{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,3]],"date-time":"2025-11-03T18:08:47Z","timestamp":1762193327711,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":56,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,3]],"date-time":"2025-11-03T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1762128000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Publications"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The Chengdu\u2013Chongqing Economic Circle (CCEC) represents a key regional development initiative in China. University research collaboration plays a vital role in advancing its innovation ecosystem and supporting sustainable growth. This study examines inter-university collaboration among 47 public universities in the CCEC based on 53,968 co-authored publications from 2005 to 2024. Using bibliometric and visualization techniques in CiteSpace 6.4.R2, it explores the structure and evolution of collaboration from institutional, thematic, and author perspectives. The results reveal a steady expansion of collaborative activities driven by national innovation strategies. Leading institutions such as Sichuan University, UESTC, and Chongqing University act as central hubs connecting diverse research communities. Collaboration has diversified from traditional fields toward interdisciplinary areas including materials, environmental science, and applied mathematics. Author networks are becoming more cohesive, reflecting stronger knowledge integration across universities. The study highlights how policy-driven collaboration fosters regional innovation capacity and provides evidence-based insights for strengthening university networks and advancing the CCEC\u2019s role as a science and technology innovation hub in western China.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/publications13040056","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,3]],"date-time":"2025-11-03T17:32:01Z","timestamp":1762191121000},"page":"56","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Evolution of Inter-University Research Collaboration in the Chengdu\u2013Chongqing Economic Circle (2005\u20132024): A Biblio-Metric Perspective"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0006-5963-9855","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Tao","family":"Zhang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Education, Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok 10110, Thailand"}]},{"given":"Prachuab","family":"Tongsri","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Education, Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok 10110, Thailand"}]},{"given":"Chakrit","family":"Ponathong","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Education, Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok 10110, Thailand"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,3]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Fagerberg, J., and Mowery, D. C. (2006). The geography of innovation: Regional innovation systems. The Oxford Handbook of Innovation, Oxford University Press.","DOI":"10.1093\/oxfordhb\/9780199286805.001.0001"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5303","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.0307513100","article-title":"Searching for intellectual turning points: Progressive knowledge domain visualization","volume":"101","author":"Chen","year":"2004","journal-title":"Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"359","DOI":"10.1002\/asi.20317","article-title":"CiteSpace II: Detecting and visualizing emerging trends and transient patterns in scientific literature","volume":"57","author":"Chen","year":"2006","journal-title":"Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology"},{"key":"ref_4","first-page":"431","article-title":"Predictive effects of structural variation on citation counts","volume":"63","author":"Chen","year":"2012","journal-title":"Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Chen, C. (2013). The structure and dynamics of scientific knowledge. Mapping scientific frontiers: The quest for knowledge visualization, Springer.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-1-4471-5128-9"},{"key":"ref_6","unstructured":"Chen, C. (2016). CiteSpace: A practical guide for mapping scientific literature, Nova Science Publishers."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"39","DOI":"10.1007\/s10798-022-09728-3","article-title":"A review of STEM education with the support of visualizing its structure through the CiteSpace software","volume":"33","author":"Chu","year":"2023","journal-title":"International Journal of Technology and Design Education"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"285","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jbusres.2021.04.070","article-title":"How to conduct a bibliometric analysis: An overview and guidelines","volume":"133","author":"Donthu","year":"2021","journal-title":"Journal of Business Research"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"102375","DOI":"10.1016\/j.evalprogplan.2023.102375","article-title":"Collaboration and growth in a large research cooperative: A network analytic approach","volume":"102","author":"Ducharme","year":"2024","journal-title":"Evaluation and Program Planning"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"377","DOI":"10.1080\/00343404.2020.1782878","article-title":"Regional innovation systems: What can we learn from 25 years of scientific achievements?","volume":"55","author":"Fernandes","year":"2021","journal-title":"Regional Studies"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"35","DOI":"10.2307\/3033543","article-title":"A set of measures of centrality based on betweenness","volume":"40","author":"Freeman","year":"1977","journal-title":"Sociometry"},{"key":"ref_12","unstructured":"Galison, P. L., and Hevly, B. W. (1993). Big science: The growth of large-scale research, University of Chicago Press."