Creative Pathway in the Development of Scientific Literacy in Higher Education: A Systematic and Bibliometric Review of Transformational Trends and Practices

<ns3:p>This study maps global research trends on creative pathways in the development of scientific literacy in higher education during the period 2020–2024. The study is grounded in the growing demand for graduates who are not only scientifically literate but also capable of creative, critical, and interdisciplinary thinking in response to rapid transformations in 21st-century education. A bibliometric-based Systematic Literature Review (SLR) was employed, utilizing Publish or Perish and VOSviewer as the main analytical tools. Data were retrieved from the Google Scholar database and limited to peer-reviewed publications published between 2020 and 2024. The analysis included keyword co-occurrence mapping, temporal publication trends, and geographic and institutional contribution analysis, supported by Microsoft Excel and NVivo 14 for data classification and thematic synthesis. The results indicate a steady growth in publications addressing creative approaches to scientific literacy, with a marked increase in both publication volume and citation impact in 2023–2024. Major contributions originated from the United Kingdom, the United States, India, Indonesia, and Spain. Dominant conceptual clusters were formed around keywords such as creative thinking, scientific literacy, higher education, and educational technology. Bibliometric visualizations further reveal strong linkages between creative pathways, digital transformation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and reflective learning practices. By integrating bibliometric analysis with spatial and temporal mapping, this study provides a structured overview of the evolving research landscape. The findings offer valuable insights for educators, curriculum developers, and policymakers seeking evidence-based directions for advancing innovation in scientific literacy within higher education.</ns3:p>