high registration fees, which particularly affect early-career scholars.

While conference papers are effective for rapidly disseminating research findings, they often do not undergo the same rigorous peer-review process as journal publications, which may impact research quality. Compared to journal articles, conference papers are usually less extensive and influential. They tend to receive fewer citations than journal articles, which may limit the long-term visibility and global impact of RER. Therefore, a clear shifting of Romanian educational researchers towards journal-based publications is necessary. Articles and reviews in international journals are seen as more rigorous due to their stringent evaluation, higher impact, and significant contribution to scientific knowledge.

In the analysed set of documents, articles and reviews are less common. Review-type publications appear only since 2014, which may indicate a more recent orientation of Romanian researchers towards this type of publications. This aligns with findings from Aman and Botte’s (2017) bibliometric study on the internationalisation of European educational research. The study presents a list of the 20 most active European countries in terms of publication output in peer-reviewed journals indexed in WoS for the period 2002–2013, in which Romania does not appear. In contrast, countries such as Great Britain, Germany, Spain, Turkey, and the Netherlands led in scientific productivity, alongside the United States, Australia, and Canada as major non-European contributors.

Although Romania’s scientific productivity has increased over the years, this growth has been primarily driven by conference papers rather than journal articles. However, our study reveals a recent upward trend in journal articles, which can be attributed to national policies fostering internationally oriented research. This shift may be influenced by policies like the 2011 National Education Law, which prioritises research in higher education institutions for career advancement (Vlăsceanu & Hâncean, 2015), and national incentives for publishing in WoS-indexed journals (Vîiu & Păunescu, 2021).

Various strategies encouraging researchers to publish more in academic journals have already been implemented in many Romanian universities. We refer here to institutional incentives for publishing in internationally recognized journals, increasing the importance of journal articles in academic evaluations and research grants applications, providing training for researchers on the process of publishing in academic journals, as well as encouraging international collaborations to involve researchers in research networks. Additionally, the Association of Romanian Universities, Research–Development Institutes and Central University Libraries (ANELIS PLUS), which provides researchers access to electronic scientific information resources necessary for their research activity, actively supports OA publishing in top journals, by signing transformative agreements with various international publishers. Through these agreements, article processing charges are covered under institutional subscriptions, enabling authors to publish their work OA in the journals of partner publishers without incurring individual costs. It is an opportunity that researchers from different research institutions in Romania have already benefited from since 2024. The implementation of these transformative agreements aims to enhance the visibility and international impact of Romanian research, facilitating OA to scientific findings and promoting integration into the global knowledge network. Looking ahead, it is anticipated that Romanian researchers in education will increasingly focus on publishing articles and reviews to enhance their visibility, impact, and contribution to knowledge development.

Our findings mirror those of Sezgin et al. (2022) in several respects. First, there is a predominance of publications in the E&ER category, with fewer in ES, reflecting the greater availability of WoS-indexed journals in the former category. Second, the broad distribution of publications across various categories highlights the multidisciplinary nature of ER. Lastly, the notable increase in OA publications over time reflects a growing commitment among Romanian researchers to transparency, knowledge sharing, and alignment with global open science initiatives.

RER has undergone distinct phases of development. Despite being indexed in WoS since 1975, productivity and international visibility remained low until the early 2000s, due to the isolation of the scientific community during the communist regime (Teodorescu & Andrei, 2011) and the lack of a clear governmental research agenda after communism (Kifor et al., 2021). From 2003 to 2019, research output grew significantly, marked by an increase in authorship, international collaborations, and diverse funding sources, including support from the National Council for Scientific Research and the EU. The acceleration in publications, linked to Romania’s 2007 EU membership, was also supported by the introduction of a national awards program for researchers publishing in WoS-indexed journals, reinforcing the link between incentives and scientific productivity (Fu et al., 2024). While Pisoschi et al. (2020) noted an improvement in Romania’s bibliometric performance, Vîiu and Păunescu (2021) cautioned that financial rewards might boost output without guaranteeing impact. Between 2020 and 2024, publication numbers declined, potentially due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on conferences (Kalia et al., 2020). However, the noticeable shift towards journal articles suggests a positive change in publication practices of Romanian researchers in the field. The gradual recovery may result from adapting to digital collaboration and resuming on-site research activities.

Our findings show that Romanian publications mainly come from domestic sources, with a preference for conference proceedings and English-language domestic journals, which are more affordable in terms of fees and location. The increase in domestic publication sources indexed by WoSCC since 2011 has expanded opportunities for Romanian researchers, aligning with trends reported by Teodorescu and Andrei (2011). However, this focus on domestic sources results in a more local than international impact. As shown by Hladchenko and Moed (2021) in their study, Romania is among the post-socialist countries with a strong tradition of publishing in national journals. Similar trends have been noted in post-Soviet education research (Hernández-Torrano et al., 2021), where emerging journals provide key platforms for developing research landscapes. Encouragingly, there has been a rise in papers published in SSCI-indexed journals recently, which, as Tosun (2022a) noted, significantly boosts visibility and quality. Strengthening publication strategies to target high-impact, internationally recognized journals is essential for enhancing the global reach of Romanian research efforts.

