The OECD has published a new report warning that generative AI use in higher education has outpaced institutional governance, and setting out five emerging policy responses to close the gap.
“Policies supporting responsible and systematic GenAI adoption in higher education” finds that GenAI use among students has become near-universal in just three years, reaching 95% of UK undergraduates and around 90% of German students by 2025/26, while academic staff have adopted it more cautiously.
Despite this, the OECD finds most institutions still lack the infrastructure to support responsible use. A 2025 UNESCO survey found only 19% of higher education institutions worldwide had a formal AI policy, leaving students and staff to rely on personal accounts with free consumer tools, raising concerns over data privacy, academic integrity, equity and unreliable outputs.
Drawing on examples from OECD member and partner countries, the report identifies five areas of emerging policy response:
- Guidance on responsible use — national frameworks from countries including Ireland, Australia and the UK.
- Common approaches to compliance and procurement — such as Italy’s national deal with OpenAI and Australia’s partnership with Anthropic.
- Building GenAI competence — training programmes in Germany, Switzerland, South Korea and elsewhere.
- Supporting evidence collection and pilots — including Australia’s GenAI Knowledge Hub and Dutch pilots of eduGenAI.
- Developing specialised education-focused GenAI tools — such as ETH Zurich’s Ethel teaching assistant.
The report was prepared by the OECD’s Higher Education Policy Team, drawing on a March 2026 expert seminar held with Slovakia’s Ministry of Education.
Read the full report here.
