Work-integrated learning at University West: Bibliographic review of the first 20 years with work-integrated learning

In 2002 University West received a specific mission from the Swedish government to develop Work-integrated learning (WIL), but already in 1990 the University Board of Directors branded the university “as the first and only WIL educational and research institution of higher education in Sweden” (Piperet al., 2023). Since 2020 University West also offers a PhD program in WIL with the aim to enhancelearning in the workplace (University West, 2023). However, WIL was a track within previous PhDprograms at University West. These actions are likely to impact the research outcomes of the university,but it is unknown to what extent this has happened especially in comparison to other universities inSweden. Governmental funding can have a powerful impact on institutional behavior (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 2020), which likely also influences individual researchers’actions. In addition, organizational strategies of universities can also influence academic researchcollaboration (Kienast, 2023). Therefore, it is likely that the specific national mission and University West’s strategy concerning WIL has had traceable effects in research publications, however thebibliometric level of impact is unexplored.