The data show that ER is distributed across various university centres and regions in Romania, with higher education institutions being the primary contributors. These institutions adopt different strategies based on their priorities and resources, with universities of advanced research and education leading in education-related publications. This finding aligns with Kifor et al. (2023), who highlighted a strong correlation between a university’s category and its research productivity. The main contributions in terms of articles and reviews come from four public higher education institutions: Babeș-Bolyai University, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, University of Bucharest, and University Politehnica of Bucharest, all recognized as research-intensive by the Romanian Ministry of Education and Research. Among the ten most prolific institutions, those focused on education and scientific research show a greater reliance on conferences for research dissemination, likely due to their specific goals and resources. This trend may indicate a transitional phase in Romanian higher education, with growing participation in global academic dialogues and a developing capacity for high-impact journal publications. As noted by Ion et al. (2019), the research culture within Romanian higher education is gradually shifting from teaching-oriented values to a more research-intensive focus.

A key factor in promoting and advancing scientific research in Romania today is the National Strategy for Research, Innovation, and Smart Specialization (NSRISS) 2022–2027, which was developed by the Ministry of Research, Innovation, and Digitalization in accordance with national and European policies and strategies (Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitalization, n.d.). Developing human resources, improving research infrastructure, increasing public spending on research, and fortifying collaborations between research institutions and the private sector are among the priorities of this strategy. It also seeks to promote international and European cooperation. Educational studies and other socioeconomic and humanistic research are positioned as a component of a larger endeavour to address social issues in Romania and around the world. Through the National Plan for Research, Development and Innovation 2022–2027, which is the main implementation tool of the NSRISS, research-development-innovation programs are promoted to achieve excellence in scientific results, particularly by increasing publications in international journals indexed in recognised databases such as WoS or Scopus. This policy directly impacts academic institutions and researchers by encouraging interdisciplinary and international collaborations and emphasising the importance of publications in high-impact journals.

Next, we consider RQ2: What are the main research themes over time in ER, the latest developments, critical research gaps, and opportunities for further research?

The conceptual structure analysis effectively identifies key research areas and emerging trends within RER, highlighting major themes, active areas, most contributing papers, critical transitions, and previously underexplored domains. The co-occurrence network analysis (Figure 4) shows that five distinct research themes have been explored in our dataset about RER.

Table 4. Thematic clusters in RER publications.

Cluster	Relevant Works	Contributions
Red Cluster: Student Performance and Well-being	Chircu and Negreanu (2010); Lam et al. (2012); Sulea et al. (2015); Popa (2015); Chiorean et al. (2018); Frumos (2018); Luștrea et al. (2018); Zamfir and Mocanu (2020); Bochiș et al. (2022); Jurca et al. (2023); Buza and Tușa (2024); Groza et al. (2024)	Addresses factors such as motivation, teacher support, equity in academic performance, and inclusive/intercultural education.
Green Cluster: Digital Transformation in Education	Oproiu (2015); Supuran and Sturza (2017); Opriș et al. (2018); Maican et al. (2019); Sandu and Dumitrache (2019); Grosseck et al. (2020); Opriș et al. (2020); Arsenijević et al. (2022); Cazan and Maican (2022); Craifaleanu and Craifaleanu (2022); David et al. (2022); Pribeanu et al. (2022); Dumitru et al. (2023); Boncu et al. (2023); Arghir (2024); Bratu et al. (2024)	Explores the adoption of advanced technologies in education, such as e-learning, blended learning, VR, AR, and intelligent LMS platforms.
Blue Cluster: 21st Century Skills	Cretu (2017); Singer et al. (2017); Vodă et al. (2022); Dumitru et al. (2023)	Focuses on integrating creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration into curricula, with emphasis on digital competencies.
Yellow Cluster: Competency-Based Education	Sava and Shah (2015); Răduț-Taciu et al. (2018); Potolea and Toma (2019); Croitoru et al. (2023)	Explores competency-based education, lifelong learning, and teacher training.
Purple Cluster: Teaching, Learning, and Assessment	Divaris et al. (2008); Pânișoară et al. (2020); Badea and Popescu (2022); Opre et al. (2022); Grosseck et al. (2023)	Highlights innovative assessment methods and the integration of adaptive digital tools to enhance teaching and learning processes.

summarizes these key thematic clusters, followed by a detailed exploration of the contents and contributions of each cluster.

A primary line of research focuses on studies that examine the factors influencing student performance across various educational contexts (red cluster). For instance, an international study that included Romanian students revealed that academic achievement was most significantly affected by teacher support, both directly and indirectly (Lam et al., 2012). Similarly, another study identified intrinsic motivation and the perceived level of self-efficacy as critical factors shaping school performance among 270 Romanian middle school students (Popa, 2015). The relationship between motivational persistence and academic procrastination was also explored in a study involving Romanian female students (Groza et al., 2024).

In addition, Romanian educational researchers increasingly view psychological well-being as integral to educational success, a perspective reinforced by prior studies (Luștrea et al., 2018). This alignment highlights a holistic approach where mental health is not treated as an isolated factor but as a core element of effective education, as demonstrated by earlier research (Bochiș et al., 2022). Having a thorough understanding of the elements that influence student satisfaction and engagement can help educators provide curricula and teaching strategies that foster a supportive and inspiring learning environment (Sulea et al., 2015). Beyond pedagogical and psychological factors, Romanian researchers have also examined the social and economic determinants influencing academic performance. For instance, a recent study by Buza and Tușa (2024) provides a geostatistical analysis of inequalities in student performance on Romania’s baccalaureate exam. The authors exposed systemic disparities, particularly those linked to differences between urban and rural students, the local economy and governance, and the prestige of the high school attended.

