{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,13]],"date-time":"2026-04-13T19:10:11Z","timestamp":1776107411542,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":47,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,10,28]],"date-time":"2024-10-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1730073600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"FCT\u2014Foundation for Science and Technology","award":["UIDB\/05460\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/05460\/2020"]}]},{"name":"FCT\u2014Foundation for Science and Technology","award":["UIDP\/05422\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDP\/05422\/2020"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Information"],"abstract":"<jats:p>(1) Background: The development of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) is transforming higher education. This systematic literature review synthesizes recent empirical studies on the use of GAI, focusing on its impact on teaching, learning, and institutional practices. (2) Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search strategy was employed to locate scientific articles on GAI in higher education published by Scopus and Web of Science between January 2023 and January 2024. (3) Results: The search identified 102 articles, with 37 meeting the inclusion criteria. These studies were grouped into three themes: the application of GAI technologies, stakeholder acceptance and perceptions, and specific use situations. (4) Discussion: Key findings include GAI\u2019s versatility and potential use, student acceptance, and educational enhancement. However, challenges such as assessment practices, institutional strategies, and risks to academic integrity were also noted. (5) Conclusions: The findings help identify potential directions for future research, including assessment integrity and pedagogical strategies, ethical considerations and policy development, the impact on teaching and learning processes, the perceptions of students and instructors, technological advancements, and the preparation of future skills and workforce readiness. The study has certain limitations, particularly due to the short time frame and the search criteria, which might have varied if conducted by different researchers.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/info15110676","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,10,28]],"date-time":"2024-10-28T11:52:47Z","timestamp":1730116367000},"page":"676","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":124,"title":["Generative AI and Higher Education: Trends, Challenges, and Future Directions from a Systematic Literature Review"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5872-5341","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jo\u00e3o","family":"Batista","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Accounting and Administration, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal"},{"name":"Digimedia, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8564-4582","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Anabela","family":"Mesquita","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Social and Organizational Study Centre, Porto Accounting and Business School, Polytechnic of Porto, 4465-004 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8285-7005","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Gon\u00e7alo","family":"Carnaz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Accounting and Administration, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal"},{"name":"Institute of Electronics and Informatics Engineering of Aveiro, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,10,28]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"10","DOI":"10.1057\/s41599-020-0494-4","article-title":"Why general artificial intelligence will not be realized","volume":"7","author":"Fjelland","year":"2020","journal-title":"Humanit. Soc. Sci. Commun."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Farrelly, T., and Baker, N. (2023). Generative artificial intelligence: Implications and considerations for higher education practice. Educ. Sci., 13.","DOI":"10.3390\/educsci13111109"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4","DOI":"10.1186\/s41239-023-00436-z","article-title":"A meta-systematic review of artificial intelligence in higher education: A call for increased ethics, collaboration, and rigour","volume":"21","author":"Bond","year":"2024","journal-title":"Int. J. Educ. Technol. High. Educ."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"22","DOI":"10.1186\/s41239-023-00392-8","article-title":"Artificial intelligence in higher education: The state of the field","volume":"20","author":"Crompton","year":"2023","journal-title":"Int. J. Educ. Technol. High. Educ."},{"key":"ref_5","unstructured":"Saunders, M., Lewis, P., and Thornhill, A. (2019). The Research Onion of Mark Saunders. Research Methods for Business Students, Pearson. [8th ed.]."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"372","DOI":"10.1186\/s13643-021-01626-4","article-title":"The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews","volume":"10","author":"Page","year":"2021","journal-title":"Syst. Rev."},{"key":"ref_7","first-page":"25","article-title":"Who wrote this essay? Detecting AI-generated writing in second language education in higher education","volume":"23","author":"Alexander","year":"2023","journal-title":"Teach. Engl. Technol."},{"key":"ref_8","first-page":"1029","article-title":"The impact of generative AI tools on researchers and research: Implications for academia in higher education","volume":"61","year":"2023","journal-title":"Innov. Educ. Teach. Int."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"59","DOI":"10.1186\/s41239-023-00427-0","article-title":"Not quite eye to A.I.: Student and teacher perspectives on the use of generative artificial intelligence in the writing process","volume":"20","author":"Barrett","year":"2023","journal-title":"Int. J. Educ. Technol. High. Educ."