The Future of Higher Education: Transformative Digital Practices and the Implications of Generative Artificial Intelligence
A special issue of Education Sciences (ISSN 2227-7102). This special issue belongs to the section "Higher Education".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2026 | Viewed by 15
Editors
Interests: smart learning environments; virtual learning environments; self-regulated learning; artificial intelligence; higher education
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Higher education is undergoing profound transformation driven by rapid technological innovation, changing learner expectations, and evolving societal and workforce demands. Digital technologies have become integral to teaching, learning, assessment, and institutional management, fostering new pedagogical approaches while expanding opportunities for access, flexibility, and personalization. At the same time, higher education institutions face significant challenges related to digital equity, academic integrity, data governance, and the sustainable integration of emerging technologies.
The recent advances in generative artificial intelligence (GAI) have accelerated this transformation. GAI-powered tools are reshaping educational practices, supporting personalized learning experiences, enhancing administrative processes, and influencing academic research. However, these developments also raise critical questions about ethics, transparency, assessment, human agency, and the future role of educators and institutions.
This Special Issue aims to present the most recent advances related to transformative digital practices and the implications of generative artificial intelligence in higher education. We welcome empirical studies, theoretical contributions, systematic reviews, case studies, and any sort of innovative practices that scientifically examine how digital technologies and GAI are shaping the future of higher education.
Topics of interest for publication include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Generative artificial intelligence in higher education;
- Digital transformation of universities;
- Innovative pedagogical models and digital learning environments;
- AI-supported teaching, learning, and assessment;
- AI-assisted feedback;
- Ethics, governance, and responsible use of AI;
- Digital competencies for students and educators;
- Learning analytics and educational data science;
- Personalized and adaptive learning;
- Self-regulated learning aided by GAI in higher education contexts;
- Academic integrity in AI-enhanced environments;
- Faculty development and organizational change;
- Student experiences and perceptions of generative AI technologies;
- Future trends and policy implications for higher education.
We look forward to receiving your contributions and advancing the discussion on the opportunities and challenges that digital transformation and generative artificial intelligence present for the future of higher education.
Dr. Jordi Mogas Recalde
Dr. Vanessa Esteve-González
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Education Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2000 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- generative artificial intelligence
- transformative digital practices
- digital transformation
- AI-enhanced environments
- digital competencies
- higher education
- educational innovation
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
