Achievements and Challenges of Educational Research in Higher Education Practice: Emphasis on Undergraduate Education Improvement and Quality Enhancement

This study reviews changes in higher education research and practice since the 2000s, highlighting the link between environmental shifts and research growth. Using quantitative analysis of journals and an educational-biographical view of institutional changes and research impacts, it reveals a significant rise in higher education research post-2000. Key institutional trends, driven by demographic decline and government evaluation, include focused improvements and quality enhancement in undergraduate education, competency-based education, increased data-informed decision-making, and growth of specialized units for teaching, learning, and educational outcomes management. In the last five years, new specialized journals and increased studies on teaching methods and general education have emerged. However, research impact on education remains limited due to formalistic evaluations, weak interdisciplinary collaboration, and a focus on quantitative results. The study calls for qualitative shifts in evaluation, stronger interdisciplinary work, and a practice-centered research culture.