Global Student Perspectives on Learning with Generative Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education: A Cross-Cultural Study

Research questions

1. RQ1

   How do higher education students across countries and cultural contexts use Generative AI tools to support their academic activities and learning?

2. RQ2

   What are students’ perceptions of the impact of Generative AI on their learning, particularly in relation to content comprehension, creativity, academic productivity, and potential technological dependency?

3. RQ3

   What ethical concerns do students identify regarding the use of Generative AI in academic contexts, particularly in relation to academic integrity, data privacy, and information reliability?

4. RQ4

   How do students perceive the role of higher education institutions in supporting the responsible use of Generative AI, particularly through institutional policies, pedagogical guidance, and training?

5. RQ5

   Are there significant differences in students’ use, perceptions, and expectations of Generative AI across countries, fields of study, academic levels, and educational contexts?

Methodology

1 - Ethics Approval

Data collection begins only after the necessary ethical approvals have been obtained from participating universities, where required.

2 - Data Collection

A multilingual, anonymous questionnaire administered through REDCap and distributed by local researchers via official university channels.

3 - Data Analysis

Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses to examine patterns, associations, and differences across countries, fields of study, and academic levels.

4 - Dissemination

Scientific publications, regional and global reports, and anonymized datasets shared through recognized public research repositories.

Study Participation & Sample

01

Participant Eligibility

✓

Age requirement: 18 years or older

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Enrollment status: Undergraduate or graduate student at a participating institution

✓

Participation: Voluntary and unpaid, with electronic informed consent

02

The Questionnaire

✓

Question format: Primarily Likert-scale questions, complemented by open-ended questions

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Estimated completion time: 10–15 minutes

✓

Anonymity: No names, student IDs, or email addresses are collected

03

Global Sample

✓

Target sample: at least 300 higher education students per country

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Global participation: 237 higher education institutions across 124 countries and territories

1. 2025
2. December 2025

   Phase 1: Conception

   The project takes shape through the initial development of the research idea, the formation of the core team of lead researchers, and the definition of its global scope, objectives and fundamental research questions.

3. 2026
4. February 2026

   Phase 2: Research Group Name Selection

   The research group's name is selected through a democratic voting process, with all members invited to participate and contribute to defining the group's identity.

5. March 2026

   Phase 3: Research Structure & Ethics

   Development and refinement of the research protocols, followed by submission to the relevant Ethics Committees across participating partner institutions worldwide. This phase ensures compliance with international ethical standards and establishes a strong framework for responsible and ethically sound research.

6. June 2026

   Phase 4: UNICAMP Ethics Approval

   Approval from the UNICAMP Research Ethics Committee, ensuring that the study meets the required ethical standards and regulatory requirements for research involving human participants.

7. July 2026

   Phase 5: Global Expansion, Cultural Adaptation & Ethics

   Expansion of the project through the engagement of partner universities across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas and Oceania. This phase includes the translation and cultural adaptation of the research instruments, as well as the submission and approval of the study by the relevant Ethics Committees at participating universities, ensuring that the research meets local requirements while maintaining internationally consistent ethical standards.

8. October 2026

   Phase 6: Data Collection

   Active fieldwork begins with the global distribution of the research surveys and the conduct of focus groups with students from diverse cultural, educational and geographic contexts. This phase focuses on gathering rich, cross-cultural data to better understand students' experiences, perceptions and practices regarding Generative AI in higher education.

9. 2027
10. April 2027

    Phase 7: Data Analysis & Publication

    Analysis of the collected data using mixed-methods approaches, integrating quantitative and qualitative findings to identify global and regional patterns. This phase also marks the beginning of the preparation and publication of regional reports and the Global Report, highlighting key findings across diverse cultural and educational contexts.