Institutional Responsiveness to Global Education Policy: A Bibliometric Analysis of Generative AI Research and SDG4 (2023-June 2025)

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Abstract

This bibliometric analysis employs institutional theory to investigate thematic alignment between generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) research and UNESCO policy frameworks associated with Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4). Keyword cooccurrence clustering was conducted on 4,081 Web of Science publications from January 2023 to June 2025. Results reveal substantial thematic correspondence between GenAI research and SDG4 targets identified by UNESCO as unlikely achievable, particularly universal primary and secondary education (4.1), educational equity (4.5), adult literacy (4.6), and teacher supply (4.c). Five thematic clusters emerged: Teacher Education, Digital Literacy, Cognitive Skills, Language Literacy, and Early Learning. These clusters illustrate a progression from foundational cognitive studies toward literacy interventions and integrated pedagogical strategies, providing policymakers evidence-informed pathways for addressing global educational inequalities and institutional challenges.

Authors

• Ari Jiayu An, Stanford University

• Shuman Wang, Stanford University