Future research recommendations for transforming higher education with generative AI

Higher education is crucial for producing ethical citizens and professionals globally. The introduction of generative AI (GenAI), such as ChatGPT, has posed opportunities and challenges to the traditional model of education. However, the current conversations primarily focus on policy development and assessment, with limited research on the future of higher education. GenAI's impact on learning outcomes, pedagogy, and assessment is crucial for reforming and advancing the workforce. This qualitative study aims to investigate student perspectives on GenAI's impact on higher education. The study uses an initial conceptual framework driven by a systematic literature review to investigate the opportunities and challenges of AI in education. This framework serves as an initial data collection and analysis framework. A sample of 51 students from three research-intensive universities was selected for this study. Thematic analysis identified three themes and 10 subthemes. The findings suggest that future higher education should be transformed to train students to be future-ready for employment in a society powered by GenAI. They suggest new learning outcomes—skills in learning and teaching with GenAI, AI literacy—and emphasize the significance of interdisciplinarity and maker learning, with assessment focusing on in-class and hands-on activities. They recommend six future research directions – competence for future workforce and its self-assessment measures, AI literacy or competency measures, new literacies and their relationships, interdisciplinary teaching, Innovative pedagogies and their evaluation, new assessment and its acceptance.