Entrepreneurial literacy in higher education: A global bibliometric perspective

Abstract

This study aims to provide a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of global research on entrepreneurial literacy in higher education. Using the Scopus database, 408 publications from 2005 to 2025 were collected and refined to 336 relevant articles for analysis. The period from 2005 to 2025 was chosen because it marked a turning point in how entrepreneurial literacy was integrated into higher education curricula worldwide, prompting a surge in academic discourse and publications on the subject. A five-step bibliometric approach was applied using VOSviewer. Data were analysed using keyword co-occurrence analysis, overlay visualisation and a global research keyword density map. This analysis identified key research clusters related to entrepreneurship education, financial literacy and students. The results show an increasing trend in publication volume, particularly after 2019, reflecting growing academic interest in entrepreneurship education. Keyword co-occurrence analysis highlights emerging themes, including student entrepreneurship and higher education; entrepreneurship education and digital transformation; financial literacy and entrepreneurial intention; and innovation and social entrepreneurship. The bibliometric findings reflect this convergence, as the literature naturally draws upon theoretical and empirical contributions from each of these fields. This cross-disciplinary integration is not merely a methodological choice but a defining characteristic of entrepreneurial literacy as a construct, reinforcing the need for holistic, multidomain approaches in both research and pedagogical practice.
Contribution: This study contributes to mapping the intellectual landscape of entrepreneurship literacy research. The results highlight the need for more integrated, cross-disciplinary and evidence-based, long-term research to understand entrepreneurship education in higher education more comprehensively.