Chinese mainland rapidly expands presence in global digital education research

A new bibliometric study published in ECNU Review of Education offers a comprehensive overview of digital education research from 2018 to 2023. Analyzing 2,767 international peer-reviewed articles from the Scopus database, the study reveals significant global growth in the field and underscores the Chinese mainland’s rising academic influence.

Digital education has evolved into a complex domain integrating technological innovation, pedagogical reform, and socio-cultural transformation. According to the report made available online on June 12, 2025, and published in Volume 8, Issue 4 of ECNU Review of Education on November, 2025, global research output in this field grew at a compound annual rate of 35%, with the Chinese mainland achieving a faster growth rate of 47.2%. In 2023, 25% of the Chinese mainland’s publications ranked among the top 10% most cited globally, and 48.3% were published in high-impact journals—both exceeding global averages.

The study attributes this momentum to strategic policy support, robust infrastructure, increased international collaboration, and advances in digital technology. Publications from international partnerships demonstrate significantly higher citation impact, with the Chinese mainland’s internationally co-authored works showing a Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) more than three times that of domestic-only collaborations. As the study notes, “international collaboration plays a crucial role in enhancing research quality and impact.”

The report further identifies leading institutions and trending research themes. Globally, topics such as “technology integration,” “online learning,” and “COVID-19-driven digital transition” gained prominence. The Chinese mainland shows both convergence with and divergence from global trends, with notable attention to themes related to context-aware learning, computer-aided instruction, and broader developments in smart learning and digital support systems.

Beyond academia, the influence of digital education research is evident in policy and media engagement. From 2018 to 2023, over 400 publications were cited in policy documents or covered in news and social media. “Digital education is where our country can achieve breakthroughs in opening up new areas and forming fresh strength of educational development,” the study quotes from the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, highlighting the field’s alignment with national priorities.

While the Chinese mainland ranks among the top contributors by publication volume, the study notes that its overall academic impact still lags behind countries such as the UK and Australia. According to the authors, “ Further efforts are needed to enhance research quality, support the development of independent academic platforms, and expand domestic academic networks to ensure more balanced and sustainable growth.”