The findings from the co-occurrence network not only map the thematic structure of RER but also offer actionable insights for researchers, educators, and policymakers, as highlighted by Mladenovici et al. (2021). For example, the prominence of terms such as “health”, “resilience”, and “anxiety” closely linked to “students” and “performance” within the red cluster, underscores the pressing need for mental health support in educational settings. This suggests that educational institutions should prioritize initiatives aimed at reducing stress and anxiety while enhancing self-efficacy and overall satisfaction (Brown et al., 2023). Implementing mental health resources, counselling services, and stress-management programs can help create supportive environments that improve student well-being and academic outcomes. This emphasis is particularly important in post-pandemic educational contexts (Alemany-Arrebola et al., 2020), where mental health challenges have become more pronounced. Romanian researchers are actively examining how factors such as stress and self-efficacy influence student performance (Chiorean et al., 2018), signalling a growing recognition of the need for educational environments that address both cognitive and emotional dimensions (Zamfir & Mocanu, 2020). Moreover, reducing disparities in educational achievement (Buza & Tușa, 2024) should remain a key priority on policymakers’ agendas. Addressing these disparities is essential for fostering equitable educational opportunities.

A distinct subtopic within the red cluster is related to the issues of inclusive education and intercultural education. Given the global interest in inclusive education (Hernández-Torrano et al., 2020) and the increasing diversity in educational environments, there is a notable rise in interest among Romanian researchers in these fields. This is particularly evident in studies investigating teachers’ attitudes toward inclusive education (Frumos, 2018; Jurca et al., 2023) and intercultural education (Chircu & Negreanu, 2010). We estimate that this subtopic will continue to attract the interest of Romanian researchers due to the numerous challenges associated with implementing inclusive and intercultural education in diverse educational contexts.

The green cluster in the co-occurrence analysis emphasises a clear focus on the digital transformation of education (Grosseck et al., 2020) and the integration of advanced technologies (Maican et al., 2019). This evolution has been significantly accelerated by the global COVID-19 pandemic (David et al., 2022), which acted as a catalyst for the rapid adoption of digital tools and practices in education. Terms such as “e-learning”, “blended learning”, and “distance learning” highlight a long-standing focus in the RER field on developing flexible learning models that leverage new technologies and digital tools to address the diverse needs and skills of students. Research has explored various aspects of this focus, including factors influencing the adoption of e-learning and its impact on teaching satisfaction (Cazan & Maican, 2022), the effectiveness of experimental programs aimed at enhancing critical thinking through a blended learning curriculum in higher education (Dumitru et al., 2023), and the motivations behind the continued use of online learning platforms after the COVID-19 pandemic (Pribeanu et al., 2022). These approaches are essential in an education system increasingly influenced by digitalization, promoting accessibility and adaptability while upholding quality standards, as highlighted by Arsenijević et al. (2022). What we noticed is that the research from the dataset studies aligns with global educational priorities, reflecting the ongoing effort of institutions to balance innovation with academic rigor.

Looking further, terms such as “serious games”, “virtual reality”, and “augmented reality” illustrate the increasing integration of advanced technologies to engage and motivate learners. Studies have explored various applications of these tools, such as the use of serious games to teach English for specific purposes (Supuran & Sturza, 2017) and to promote pro-environmental behaviours through gamified mobile apps (Boncu et al., 2023). In addition, augmented reality has been applied step-by-step in power engineering education to enhance interactivity and comprehension (Opriș et al., 2018) while technology-enhanced learning solutions have demonstrated significant benefits for knowledge acquisition among students with hearing impairments (Bratu et al., 2024). It is somehow clear that researchers try to respond to the needs of digitally native students, offering interactive and visually rich learning environments that foster deeper engagement and improved outcomes.

STEM disciplines, particularly “engineering education” and “physics education”, are closely associated with this technological shift. Research highlights the effectiveness of advanced tools, such as virtual simulations and online laboratories, in enhancing the understanding of complex scientific concepts. For instance, virtual laboratories have been co-created to support mechanics education in engineering (Craifaleanu & Craifaleanu, 2022), while power engineering education is being rethought to meet the expectations and learning styles of Generation Z (Opriș et al., 2020). Furthermore, terms like “moodle” and “cloud computing” highlight efforts to optimize educational processes and resource management. Oproiu (2015) demonstrated Moodle’s potential as a Learning Management System (LMS) to enhance student engagement in virtual environments at university, while emphasising the need for training in e-learning. Similarly, Sandu and Dumitrache (2019) showcased a cloud system, which supports public institutions and universities by providing secure, efficient resource management and data migration. Building on these developments, recent advancements highlighted by Arghir (2024) focus on the creation of advanced LMS platforms integrated with generative “artificial intelligence” (AI) features. These systems aim to enhance content delivery, foster adaptive and interactive learning environments, and support specialized curricula in fields such as AI and “Natural Language Processing”.

The blue cluster highlights the focus of Romanian researchers on examining the skills needed by students in the 21st century and the ways in which these skills are integrated into the curriculum across various educational settings. For instance, one study (Dumitru et al., 2023) explores the impact of collaboration between higher education teachers and labour market trainers on improving students’ critical thinking skills in the context of economic education. Another study (Cretu, 2017) examines ways for integrating creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration skills into an initial teacher training program in Romania. Similarly, Singer et al. (2017) investigate the mathematical creativity of prospective mathematics teachers through problem-posing contexts. An additional perspective on these core skills (communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking), along with others such as information management, problem-solving, and technological skills, integrated into the broader framework of digital competencies, is provided by a comparative study involving students from universities in Belgium and Romania (Vodă et al., 2022). These studies, along with others not referenced here, underscore the critical need for educational policies and practices that foster the development of essential skills for students navigating an increasingly dynamic and complex world.

