Mapping the Intellectual Structure of Service Quality Research in Higher Education: A Bibliometric Analysis (2001–2024)

Abstract

This study conducts a bibliometric analysis of service quality research in higher education published between 2001 and 2024, aiming to map the field’s intellectual structure, thematic evolution, and scholarly impact. Using a data set of 276 peer-reviewed journal articles retrieved from the Scopus database, the study applies performance analysis and science-mapping techniques through VOS viewer. The findings reveal a steady growth in publications, with a notable acceleration after 2018, reflecting the increasing strategic importance of service quality in higher education institutions. The intellectual landscape is shaped by a limited number of influential authors, journals, and institutions, particularly those associated with higher- education-specific measurement frameworks such as HEdPERF. Co-citation analysis highlights a clear progression from measurement-oriented studies toward outcome-focused and relational perspectives linking service quality with learner satisfaction and relational outcomes, and institutional performance. Keyword co-occurrence analysis identifies three dominant thematic clusters: student-centered service quality and satisfaction, institutional service quality measurement and outcomes, and relational and behavioural implications of service quality. Overall, the study consolidates fragmented research and provides insights relevant to scholars, policymakers, and practitioners in higher education.