Research Trends in Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning in Rural Settings: A Bibliometric Analysis, 2000–2025

Abstract

Purpose: This study maps the development of research on continuing education and lifelong learning in rural settings from 2000 to 2025, focusing on publication growth, disciplinary patterns, influential institutions, geographical distribution, collaboration networks, and the intellectual structure of the field. Design/methodology/approach: A quantitative bibliometric design was applied to English-language journal articles indexed in Scopus. Records were retrieved using a structured search of titles, abstracts, and keywords and analysed through Scopus analytical tools, Microsoft Excel, and VOSviewer. Performance analysis examined publication trends, subject areas, institutions, and countries, while science-mapping techniques assessed country co-authorship, author collaboration, and keyword co-occurrence. Findings: Research output increased substantially, from 30 publications in 2000 to 122 in 2025, with especially rapid growth after 2020. Medicine and Social Sciences dominated the disciplinary landscape, followed by Nursing. The University of Toronto was the most productive institution, while the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom accounted for most publications. International collaboration was extensive but uneven, with the United States, Australia, Canada, India, and several European countries acting as major hubs. The intellectual structure comprised five clusters centred on clinical continuing education, adult learning and community development, rural health workforce capacity, communication and palliative care, and maternal, newborn, and emergency-care education. Research limitations/implications: The study was limited to English-language, Scopus-indexed journal articles and may therefore underrepresent non-English and locally published rural scholarship. Originality/value: This study provides a comprehensive global mapping of rural continuing education and lifelong learning research across a 26-year period and integrates productivity, collaboration, and thematic analyses within a single framework.