The yellow cluster highlights research related to competency-based education, lifelong learning, and teacher training. For instance, Potolea and Toma (2019) explore the concept of professional competence in teacher education and propose an integrative model of competence comprising six essential components: professional roles, work/learning tasks to be accomplished, performance standards, knowledge, skills, and personality traits. In this context, a recent study (Croitoru et al., 2023) examined the motivations of approximately 5000 Romanian teachers to participate in professional development programs, revealing that over one-third were primarily driven by the desire to meet management expectations. Focusing on the experiences of practitioners from Romania and India, Sava and Shah (2015) investigated the validation of pedagogical competencies of trainers in adult education, offering insights relevant to other national or regional contexts. Additionally, Răduţ-Taciu et al. (2018) shed light on the priorities of adult education in Romanian educational policies, analysed within the broader framework of European policies on adult education.

The purple cluster focuses on teaching, learning, and assessment, and emphasises the improvement of educational practices through simulation tools and software, highlighting their role in creating high-quality, adaptive teaching environments. Divaris et al. (2008) highlight the significant impact of assessment methods on students’ well-being and learning outcomes, recommending formative and self-assessment, reflective portfolios, and qualitative evaluation criteria. Similarly, Badea and Popescu (2022) introduce a dynamic peer assessment mechanism in the evaluation platform, which enhances fairness and fosters critical thinking by combining mandatory reviews with optional bidding-based reviews. Other studies have also explored the integration of technology into educational processes, emphasising, for instance, the effects of using a learning tool, QLearn, on students’ educational outcomes (Opre et al., 2022) or the impact of online teaching in STEM fields (Pânișoară et al., 2020). In a recent study (Grosseck et al., 2023), the need for adaptive assessment strategies in higher education is emphasized, highlighting the importance of continuous training, AI literacy, and personalized learning approaches. The study of Romanian university teachers revealed the need for flexible digital tools and strategies that align with both educators’ competencies and students’ needs. These research efforts reflect the ongoing endeavours to improve and modernize teaching, learning, and assessment processes across diverse educational contexts.

The co-occurrence analysis revealed that the topics in RER are diverse and closely aligned with research themes highlighted on a global scale (Huang et al., 2020; Tosun, 2022a) and in other regional contexts (Hernández-Torrano et al., 2021). This diversity of explored issues and alignment with global themes underscores the potential of RER to contribute meaningfully to the global dialogue, offering perspectives and specific findings that can inform other regional or international contexts.

The thematic map (Figure 5) reveals the landscape in RER, which is structured around four main types of themes—motor, basic, emerging or declining, and niche—that collectively provide insights into current research priorities and areas for growth.

The motor theme reflects a proactive approach in RER, as evidenced by our dataset studies. Psychological resilience and well-being are identified as foundational to academic achievement (Popa, 2015; A. E. Iancu et al., 2018; Luștrea et al., 2018; Paloș et al., 2019). This connection is also explored in other studies (Mih et al., 2015; Cocoradă et al., 2019; Pap et al., 2021). Practical implications emerge from these findings, highlighting the importance of educational policies that prioritize mental health and well-being through targeted programs and resources (Malureanu & Enachi-Vasluianu, 2019; Pap et al., 2023). The emphasis on health-related terms in this quadrant illustrates a growing recognition of mental health as a critical factor in educational success, as shown in recent research (Maricuțoiu et al., 2023; Negru & Sava, 2023). This trend aligns with global post-pandemic priorities, further demonstrated by Vancea and Apostol (2021).

Basic themes are fundamental as they provide the theoretical foundation for more specialized research inquiries. For instance, topics such as “motivation” and “engagement”, frequently explored in studies (Lam et al., 2014; Mih et al., 2015; Pap et al., 2021), are central in understanding student behaviour and academic performance (Divaris et al., 2008; Zlate & Cucui, 2015; Smarandache et al., 2021). Similarly, “predictors” and “validity” serve as key concepts in the development and refinement of assessment tools (Ilie, 2014; Sulea et al., 2015; Avram et al., 2019; Cimpian et al., 2021).

Despite their low density, the emerging or declining themes remain relevant for future exploration, particularly as RER adapts to contemporary challenges such as integrating technology into classrooms and addressing quality standards in higher education (David et al., 2022). The placement of “technology” and “higher education” in this quadrant suggests that, while these areas are not yet fully developed, they hold significant potential for acceptance, as noted by Maican et al. (2019), adoption, and growth (Berei & Pusztai, 2022), especially as digital tools become increasingly embedded in educational practices (Opre et al., 2022).

Niche themes in RER represent in-depth investigations of specific issues, such as the influence of gender on educational experiences (Lam et al., 2012; Diaconu-Gherasim et al., 2019; Vlase & Terian, 2023) or the impact of attitudes toward learning on academic outcomes (Topală, 2014; Paloş & Gunaru, 2017). While these themes may lack broad centrality within the wider ER landscape, they provide valuable insights into their respective subfields.

The thematic map not only categorizes themes but also reveals significant cross-theme relationships, emphasising their interdisciplinary potential. For example, the connection between motor themes like “self-efficacy” and “stress” and basic themes such as “motivation” and “achievement”, as explored by Frumos (2018), and Tucaliuc et al. (2023), indicates that research on psychological well-being is closely intertwined with foundational educational concepts (Preoteasa et al., 2016; Maricuțoiu et al., 2023).

