Homophily in Southeast Asian University collaborations: evaluating internationalization and collaboration through bibliometric collaboration data

This study investigates the influence of homophily rooted in institutional rankings on the structure and dynamics of international research collaboration networks among Southeast Asian universities and examines its implications for regional academic stratification and inequality. Utilizing bibliometric data from 175 universities certified by the ASEAN University Network, we employed social network analysis (SNA) to map collaboration patterns using centrality metrics (eigenvector, betweenness, closeness, and degree) and clique analysis. Our findings reveal a pronounced ‘rich-get-richer’ dynamic, in which top-ranked institutions, predominantly from Malaysia and Singapore, dominate collaboration networks, controlling 75.69% of the connections. Elite universities, such as Universiti Malaya (eigenvector centrality: 0.989) and the National University of Singapore (degree centrality: 0.224), function as structural brokers, reinforcing exclusivity and marginalizing lower-ranked institutions. Conversely, despite their numerical predominance, Indonesian universities exhibit a fragmented influence, whereas those in Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar remain peripheral with near-zero centrality metrics. Clique analysis further underscores regional fragmentation, with large collaborative clusters (≥21) dominated by Indonesian institutions, reflecting inward-oriented networks. This study identifies a stark core-periphery divide exacerbated by preferential attachment mechanisms and resource disparities that perpetuate academic inequality. These findings challenge the presumed egalitarian benefits of internationalization, highlighting how institutional ranking homophily entrenches stratification.