E-learning in Higher Education across Developing Countries: A Bibliometric Analysis of Research Trends

Abstract

E-learning has become a core element in the delivery of higher education in developing countries as it can provide avenues for enhancing access to quality education, equitable treatment, and the maintenance of teaching during times of resource constraints. This study report the state of e-learning research in higher education from the developing countries through bibliometric analysis from 2006 to 2025. The data analysis used co-citation and keyword co-occurrence methods with VOSviewer on 46 Scopus-published papers. The results show that the research field consists of eight main intellectual clusters and four thematic domains ranging from technological and institutional readiness, technology acceptance and behavioral intention, pandemic-driven pedagogical innovation, contextual barriers to implementation to and methodological developments in e-learning research. Moreover, it is shown that despite the research leading role by countries of the developed world, research production by developing region such as India, Malaysia and South Africa has been growing rapidly thus showing the development of scholarly activity under resource-constrained circumstance. The pandemic was clearly identified as the driver of changes and one of the major factors behind the sudden digital switch, while at the same time highlighting the enduring inequalities regarding access, infrastructure, organizational capacity. This study presents a holistic reference for the progression of e-learning studies. It also proposes real-world solutions for governments to enact legislation, for university administrators to take necessary actions, and for academicians to carry out further studies to produce better results for the creation of more level, resistant, and enduring digitally enhanced study programs in developing countries.