This overlap suggests that enhancing mental health and self-efficacy can have a significant impact on core educational outcomes (Vancea & Apostol, 2021), underscoring the need to integrate mental health resources into educational policies (Pap et al., 2023). Similarly, the intersection of emerging or declining themes like “technology” and “quality” with basic themes such as “model” and “scale” highlights opportunities for research on the role of digital tools in improving educational quality and effectiveness, as outlined by Arsenijević et al. (2022). As technology continues to reshape education, studies examining the integration of digital resources provide valuable insights into best practices for enhancing educational experiences, particularly in the post-COVID-19 era (Alemany-Arrebola et al., 2020; Bochiș et al., 2022).

At the same time, intersection themes such as the “performance” (niche and emerging and declining themes) represent a distinct niche with interconnected yet relatively isolated themes. This cluster points to potential research directions, including educational performance and its links to public policies (Paloș et al., 2019; Matei & Ghența, 2024), the relationship between physical activity and cognition (Badau et al., 2018), and the validity and reliability of performance measurement tools (Avram et al., 2019; D. E. Iancu et al., 2024). The “children” cluster, situated at the intersection of basic and motor themes, emphasises a comprehensive approach to child development, integrating health, education, and social factors (Rusu et al., 2019). It highlights the critical need for public health and education policies (Mitescu-Manea et al., 2021) to tackle challenges such as childhood obesity (Scurt, 2017), mental health concerns, and the importance of early interventions (Ștefan et al., 2022). Furthermore, it advocates for personalized approaches that account for individual differences (Cimpian et al., 2021; Clipa et al., 2021), fostering a more tailored and effective response to developmental needs.

The thematic map further shows that addressing critical issues, combining diverse topics, and tracking emerging trends can significantly impact the field. Exploring areas such as new technologies in schools, innovative teaching methods, or the mental health effects of the post-pandemic ‘new normal’ aligns with both rising and declining themes. With 96 studies on COVID-19 from 2020 to 2024, focusing on themes like stress and self-efficacy could enhance research impact, attract funding, and encourage collaboration (David et al., 2022).

These thematic insights are further supported by the most contributing papers, which, as shown in the factorial map (Figure 7) highlight the growing importance of emotional education and psychological well-being in educational success. Thus, in cluster 1 (red), the focus is on emotional education and teacher well-being, with notable works such as Maricuțoiu et al. (2023), Cavioni et al. (2023), and Uğur et al. (2015) emphasising the importance of structured programs that enhance mental health and emotional competencies in educational environments. In contrast, cluster 2 (blue) explores a broader range of topics, including student engagement, mobile teaching technologies, and educational strategies. Key contributors such as Lam et al. (2014), Gorghiu et al. (2020), and Holman et al. (2019) provide valuable insights into the psychological and contextual factors shaping modern education. Together, these top papers offer significant perspectives on both emerging trends and practical challenges in educational psychology, making them essential references for future research.

Building on the insights, the analysis of the intellectual structure of knowledge, based on citation and co-citation patterns, reveals fluctuations in the average citations per document, with a general upward trend. Citations were relatively low between 1975 and 2000, but a noticeable increase occurred after 2000, particularly post-2010, reaching peaks in recent years. This increase likely reflects a heightened focus on global issues, improved international collaboration, and enhanced digital access to research. The overall rise in citations suggests that RER is gaining recognition and influence, indicating a maturing research community, despite some variability over time. Our dataset indicates a moderate self-citation rate of 11.86%, demonstrating balanced citation practices, in contrast to the rising self-citation trends noted by Baccini and Petrovich (2023). This suggests a healthier, more ethical approach within RER, enhancing the credibility and recognition of Romanian scholars in the global academic community.

Seven of the ten most cited works resulted from collaborative efforts, with five involving international partners, highlighting the value of teamwork for enhancing research quality and visibility, as Teodorescu and Andrei (2011) remarked. Notably, three impactful works were authored by individuals, all women, emphasising the significant contributions of female researchers in ER, aligning with Chan and Torgler’s (2020) findings on gender and research impact.

The global impact of Romanian publications varies depending on their type. In our study, differences in citation impact among various publication types were identified. Proceeding papers indexed in WoS have an h-Index of 33 (indicating that at least 33 papers have been cited 33 times or more each). Only 38% of conference papers received citations, suggesting that many may not have been sufficiently relevant to the international academic community. Although there was an upward trend in citations between 2008 and 2019, citation numbers have declined since 2020. This trend may be attributed to the reduction in international conferences during the COVID-19 pandemic and the shift of researchers toward other publication types, such as journal articles, which tend to have a more enduring impact. Journal articles and review papers show higher h-Index values (41 and 11, respectively) and are on an upward trend in citations. Approximately 66% of articles and 77% of reviews have received citations, indicating that these publications are considered valuable and are used as foundational references. Some of these articles and reviews were recently published (2023–2024) and have not yet had enough time to accumulate citations, but are likely to attract them as they become integrated into future research.

