A Bibliometric Review of Academic Research on University Students with Disabilities: Trends and Insights from The Past 25 Years

Abstract

University students with disabilities face challenges due to both systemic and attitudinal barriers that seriously impede their full participation in university life. Research focusing on university students with disabilities is gradually gaining attention among scholars worldwide. However, the bibliometric analysis of university students with disabilities remains underdeveloped. This bibliometric review sought to document the historical evolution and geographical distribution of research and identify high-impact scholars, key themes, research trends, and prospective research directions in the domain of university students with disabilities. The Scopus database was utilized to collect indexed literature comprising 1,976 entries under the terms’ university,’ ‘students,’ and ‘disability,’ published between 2000 and 2025. This study employs bibliometric techniques, including citation, co-citation, and keyword analyses, facilitated by tools such as Bibliophagy and VOS viewer, to analyse the data. The generated bibliometric maps present the current research status, including annual scientific production, most cited articles, and most cited authors whose impact has been sustained for more than a decade. The findings underscore significant growth in research output over the last 25 years, with the USA emerging as the most productive country. Likewise, the findings of this study highlighted the contributions of leading researchers and institutions that have shaped the discourse on university students with disabilities. Further, this study maps potential research areas based on current trends. This would be beneficial for researchers as a guide for future research and for policymakers in addressing the rights of university students with disabilities in today’s world.