The bibliometrics profession: Evidence from two global surveys, 2020 and 2022

Bibliometrics has been embedded in higher education since the 1960s and now plays a central role in research evaluation and institutional visibility. Despite its strategic importance, many practitioners enter the field without formal training. This study presents an updated version of the 2019 Bibliometrics Competencies Model, developed through an iterative, evidence-based process grounded primarily in a global survey conducted in 2020. The first survey (2020; n = 130) gathered community feedback on the original framework and informed a revised model released in 2021. A second survey (2022; n = 64) subsequently assessed awareness and use of the updated framework and identified emerging competencies. Across both surveys, a substantial proportion of respondents (76% in 2020; 72% in 2022) reported having no formal bibliometrics education, despite holding high levels of responsibility for bibliometric analyses. Respondents also reported gaps between competencies required in practice and those addressed in formal education. Overall, the findings reveal a persistent mismatch between professional demands and structured training opportunities, underscoring the need for higher education programmes to embed bibliometrics systematically within their curricula.