This article reports an analysis on methodological and thematic trends in the field of educational research. The introduction presents main challenges regarding recent insights and pressure for research in universities as well as main objectives. Theoretical framework section reflects actual debates regarding educational research within the social science area and under pressure of public accountability and funding in European Union universities and US. Next section describes data sources and processing, using mainly content analysis on three largest research networks: AERA (founded in 1916), EERA (founded in 1994) and WERA (founded in 2009). Comparative analysis provides interesting information regarding the history, missions, priorities, principles and regulations on carrying educational research. One the one hand, there are noticeable differences in time gap, practice-orientation, social responsibility and funding policies for university research in Europe and US. On the other hand, EU's struggle in competition with US puts pressure on education researchers; university ranking and impact evaluation are seen as external and mainly originated in US tradition. Findings about the dynamics of research networks, problem-driven and contextual sensitive approach, integrated research endeavour (inter and trans-disciplinary), teams flexibility and emerging interests could have a double impact. It could inspire ongoing efforts of redesigning the doctoral studies programs at the University of Bucharest and also the PhD students' identity and career building occurring in real institutions and academic sphere.
Understanding gaps in research networks: using “spatial reasoning” as a window into the importance of networked educational research