Higher Education Policy

Aims & Scope

Higher Education Policy is an international peer-reviewed and SSCI-indexed academic journal focusing on higher education policy in a broad sense.

The journal considers submissions that discuss national and supra-national higher education policies and/or analyse their impacts on higher education institutions or the academic community: leadership, faculty, staff and students, but also considers papers that deal with governance and policy issues at the level of higher education institutions.

Critical analyses, empirical investigations (either qualitative or quantitative), and theoretical-conceptual contributions are equally welcome, but for all submissions the requirement is that papers be embedded in the relevant academic literature and contribute to furthering our understanding of policy.

The journal has a preference for papers that are written from a disciplinary or interdisciplinary perspective.

In the past, contributors have relied on perspectives from public administration, political science, sociology, history, economics and law, but also from philosophy, psychology and anthropology.

Articles devoted to systems of higher education that are less well-known or less often analysed are particularly welcome.

Given the international scope of the journal, articles should be written for and be understood by an international audience, consisting of researchers in higher education, disciplinary researchers, and policy-makers, administrators, managers and practitioners in higher education.

Contributions should not normally exceed 7,000 words (excluding references).

View Aims & Scope

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Metrics & Ranking

Impact Factor

Year	Value
2025	2.4
2024	1.70

SJR (SCImago Journal Rank)

Year	Value
2024	0.751

Quartile

Year	Value
2024	Q1

h-index

Year	Value
2024	54

Journal Rank

Year	Value
2024	7377

Journal Citation Indicator

Year	Value
2024	459

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Abstracting & Indexing

Journal is indexed in leading academic databases, ensuring global visibility and accessibility of our peer-reviewed research.

• Scopus
• Google Scholar
• Web of Science

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Subjects & Keywords

Journal’s research areas, covering key disciplines and specialized sub-topics in Social Sciences, designed to support cutting-edge academic discovery.

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Most Cited Articles

The Most Cited Articles section features the journal's most impactful research, based on citation counts. These articles have been referenced frequently by other researchers, indicating their significant contribution to their respective fields.

• Revisiting the Third Mission of Universities: Toward a Renewed Categorization of University Activities?

  Citation: 389

  Authors: Philippe

• Transforming Higher Education in Whose Image? Exploring the Concept of the ‘World-Class’ University in Europe and Asia

  Citation: 369

  Authors: Rosemary, Ka Ho, Lisa

• Graduate Employability: A Review of Conceptual and Empirical Themes

  Citation: 361

  Authors: Michael

• The Research University in Transition: The Emerging Global Model

  Citation: 294

  Authors: Kathryn, Wanhua, David

• About the Role of Universities and Their Contribution to Sustainable Development

  Citation: 260

  Authors: Walter Leal

• Organization and Governance of Universities

  Citation: 249

  Authors: Ivar, Maurice

• Mission Diversity and Reputation in Higher Education

  Citation: 232

  Authors: Frans

• Learning to Live with League Tables and Ranking: The Experience of Institutional Leaders

  Citation: 219

  Authors: Ellen

• Definitions and frameworks for environmental sustainability in higher education

  Citation: 178

  Authors: Tarah S A

• Trust, markets and accountability in higher education: a comparative perspective

  Citation: 157

  Authors: Martin

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