The productivity of a specific research field hinges on the periodic examination of both the knowledge produced and the knowledge production activities. By harnessing the strength of traditional bibliometric analyses and a variety of Natural language processing (NLP) techniques, this study portrayed a holistic landscape of higher education internationalisation (HEI) research that incorporated time and region through a spatial lens. The findings reveal the field's evolution into establishment, significant regional variations in research focus, and the expansion of networks for disseminating knowledge. These factors collectively contribute to a diverse 'lived' space of HEI research. However, the dominance of Western-centric key concepts, theories, and discourses highlights a homogenous 'conceived' space, pointing to an underlying tension between these spaces. Despite these challenges, opportunities for breakthroughs exist. Additionally, the study underscores the immense potential of NLP techniques in facilitating the exploration of how research fields evolve, further enriching our understanding of HEI.