Abstract
This study provides a bibliometric analysis of global research trends in higher education funding. In response to increasing financial demands on higher education around the world, this study systematically reviews the literature to identify key trends, influential publications, and new areas of research. Using Web of Science and Scopus databases, the study analyses 801 relevant records through descriptive and co-occurrence analysis, using VOSviewer for visualisation. The results show significant fluctuations in publication volume over the decades, with notable increases in recent years. Influential journals, authors, and co-author networks are identified, showing that a small number of journals and authors make disproportionate contributions to the field. The analysis reveals eight main research clusters, including topics such as research funding, university autonomy, government funding and student funding. The study provides a comprehensive overview of the evolution and current state of higher education funding research, offering future research directions and potential policy implications.