Reviews and journal articles typically attracted more citations due to their comprehensive analysis and synthesis, making them more valuable for researchers. Overall, journal articles and review papers have a higher impact and visibility than conference papers. Conversely, conference papers, while essential for quickly disseminating new findings, often have less detail and rigour and typically undergo less stringent peer-review processes compared to journal articles, resulting in lower citation frequencies. The prevalence of conference papers as primary dissemination channels in RER raises concerns about the depth and rigour of scholarly communication. Although they receive fewer citations and have a lower academic impact, our study demonstrated that conference papers have played an important role in introducing RER to an international audience and establishing a global academic presence. Based on data from WoS, Romania ranks as one of the main contributors to ER through proceeding papers, occupying fifth place globally, with China, the USA, Indonesia, and Spain in the top positions. However, in terms of educational articles and reviews within WoS educational categories, Romania ranks much lower, in 63rd place. This reflects a “contrasting profile in terms of scientific productivity” which was reported by Cernat (2024) as a distinctive characteristic of Romania’s national research output. In the post-communist period, this practice of publishing in conference proceedings was encouraged by institutional and national requirements. Nevertheless, our findings indicate a decline in the number of proceeding papers beginning in 2016, compared to previous years. Although conference papers continued to be published, they became less attractive to Romanian authors. Cernat (2024) links this visible trend in Romania’s research output to the 2016 research reform, which marginalised conference papers, while publications in WoS journals gained increased importance for academic hiring and promotion, as well as for research evaluation at the university level. To increase their global impact, Romanian researchers could prioritise publishing in prestigious international journals and collaborate in international projects that draw the interest of the global academic community. It is a necessary step to enhance the visibility of Romanian research and to better integrate into the world education research community.

As stated in an OECD report (2022), one of the significant international concerns is the gap between ER and its usage in developing educational policies and practices. According to the report, research findings frequently lack the infrastructure required for successful integration into educational institutions and are not necessarily suited to the demands of policymakers. This fact also limits RER’s ability to impact international practices and policies. A study focused on the Romanian case showed that ER has little influence outside of the academic setting, and putting research findings into practice is a difficult process (Ion et al., 2019). Suggested strategies to enhance the use of ER encompass building cooperative relationships among researchers, policymakers, and practitioners; offering ongoing training and mobility opportunities for researchers; engaging academic leaders to foster an organisational culture that promotes knowledge transfer; and ensuring access to financial resources from both public and private sectors (Ion & Iucu, 2014; Ion et al., 2019; Sarı & Aypay, 2024). In alignment with these strategies, we wish to highlight the contribution of the Romanian Association for Educational Research (ARCE), which actively works to disseminate ER findings and leverage them to shape public policies and improve educational practices. Its affiliation with the European Educational Research Association (EERA) provides valuable opportunities for Romanian researchers to collaborate with international networks, thus facilitating the exchange of ideas and innovative approaches in education (Romanian Association for Educational Research, n.d.).

The co-citation analysis reveals five distinct author clusters based on their research focus (Figure 9). The largest cluster, educational sociology and pedagogy scholars (red), includes influential researchers from major universities, blending pedagogy and sociology to shape educational practices. Digital education researchers (blue), primarily from Departments for Teacher Training, focus on integrating technology into education, enhancing teaching methodologies through digital tools. Cross-disciplinary education researchers (yellow) combine educational psychology and sociology to provide comprehensive insights into contemporary educational challenges. The computer science and digital learning researchers (purple) are computer science experts committed to integrating technology in education, known for their collaborative efforts and interdisciplinary focus. Lastly, cognitive and behavioural education researchers (green) consist of psychologists and sociologists concentrating on cognition, group dynamics, and cognitive mapping to develop effective educational strategies and solutions, addressing both psychological and sociocultural aspects of learning.

While the co-citation analysis identifies key research clusters and influential scholars shaping different areas of RER, the historiograph map (Figure 10) complements this by providing a chronological perspective on how these ideas have developed over time. By tracing key publications and their citation relationships, the historiograph reveals the foundational works and the progression of thought in the field, offering a deeper understanding of how current trends have emerged.

The early works that laid a foundation for significant advancements in the field were published between 2007 and 2010. Singer’s (2007) article became a cornerstone in research on promoting representational change in mathematics learning, emphasising dynamic cognitive structures and multiple representations. Around the same period, Teodorescu and Andrei (2008) contributed with a study on academic integrity, highlighting the roles of faculty and peer influences in shaping students’ dishonest behaviours. Popescu (2010) made an important contribution by developing a learning style-based adaptive educational system, demonstrating through experimental research that accommodating learning preferences enhances the learning process.

Between 2007 and 2010, the research primarily revolved around themes such as academic integrity, constructivist teaching approaches, and the integration of emerging digital technologies into education. As the field evolved, the period from 2011 to 2015 witnessed a surge in interest towards digital education and educational psychology. This is evident from key studies, such as those by Grosseck et al. (2011) and Dascalu et al. (2015). Grosseck et al. (2011) examined how students perceive the use of Facebook for academic purposes, highlighting that while students primarily use the platform socially, they occasionally engage in academic activities such as sharing study resources and participating in discussions. Dascalu et al. (2015) focused on Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL), proposing computational models for assessing collaboration, which facilitate the automated analysis of conversations and provide insights into knowledge building and dialogical interactions in CSCL environments.

In the subsequent years, particularly from 2016 to 2017, research shifted towards more applied studies. For example, Dulamă and Ilovan (2016) explored the concept of feedforward in higher education, emphasising its role in improving students’ learning efficiency and the quality of their outcomes. By comparing two groups of students and using various didactic tools, the two authors demonstrated that feedforward—offering guidance before starting a task—significantly enhances learning outcomes, filling a gap in the literature on this subject. Meanwhile, Ives et al.’s (2016) study on academic dishonesty surveyed over 1100 students from six Romanian universities, identifying key predictors of dishonest behaviour and highlighting the importance of contextual and perceptual factors in understanding academic misconduct. These studies underscored the practical implications of educational strategies and behaviour prediction in technology-enhanced learning environments.