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Moed, H. F., Gl\u00e4nzel, W., and Schmoch, U. (2005). Analysing scientific networks through co-authorship. Handbook of quantitative science and technology research: The use of publication and patent statistics in studies of S&T systems, Springer.","DOI":"10.1007\/1-4020-2755-9"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hou, L., Liu, Y., and He, X. (2023). Research on the mechanism of regional innovation network in western China based on ERGM: A case study of Chengdu-Chongqing Shuangcheng economic circle. Sustainability, 15, (10).","DOI":"10.3390\/su15107993"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"61","DOI":"10.25162\/int-2025-0004","article-title":"Bridging the gap: Fostering cross-border intra-african research collaboration among south african universities","volume":"12","author":"Jithoo","year":"2025","journal-title":"Internationalisation of Higher Education"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Junjia, Y., Alias, A. H., Haron, N. A., and Abu Bakar, N. (2023). A bibliometric review on safety risk assessment of construction based on citespace software and WoS database. Sustainability, 15, (15).","DOI":"10.3390\/su151511803"},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1415","DOI":"10.1007\/s11192-020-03811-z","article-title":"Scientometric analysis and knowledge mapping of literature-based discovery (1986\u20132020)","volume":"126","author":"Kastrin","year":"2021","journal-title":"Scientometrics"},{"key":"ref_18","unstructured":"Katz, J. S. (1992). Bibliometric assessment of intranational university\u2014University collaboration. [Doctoral dissertation, University of Sussex]. Available online: https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/profile\/J-Katz-3\/publication\/34019430_Bibliometric_assessment_of_intranational_university_-_university_collaboration\/links\/0912f513790b0ec830000000\/Bibliometric-assessment-of-intranational-university-university-collaboration.pdf."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/S0048-7333(96)00917-1","article-title":"What is research collaboration?","volume":"26","author":"Katz","year":"1997","journal-title":"Research Policy"},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"373","DOI":"10.1023\/A:1024940629314","article-title":"Bursty and hierarchical structure in streams","volume":"7","author":"Kleinberg","year":"2003","journal-title":"Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery"},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"951","DOI":"10.1007\/s11192-017-2497-5","article-title":"Research collaboration in groups and networks: Differences across academic fields","volume":"113","author":"Kyvik","year":"2017","journal-title":"Scientometrics"},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"294","DOI":"10.1515\/libr.1981.31.1.294","article-title":"Bibliometrics: Its theoretical foundations, methods and applications","volume":"31","author":"Lawani","year":"1981","journal-title":"Libri"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"693","DOI":"10.1007\/s10734-012-9521-8","article-title":"The how and why of academic collaboration: Disciplinary differences and policy implications","volume":"64","author":"Lewis","year":"2012","journal-title":"Higher Education"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"247","DOI":"10.1007\/s11769-018-0944-8","article-title":"Articulating China\u2019s science and technology: Knowledge collaboration networks within and beyond the Yangtze River delta megalopolis in China","volume":"28","author":"Li","year":"2018","journal-title":"Chinese Geographical Science"},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"15","DOI":"10.1177\/21582440211068510","article-title":"Visualizing the knowledge domain of academic mobility research from 2010 to 2020: A bibliometric analysis using CiteSpace","volume":"12","author":"Liu","year":"2022","journal-title":"SAGE Open"},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2405","DOI":"10.1177\/0042098020942665","article-title":"Proximity and the evolving knowledge polycentricity of megalopolitan science: Evidence from China\u2019s Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, 1990\u20132016","volume":"58","author":"Ma","year":"2020","journal-title":"Urban Studies"},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ma, J., Jiang, F., Gu, L., Zheng, X., Lin, X., and Wang, C. (2020). Patterns of the network of cross-border university research collaboration in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau greater bay area. Sustainability, 12, (17).","DOI":"10.3390\/su12176846"},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e70051","DOI":"10.1111\/ejed.70051","article-title":"Mapping the evolution of computer-assisted language learning research: A 44-year bibliometric overview","volume":"60","author":"Mohsen","year":"2025","journal-title":"European Journal of Education"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"741","DOI":"10.1111\/hequ.12431","article-title":"Why does researchers\u2019 collaboration matter in research activities?","volume":"77","author":"Mwantimwa","year":"2023","journal-title":"Higher Education Quarterly"},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"404","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.98.2.404","article-title":"The structure of scientific collaboration networks","volume":"98","author":"Newman","year":"2001","journal-title":"Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences"},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"8577","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.0601602103","article-title":"Modularity and community structure in networks","volume":"103","author":"Newman","year":"2006","journal-title":"Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences"},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Olabiyi, O. J., Vuuren, C. J. V., Du Plessis, M., Xue, Y., and Zhu, C. (2025). Digital academic leadership in higher education institutions: A bibliometric review based on CiteSpace. Education Sciences, 15, (7).","DOI":"10.3390\/educsci15070846"},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1099","DOI":"10.1007\/s11192-016-2221-x","article-title":"Research collaboration in Ghana: Patterns, motives and roles","volume":"110","author":"Boshoff","year":"2017","journal-title":"Scientometrics"},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"n71","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.n71","article-title":"The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews","volume":"372","author":"Page","year":"2021","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Price, D. J. D. S. (1963). Little science, big science, Columbia University Press.","DOI":"10.7312\/pric91844"},{"key":"ref_36","first-page":"348","article-title":"Statistical Bibliography or Bibliometrics?","volume":"25","author":"Pritchard","year":"1969","journal-title":"Journal of Documentation"},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1736","DOI":"10.1007\/s13132-023-01183-2","article-title":"Artificial