Article
Academic Leadership and AI Adoption in Higher Education: A Systematic Review based on Solow's Growth Framework
The field of Higher education is undergoing major transformation due to Artificial Intelligence (AI) which is changing the nature of teaching, learning, research, governance, and institutional management. At the same time, the NEP 2020 states that technology-based learning, digital governance, innovation and the learning of multiple dimensions are important factors in the educational reform in India. Academic leaders are key stakeholders helping to drive these changes, whether through their strategic decision-making, technology use, or through organizational change management efforts. Although there is an increasing body of scholarship focusing on the topic of educational technology and leadership, little research has considered the academic leadership, AI adoption and institutional productivity in a single theoretical framework. This study is a systematic review of literature from 2015 to 2025, using a PRISMA approach, which investigates the connections between academic leadership, AI adoption, and higher education transformation. After a systematic screening and quality assessment process, 52 peer-reviewed studies were included. The results confirm four major themes: digital leadership capability, AI readiness and adoption, NEP-aligned institutional transformation and technology-driven educational productivity. In total, 1,284 records were identified in the databases (Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, ScienceDirect, and Dimensions), following the PRISMA 2020 framework. One hundred and twenty-eight studies were screened and 52 were eligible for thematic synthesis. Four global themes stood out: digital leadership capability, readiness to embrace AI in education, institutional transformations aligned to NEP and technology-enabled educational productivity. The study builds on Solow's Growth Theory by introducing an AI adoption factor as a means to improve institutional productivity over other factors like human capital or digital infrastructure. The findings advance the academic leadership theory, AI adoption study, and higher education policy by offering the integrated model of academic leadership, AI adoption, implementation of NEP, and institutional performance.