Exploring Collaborative Partners in Vocational Schools: A Bibliometric Mapping of Global Literature

This study addresses the growing global attention on vocational education, which plays a vital role in preparing a skilled and adaptable workforce to meet industry demands. Cross-sector collaboration among schools, government, industry, and communities has emerged as a key driver in enhancing the relevance and quality of graduates. However, existing research on collaboration in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) remains fragmented, lacking a comprehensive synthesis of trends and dominant themes. To address this gap, a bibliometric analysis was conducted using VOSviewer and RStudio (Biblioshiny), analyzing 219 documents indexed in Scopus from 2015 to 2025. The findings reveal trends in publications, citations, and influential contributors, alongside five major collaboration themes: (1) school–industry partnerships, (2) school–government collaboration, (3) school–community engagement, (4) school–university pathways, and (5) school–private sector and public institution partnerships. Despite increasing interest, publications and citations remain limited, indicating a significant opportunity for further research. This study contributes to the current state of knowledge by mapping existing research and suggesting future directions, particularly through in-depth content analysis and context-specific case studies.