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"43","DOI":"10.1186\/s41239-023-00411-8","article-title":"Students\u2019 voices on generative AI: Perceptions, benefits, and challenges in higher education","volume":"20","author":"Chan","year":"2023","journal-title":"Int. J. Educ. Technol. High. Educ."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"60","DOI":"10.1186\/s40561-023-00269-3","article-title":"The AI generation gap: Are Gen Z students more interested in adopting generative AI such as ChatGPT in teaching and learning than their Gen X and millennial generation teachers?","volume":"10","author":"Chan","year":"2023","journal-title":"Smart Learn. Environ."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"64","DOI":"10.1186\/s40561-023-00284-4","article-title":"An expectancy value theory (EVT) based instrument for measuring student perceptions of generative AI","volume":"10","author":"Chan","year":"2023","journal-title":"Smart Learn. Environ."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"38","DOI":"10.1186\/s41239-023-00408-3","article-title":"A comprehensive AI policy education framework for university teaching and learning","volume":"20","author":"Chan","year":"2023","journal-title":"Int. J. Educ. Technol. High. Educ."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Chen, J., Zhuo, Z., and Lin, J. (2023). Does ChatGPT play a double-edged sword role in the field of higher education? An in-depth exploration of the factors affecting student performance. Sustainability, 15.","DOI":"10.3390\/su152416928"},{"key":"ref_15","first-page":"282","article-title":"Case study: Exploring the role of current and potential usage of generative artificial intelligence tools in higher education","volume":"24","author":"Chergarova","year":"2023","journal-title":"Issues Inf. Syst."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"100197","DOI":"10.1016\/j.caeai.2023.100197","article-title":"Future research recommendations for transforming higher education with generative AI","volume":"6","author":"Chiu","year":"2024","journal-title":"Comput. Educ. Artif. Intell."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"247","DOI":"10.2967\/jnmt.123.265844","article-title":"ChatGPT in nuclear medicine education","volume":"51","author":"Currie","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Nucl. Med. Technol."},{"key":"ref_18","first-page":"997","article-title":"Performing an inductive thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with a large language model: An exploration and provocation on the limits of the approach","volume":"42","year":"2023","journal-title":"Soc. Sci. Comput. Rev."},{"key":"ref_19","first-page":"100883","article-title":"Applying a modified technology acceptance model to explain higher education students\u2019 usage of ChatGPT: A serial multiple mediation model with knowledge sharing as a moderator","volume":"21","author":"Duong","year":"2023","journal-title":"Int. J. Manag. Educ."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"70","DOI":"10.3934\/steme.2023006","article-title":"ICT students\u2019 perceptions towards ChatGPT: An experimental reflective lab analysis","volume":"3","author":"Elkhodr","year":"2023","journal-title":"STEM Educ."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"57","DOI":"10.1186\/s41239-023-00425-2","article-title":"AI-generated feedback on writing: Insights into efficacy and ENL student preference","volume":"20","author":"Escalante","year":"2023","journal-title":"Int. J. Educ. Technol. High. Educ."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"100198","DOI":"10.1016\/j.caeai.2023.100198","article-title":"ChatGPT effects on cognitive skills of undergraduate students: Receiving instant responses from AI-based conversational large language models (LLMs)","volume":"6","author":"Essel","year":"2024","journal-title":"Comput. Educ. Artif. Intell."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"363","DOI":"10.1080\/02602938.2023.2241676","article-title":"Hello gpt! goodbye home examination? An exploratory study of AI chatbots\u2019 impact on university teachers\u2019 assessment practices","volume":"49","author":"Farazouli","year":"2023","journal-title":"Assess. Eval. High. Educ."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"French, F., Levi, D., Maczo, C., Simonaityte, A., Triantafyllidis, S., and Varda, G. (2023). Creative use of OpenAI in education: Case studies from game development. Multimodal Technol. Interact., 7.","DOI":"10.3390\/mti7080081"},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Greiner, C., Peisl, T.C., H\u00f6pfl, F., and Beese, O. (2023). Acceptance of AI in semi-structured decision-making situations applying the four-sides model of communication\u2014An empirical analysis focused on higher education. Educ. Sci., 13.","DOI":"10.3390\/educsci13090865"},{"key":"ref_26","first-page":"8","article-title":"A wolf in sheep\u2019s clothing? Critical discourse analysis of five online automated paraphrasing sites","volume":"20","author":"Hammond","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Univ. Teach. Learn. Pract."},{"key":"ref_27","first-page":"71","article-title":"Investigating marker accuracy in differentiating between university scripts written by students and those produced using ChatGPT","volume":"6","author":"Hassoulas","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Appl. Learn. Teach."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1080\/10447318.2023.2300016","article-title":"Integration of generative AI techniques and applications in student behavior and cognitive achievement in Arab higher education","volume":"24","author":"Jaboob","year":"2024","journal-title":"Int. J. Hum. -Comput. Interact."