intelligence and economic development: An evolutionary investigation and systematic review","volume":"15","author":"Qin","year":"2024","journal-title":"Journal of the Knowledge Economy"},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"101849","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tsc.2025.101849","article-title":"A bibliometric and content analysis of educational robotics\u2019 impact on communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity in kindergarten","volume":"57","author":"Rapti","year":"2025","journal-title":"Thinking Skills and Creativity"},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Rashid, S., Rehman, S. U., Ashiq, M., and Khattak, A. (2021). A scientometric analysis of forty-three years of research in social support in education (1977\u20132020). Education Sciences, 11, (4).","DOI":"10.3390\/educsci11040149"},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"583","DOI":"10.5465\/amj.2024.4003","article-title":"What makes research collaborations successful? Advice from AMJ authors","volume":"67","author":"Ravasi","year":"2024","journal-title":"Academy of Management Journal"},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"685","DOI":"10.1007\/s10734-008-9118-4","article-title":"The formation and development of co-operations among South African universities","volume":"56","author":"Roebken","year":"2008","journal-title":"Higher Education"},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"155","DOI":"10.1007\/s10639-022-11167-5","article-title":"Systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis on virtual reality and education","volume":"28","year":"2023","journal-title":"Education and Information Technologies"},{"key":"ref_43","first-page":"102","article-title":"Analysis of the higher education research in the chengdu-chongqing region: A comparative perspective based on three major economic circles in China","volume":"8","author":"Rui","year":"2023","journal-title":"Contemporary Social Sciences"},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Greenfield, T., and Greener, S. (2016). An introduction to bibliometrics. Research methods for postgraduates, Wiley. [3rd ed.].","DOI":"10.1002\/9781118763025"},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Chaturvedi, S., Janus, H., Klingebiel, S., Li, X., Mello e Souza, A. d., Sidiropoulos, E., and Wehrmann, D. (2021). Transnational science cooperation for sustainable development. The Palgrave handbook of development cooperation for achieving the 2030 agenda: Contested collaboration, Palgrave Macmillan.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-030-57938-8"},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Shen, C., Yang, Z., Lam, F. I., Tam, S. W., Yang, W., and Li, Y. (2025). Scientific and technological innovation cooperation network of the Greater Bay Area in South China: A social network analysis. PLoS ONE, 20, (7).","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0326515"},{"key":"ref_47","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Cronin, B. (2007). Scientific collaboration. Annual review of information science and technology: Volume 41, Information Today.","DOI":"10.1002\/aris.2007.1440410121"},{"key":"ref_48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Specht, A., and Crowston, K. (2022). Interdisciplinary collaboration from diverse science teams can produce significant outcomes. PLoS ONE, 17, (11).","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0278043"},{"key":"ref_49","first-page":"28","article-title":"The role of inter-university cooperation in the knowledge society","volume":"24","author":"Tetrevova","year":"2020","journal-title":"Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education"},{"key":"ref_50","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3427","DOI":"10.1002\/sd.3302","article-title":"Enhancing sustainable development through interdisciplinary collaboration: Insights from diverse fields","volume":"33","author":"Polak","year":"2025","journal-title":"Sustainable Development"},{"key":"ref_51","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"295","DOI":"10.1108\/LHT-04-2022-0168","article-title":"Patterns of artificial intelligence policies in China: A nationwide perspective","volume":"43","author":"Wang","year":"2023","journal-title":"Library Hi Tech"},{"key":"ref_52","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"270","DOI":"10.1177\/00094455241300465","article-title":"Literature review on the image of the Communist Party of China in the past 30 years: Based on the bibliometric analysis of CiteSpace software","volume":"61","author":"Wang","year":"2025","journal-title":"China Report"},{"key":"ref_53","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wasserman, S., and Faust, K. (1994). Social network analysis: Methods and applications, Cambridge University Press.","DOI":"10.1017\/CBO9780511815478"},{"key":"ref_54","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"374","DOI":"10.1057\/s41599-025-04583-8","article-title":"Navigating the landscape of AI literacy education: Insights from a decade of research (2014\u20132024)","volume":"12","author":"Yang","year":"2025","journal-title":"Humanities and Social Sciences Communications"},{"key":"ref_55","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Yuan, Y., Guo, J., and Guo, Z. (2023). An evolutionary analysis of higher-order interaction collaborative innovation networks in China\u2019s new energy vehicle industry. Sustainability, 15, (15).","DOI":"10.3390\/su151511478"},{"key":"ref_56","first-page":"1980","article-title":"The spatiotemporal evolution and influencing factors of electronic information manufacturing industry in China","volume":"42","author":"Yuman","year":"2022","journal-title":"Tropical Geography"}],"container-title":["Publications"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2304-6775\/13\/4\/56\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,3]],"date-time":"2025-11-03T17:57:08Z","timestamp":1762192628000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2304-6775\/13\/4\/56"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,3]]},"references-count":56,"journal-issue":{"issue":"4","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,12]]}},"alternative-id":["publications13040056"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/publications13040056","relation":{},"ISSN":["2304-6775"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2304-6775","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,3]]}}}