From 2015 onward, research has increasingly focused on the application of innovative technologies in education, including MOOCs and virtual reality. Holotescu et al.’s (2014) study explored how MOOCs can be integrated into blended learning courses, providing insights into course design, student engagement, and the perceived value of MOOCs for professional and personal development. By analysing students’ experiences and feedback, the study highlighted practical methods for incorporating MOOCs into traditional curricula, offering a replicable model for other educators. Similarly, Andone et al. (2018) investigated the use of virtual reality in fostering digital skills and critical thinking among students. Through the TalkTech project, the researchers demonstrated how the collaborative creation of virtual reality artefacts in an online multicultural environment enhances students’ ability to learn, adapt, and develop essential skills for the global economy. The findings emphasize the potential of virtual mobility and immersive technologies to transform educational practices.

Finally, we explore RQ3: What are the characteristics of international and interinstitutional collaborations among Romanian scholars in the field of ER?

The social structure analysis reveals that Romanian researchers are highly engaged in global collaborations, particularly within Europe, spanning various research topics, institutions, and regions. The USA stands as Romania’s most significant partner, followed by the UK, Germany, Spain, France, and Italy, with Canada and Australia also maintaining strong connections. Notable European partnerships include those with Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, and Ukraine in Eastern Europe, along with Portugal, and Greece in Southern Europe. Emerging global collaborations include Japan, Turkey, Malaysia, Colombia, Israel, and Cyprus. Teodorescu and Andrei (2011) highlighted that partnerships with USA and EU scholars are particularly advantageous for East-European scientists, reflecting broader trends of increasing international cooperation in the sciences and social sciences. On the other hand, there is also potential to enhance partnerships with countries showing moderate to low total link strength, such as some African and Asian regions. Collaboration with Moldova, although currently modest (30 documents, 37 citations, and link strength 39), has significant growth potential, drawing on shared historical and cultural ties for joint educational initiatives and comparative studies.

Programs like Erasmus and Horizon foster European partnerships through shared initiatives, funding, and joint projects. Participation in international conferences, scholarships, and involvement in various research groups further enhance these collaborations, benefiting from the Romanian academic diaspora.

Romanian institutions collaborate at various levels, with central hubs like the University of Bucharest and University Politehnica of Bucharest leading to output. The University of Craiova and Politehnica University Timișoara provide balanced regional contributions. Romanian universities are also engaged in notable international collaborations, creating alliances such as the Universitaria Consortium nationally and participating in European networks to advance collaborative research. This reflects Maassen et al.’s (2023) findings on the European Universities Initiative’s role in cross-border scientific cooperation.

Many Romanian institutions have established significant partnerships with foreign universities across all continents such as Arizona State University (North America), Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg and the University of West Scotland (Europe), the University of Malaya (Asia), and the University of Melbourne (Australia) or special organisations or agencies that promote education, science, and culture such as UNESCO, enhancing their global presence and contributing to the international academic discourse. This international cooperation is important for advancing research quality and broadening the impact of RER. Increasing international collaborations, especially with high-impact organisations, could improve credibility and visibility.

This study has several limitations. First, the findings of this study shed light on only a segment of RER. The dataset is solely based on the WoS and includes only four specific categories, potentially overlooking significant ER from Romania that is not indexed in this database. Many Romanian researchers publish in international journals indexed in other databases or in multidisciplinary journals within WoS not categorised under education. Consequently, relevant publications outside WoS are excluded. The study did not distinguish between OA and non-OA journals or focus on publishers or funding sources. These limitations suggest that our findings should be interpreted cautiously. However, these limitations can be turned into opportunities for future bibliometric studies that could use other internationally recognized databases (such as Scopus) or integrate diverse databases and publication types to offer a more comprehensive view of ER trends in Romania. Future research, through systematic reviews, could expand on this study by incorporating content analysis to achieve a more nuanced understanding of the ER landscape. This approach would complement the current findings and provide additional insights into the impact and relevance of RER. Additionally, other studies could focus on analysing publications in national journals that are not indexed in WoS or Scopus. Additionally, many authors in this field have published books or book chapters that also reflect research efforts in education. This could lead to a more thorough understanding of the work done by regional scientists, as noted by Mongeon and Paul-Hus (2016).

Fluctuations in Romania’s international collaborations (Figure 12) have been primarily influenced by geopolitical dynamics, funding mechanisms, and shifts in national research priorities. Periods of significant growth align with increased funding opportunities and deeper integration into major academic networks, while declines often coincide with changes in funding policies, institutional restructuring, or evolving national research agendas. Notably, stagnation or minor declines were observed after transitions between EU funding cycles, particularly in 2010, when the shift from FP7 to Horizon 2020 temporarily delayed project approvals and funding allocations. Additionally, budget cuts in higher education research during economic downturns (e.g., 2009) contributed to a decline in international partnerships. Despite these fluctuations, Spain has remained a consistently strong partner, highlighting the stability of EU-supported collaborations, particularly in digital education and European educational initiatives.

The impact of these international collaborations is further evident in Figure 13, which illustrates how co-authored publications with international researchers consistently receive more citations compared to those authored solely by Romanian researchers. This trend became particularly evident from the 2000s onward, coinciding with greater access to international funding and stronger integration into global research networks. The most active fields in these collaborations—digital education, competency assessment, and teacher training—highlight the important role of international expertise in advancing these areas. Additionally, partnerships between the University of Bucharest, Babeș-Bolyai University, and institutions from Germany and the USA have contributed to the formation of transnational academic networks with global impact. These findings align with the existing literature, reinforcing the argument that international collaboration enhances research visibility and knowledge dissemination.