},{"key":"ref_29","first-page":"12","article-title":"Generative artificial intelligence: University student awareness, experience, and confidence in use across disciplines","volume":"20","author":"Kelly","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Univ. Teach. Learn. Pract."},{"key":"ref_30","first-page":"153","article-title":"Accuracy and detection of student use of ChatGPT in business analytics courses","volume":"24","author":"Laker","year":"2023","journal-title":"Issues Inf. Syst."},{"key":"ref_31","first-page":"1","article-title":"Use of generative artificial intelligence in the training of journalists: Challenges, uses and training proposal","volume":"32","author":"Lopezosa","year":"2023","journal-title":"El Prof. De La Inf."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Michel-Villarreal, R., Vilalta-Perdomo, E., Salinas-Navarro, D.E., Thierry-Aguilera, R., and Gerardou, F.S. (2023). Challenges and opportunities of generative AI for higher education as explained by ChatGPT. Educ. Sci., 13.","DOI":"10.3390\/educsci13090856"},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"559","DOI":"10.1080\/03043797.2023.2213169","article-title":"ChatGPT versus engineering education assessment: A multidisciplinary and multi-institutional benchmarking and analysis of this generative artificial intelligence tool to investigate assessment integrity","volume":"48","author":"Nikolic","year":"2023","journal-title":"Eur. J. Eng. Educ."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"89","DOI":"10.1007\/s10805-023-09492-6","article-title":"Detection of GPT-4 generated text in higher education: Combining academic judgement and software to identify generative AI tool misuse","volume":"22","author":"Perkins","year":"2024","journal-title":"J. Acad. Ethics"},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1080\/10447318.2023.2269006","article-title":"ChatGPT in the classroom: Exploring its potential and limitations in a functional programming course","volume":"39","author":"Popovici","year":"2023","journal-title":"Int. J. Hum. -Comput. Interact."},{"key":"ref_36","first-page":"178","article-title":"IS professors\u2019 perspectives on AI-assisted programming","volume":"24","author":"Rose","year":"2023","journal-title":"Issues Inf. Syst."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e53466","DOI":"10.2196\/53466","article-title":"Developing medical education curriculum reform strategies to address the impact of generative AI: Qualitative study","volume":"9","author":"Shimizu","year":"2023","journal-title":"JMIR Med. Educ."},{"key":"ref_38","first-page":"203","article-title":"Maintaining the integrity of the South African university: The impact of ChatGPT on plagiarism and scholarly writing","volume":"37","author":"Singh","year":"2023","journal-title":"S. Afr. J. High. Educ."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1209","DOI":"10.1111\/bjet.13425","article-title":"Investigation of the moderation effect of gender and study level on the acceptance and use of generative AI by higher education students: Comparative evidence from Poland and Egypt","volume":"55","author":"Strzelecki","year":"2024","journal-title":"Br. J. Educ. Technol."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"71","DOI":"10.18559\/ebr.2023.2.743","article-title":"Challenges for higher education in the era of widespread access to generative AI","volume":"9","author":"Walczak","year":"2023","journal-title":"Econ. Bus. Rev."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"446","DOI":"10.1007\/s42438-023-00440-6","article-title":"Generative AI and the automating of academia","volume":"6","author":"Watermeyer","year":"2023","journal-title":"Postdigital Sci. Educ."},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"100147","DOI":"10.1016\/j.caeai.2023.100147","article-title":"The effect of generative artificial intelligence (AI)-based tool use on students\u2019 computational thinking skills, programming self-efficacy, and motivation","volume":"4","author":"Yilmaz","year":"2023","journal-title":"Comput. Educ. Artif. Intell."},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1080\/10447318.2023.2288730","article-title":"Generative artificial intelligence acceptance scale: A validity and reliability study","volume":"39","author":"Yilmaz","year":"2023","journal-title":"Int. J. Hum. -Comput. Interact."},{"key":"ref_44","unstructured":"Saunders, M., Lewis, P., and Thornhill, A. (2007). Research Methods for Business Students, Pearson. [6th ed.]."},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"102411","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijer.2024.102411","article-title":"ChatGPT in higher education: A systematic literature review and research challenges","volume":"127","author":"Baig","year":"2024","journal-title":"Int. J. Educ. Res."},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Castillo-Mart\u00ednez, I.M., Flores-Bueno, D., G\u00f3mez-Puente, S.M., and Vite-Le\u00f3n, V.O. (2024). AI in higher education: A systematic literature review. Front. Educ., 9.","DOI":"10.3389\/feduc.2024.1391485"},{"key":"ref_47","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Filippi, S., and Motyl, B. (2024). Large language models (LLMs) in engineering education: A systematic review and suggestions for practical adoption. Information, 15.","DOI":"10.3390\/info15060345"}],"container-title":["Information"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2078-2489\/15\/11\/676\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T16:22:29Z","timestamp":1760113349000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2078-2489\/15\/11\/676"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2024,10,28]]},"references-count":47,"journal-issue":{"issue":"11","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,11]]}},"alternative-id":["info15110676"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/info15110676","relation":{},"ISSN":["2078-2489"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2078-2489","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2024,10,28]]}}}