Network-based analysis of institutional collaboration inequality in Southeast Asia

This study investigates the structure and inequality of institutional collaboration networks in Southeast Asia (SEA) and their interactions with institutions outside the region. These networks reflect how academic institutions share knowledge and collaborate across borders. We analyze the network topology of SEA collaborations, finding an average degree of 8.73, clustering coefficient of 0.329, and path length of 3.927. Centrality metrics such as eigenvector, closeness, and betweenness centrality reveal distinct patterns of influence, with institutions of high weighted degree mainly located in Southeast Asia, while high centrality scores also appear among institutions outside the region. This indicates that global institutions can significantly impact the regional collaboration structure. To measure inequality, we introduce von Neumann entropy and compare it with Shannon entropy and the Gini index (GI). Although all measures show consistent trends, von Neumann entropy captures more than just degree disparity. It reflects weighted connections and topology features of the network. This allows for a more nuanced view of inequality, highlighting differences that traditional metrics may overlook. Our findings show that some SEA countries exhibit notably higher entropy and GI values, indicating unequal participation in collaborative research. This work contributes to the understanding of academic inequality through a network science lens, offering a richer framework for future analysis.