As previously mentioned, participation in international conferences has often been constrained by linguistic challenges, particularly for early-career researchers, alongside high registration and translation costs. Additionally, the transition from Romanian to English as the primary language of publication has posed difficulties for some researchers, affecting the visibility and impact of Romanian studies in international academic circles. While funding mechanisms remain a key determinant of international collaboration, language barriers have also influenced the ability of Romanian researchers to engage fully in global research networks. Challenges related to academic writing, journal submission, and the peer-review process have been highlighted as additional factors limiting access to high-impact publications. However, as previously discussed, recent trends indicate an increasing adaptation to English-language publishing, supported by institutional policies that encourage international collaboration and publication in indexed journals.

The analysis highlights niche topics in RER that need further exploration. More studies should examine ER’s impact on policy-making, as noted by Ion et al. (2019). Although some evidence indicates ER influences policy-making (Lam et al., 2014), further research is necessary to determine its extent. The ‘new normal’ of the pandemic has sparked interest, with 96 studies in our dataset addressing this area, emphasising the need for ongoing research into post-pandemic education. Additionally, digital assessment and gender studies in HE, highlighted by Tosun (2022a) and Queupil and Muñoz-García (2019), respectively, warrant deeper investigation.

6. Conclusions

Our study aimed to explore RER indexed in the WoSCC from 1975 to 2024 using a bibliometric approach. We found that the landscape is predominantly shaped by conference publications, while peer-reviewed articles and reviews—typically linked with higher academic recognition and international visibility—remain limited. However, with recent policy changes and a growing focus on internationalisation, an increase in these types of publications is anticipated. RER has experienced fluctuating productivity trends, influenced by both national initiatives and global events like the pandemic. Despite these fluctuations, signs of a shift towards more impactful and sustainable publication practices are emerging. Although domestic sources provide valuable publication avenues, strategically targeting higher-impact journals is essential for enhancing international recognition.

The research output is diverse, with contributions from various universities and a collaborative approach, predominantly through group efforts. Five key research clusters were identified, encompassing studies on student performance factors, digital transformation in education, curriculum development and students’ skills, competency-based education and teacher training, as well as advancements in teaching, learning, and assessment practices. Emerging themes like digital assessment and gender studies in HE highlight areas for further exploration, especially in the post-pandemic context. Romanian researchers are involved in extensive international collaborations, particularly within Europe, North America, and increasingly in Asia and Africa. Strong regional partnerships also exist in Eastern and Southern Europe.

In Romania, UEFISCDI is the major actor in allocating research funding, with one of the key conditions in national funding calls (for grant directors) being publication in journals indexed in Web of Science. While this requirement can create pressure, it also serves as a motivating factor for increasing the international visibility of Romanian research. However, further policy refinements could enhance international visibility. A more flexible approach to eligibility criteria could allow a greater recognition of high-quality OA publications, rather than prioritizing only journals indexed in Web of Science. Additionally, targeted funding for collaborative research projects with international institutions could facilitate stronger interdisciplinary engagement and knowledge dissemination.

Furthermore, to enhance international visibility, Romanian researchers could take advantage of existing opportunities in the following:

• Engagement in European University Alliances such as UNITA, E³UDRES², FORTHEM, or CIVIS, which provide platforms for international networking, interdisciplinary collaboration, and shared research infrastructure.
• Participation in joint Erasmus+, Horizon Europe projects or European Economic Area and Norway Grants, which not only offer funding but also integrate researchers into high-impact international academic networks.
• Academic mobility and visiting programs, enabling stronger institutional ties and increasing opportunities for co-authored international publications.
• Leveraging national funding calls from UEFISCDI, particularly those supporting transnational projects, interdisciplinary research, and collaborations that align with European and global research priorities.
• Applying to EU Structural and Cohesion Funds, such as the Operational Programme for Competitiveness (POC), which supports applied research and industry collaboration, and the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), which allocates additional funding for research. Additionally, national programs funded by the Ministry of Education and Research provide support for research infrastructure development (e.g., equipping laboratories) and research, development, and innovation projects that foster partnerships between academia and the private sector.

As highlighted by Jia et al. (2025), education and ER exhibit high knowledge absorption rates, making these fields particularly well-positioned to benefit from international collaborations. Moreover, the proposed framework of knowledge diffusion suggests that deeper integration into open science projects and cross-border research consortia could significantly improve the global visibility of Romanian scholars.

To further strengthen Romania’s position in international research, we believe a dual approach is necessary: targeted policy adjustments that optimize funding allocation and practical initiatives that encourage active participation in global research networks. Prior studies (Vlăsceanu & Hâncean, 2015; Ion et al., 2019; OECD, 2022; Sarı & Aypay, 2024) have demonstrated that international collaborations, access to structured research funding, and participation in transnational projects significantly enhance research impact and knowledge dissemination. These findings align with Romania’s ongoing efforts to integrate into global academic networks and leverage interdisciplinary collaboration. Our belief is that by reinforcing these strategies, Romanian academia can achieve greater international visibility and contribute more effectively to global knowledge production in ER.

Our findings underscore the importance of strategic research prioritisation, the role of educational policies, effective research management, and the transition from research to practice. Despite past criticisms of ER for being limited in scope and poorly disseminated, our study shows a more optimistic picture. The diversity of topics, collaborative spirit, and adoption of OA suggest a promising future for RER, potentially enhancing its global visibility and impact. We hope this analysis will prove valuable to other researchers in the field.