This article aims to unravel the intellectual lineage of student engagement in higher education (SEHE) from 1999 to 2024 through a comprehensive bibliometric analysis. Recognizing SEHE's multifaceted impact on learning and development, the study addresses the literature's lack of cohesion. The examination of 1,317 articles published in Scopus and Web of Science employs VOSviewer, Excel, and Tableau software. The review reveals a significant growth trajectory. The pandemic/post-pandemic phase comprises 53.8% of SEHE literature, reflecting collective responses to its disruptive impact on higher education. Global distribution indicates widespread interest, yet dominance by the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia raises cultural representativeness concerns. Co-citation analysis identifies four schools of thought: (1) student engagement in technology-mediated learning; (2) psychological perspective; (3) multidimensional framework, and (4) behavioural perspective. The article concludes by advocating for a collaborative, multidimensional approach, stressing unity among scholars, practitioners, and policymakers as a vital step to catalyse transformative advancements in SEHE research and practice.