Algorithmic Governance and Educational Inequality in Chinese Higher Education
Authors
-
Hamadi Teme
Zhejiang Normal University
-
Rushuang Yu
Zhejiang Normal University
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56741/IISTR.jetia.002460
Keywords:
Algorithmic Governance, Artificial Intelligence, Chinese Higher Education, Educational Inequality, Social Reproduction
Abstract
Artificial intelligence, learning analytics, predictive systems, and automated decision tools are increasingly embedded in higher-education governance, yet their implications for educational equity remain contested. This systematic review synthesizes evidence on algorithmic governance in Chinese higher education. Following PRISMA 2020, six search sources were examined between April and May 2026; 49 of 1,286 identified records met the eligibility and quality criteria for qualitative thematic synthesis. Thirty-four studies (69.4%) reported optimization benefits in administration, academic monitoring, resource allocation, or decision support, whereas 31 (63.3%) identified risks of reproducing or intensifying inequality. The principal mediating conditions were socioeconomic status, digital infrastructure, regional disparities, and institutional governance. Evidence was concentrated in eastern and coastal universities, limiting representativeness for central and western China. The review conceptualizes algorithmic governance as a socio-technical regime whose educational value depends on transparent decision rules, human oversight, bias auditing, equitable digital investment, and accessible mechanisms for contesting automated outcomes.
References
M. Bond, H. Khosravi, M. De Laat, N. Bergdahl, V. Negrea, E. Oxley, P. Pham, S. Chong, and G. Siemens, “A meta systematic review of artificial intelligence in higher education: A call for increased ethics, collaboration, and rigour,” Int. J. Educ. Technol. High. Educ., vol. 21, art. 4, 2024, doi: 10.1186/s41239-023-00436-z.
I. M. Castillo-Martínez, D. Flores-Bueno, S. M. Gómez-Puente, and V. O. Vite-León, “AI in higher education: A systematic literature review,” Front. Educ., vol. 9, art. 1391485, 2024, doi: 10.3389/feduc.2024.1391485.
O. Zawacki-Richter, V. I. Marín, M. Bond, and F. Gouverneur, “Systematic review of research on artificial intelligence applications in higher education—where are the educators?,” Int. J. Educ. Technol. High. Educ., vol. 16, art. 39, 2019, doi: 10.1186/s41239-019-0171-0.
Y. Wang, “Algorithmic decisions in education governance: Implications and challenges,” Discov. Educ., vol. 3, art. 229, 2024, doi: 10.1007/s44217-024-00337-x.
Y. Fu and Z. Weng, “Navigating the ethical terrain of AI in education: A systematic review on framing responsible human-centered AI practices,” Comput. Educ. Artif. Intell., vol. 7, art. 100306, 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.caeai.2024.100306.
X. Wang, S. Zhao, X. Xu, H. Zhang, and V. N.-L. Lei, “AI adoption in Chinese universities: Insights, challenges, and opportunities from academic leaders,” Acta Psychol., vol. 258, art. 105160, 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2025.105160.
X. Liu, Y. Fang, and X. Lan, “Regulations, technology policies and universities’ attitudes to artificial intelligence in China,” High. Educ. Q., vol. 79, no. 4, art. e70055, 2025, doi: 10.1111/hequ.70055.
Y. Liu and H. Tinmaz, “Navigating AI regulations in higher education: A comparative analysis of Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau,” High. Educ. Q., vol. 79, no. 4, art. e70073, 2025, doi: 10.1111/hequ.70073.
Y. Yang and M. A. Peters, “China’s 2025 White Paper on Smart Education: Governance logic, policy design, and international relevance,” Int. J. Chin. Educ., vol. 15, no. 1, 2026, doi: 10.1177/2212585X251413788.
H. Tang and M. Xu, “Inequality and solutions in the use of artificial intelligence tools in education in China’s central and western regions,” Discov. Sustain., vol. 7, art. 561, 2026, doi: 10.1007/s43621-026-02925-3.
F. Xie and F. D. Hutagalung, “How does cultural capital influence academic achievement in the Chinese context? A systematic literature review,” SAGE Open, vol. 15, no. 1, 2025, doi: 10.1177/21582440251315980.
F. Shu, C. R. Sugimoto, and V. Larivière, “The institutionalized stratification of the Chinese higher education system,” Quant. Sci. Stud., vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 327–334, 2021, doi: 10.1162/qss_a_00104.
E. Hannum, M. Wang, and J. Adams, “Urban-rural educational inequality in China: Trends, reforms, and challenges,” Chin. Sociol. Rev., vol. 45, no. 4, pp. 3–29, 2013, doi: 10.2753/CSA2162-0555450401.
A. M. Al-Zahrani, “Unveiling the shadows: Beyond the hype of AI in education,” Heliyon, vol. 10, no. 9, art. e30696, 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30696.
Y. Xue, V. Chinapah, and C. Zhu, “A comparative analysis of AI privacy concerns in higher education: News coverage in China and Western countries,” Educ. Sci., vol. 15, no. 6, art. 650, 2025, doi: 10.3390/educsci15060650.
A. Rouvroy and T. Berns, “Algorithmic governmentality and prospects of emancipation: Disparateness as a precondition for individuation through relationships?,” Réseaux, no. 177, pp. 163–196, 2013, doi: 10.3917/res.177.0163.
T. Gillespie, “The relevance of algorithms,” in Media Technologies: Essays on Communication, Materiality, and Society, T. Gillespie, P. J. Boczkowski, and K. A. Foot, Eds. Cambridge, MA, USA: MIT Press, 2014, pp. 167–194, doi: 10.7551/mitpress/9780262525374.003.0009.
D. Beer, “The social power of algorithms,” Inf. Commun. Soc., vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 1–13, 2017, doi: 10.1080/1369118X.2016.1216147.
B. Williamson, Big Data in Education: The Digital Future of Learning, Policy and Practice. London, U.K.: SAGE, 2017.
P. Bourdieu and J.-C. Passeron, Reproduction in Education, Society and Culture, 2nd ed. London, U.K.: SAGE, 1990.
N. Selwyn, Should Robots Replace Teachers? AI and the Future of Education. Cambridge, U.K.: Polity, 2019.
J. A. Idowu, “Debiasing education algorithms,” Int. J. Artif. Intell. Educ., vol. 34, no. 4, pp. 1510–1540, 2024, doi: 10.1007/s40593-023-00389-4.
Q. An, J. Yang, X. Xu, Y. Zhang, and H. Zhang, “Decoding AI ethics from users’ lens in education: A systematic review,” Heliyon, vol. 10, no. 20, art. e39357, 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e39357.
H. Zhu, Y. Sun, and J. Yang, “Towards responsible artificial intelligence in education: A systematic review on identifying and mitigating ethical risks,” Humanit. Soc. Sci. Commun., vol. 12, art. 1111, 2025, doi: 10.1057/s41599-025-05252-6.
A. Dabis and C. Csáki, “AI and ethics: Investigating the first policy responses of higher education institutions to the challenge of generative AI,” Humanit. Soc. Sci. Commun., vol. 11, art. 1006, 2024, doi: 10.1057/s41599-024-03526-z.
Y. Jiang, “Exploring the effectiveness of institutional policies and regulations for generative AI usage in higher education,” High. Educ. Q., vol. 79, no. 4, art. e70054, 2025, doi: 10.1111/hequ.70054.
D.-K. Mah and N. Groß, “Artificial intelligence in higher education: Exploring faculty use, self-efficacy, distinct profiles, and professional development needs,” Int. J. Educ. Technol. High. Educ., vol. 21, art. 58, 2024, doi: 10.1186/s41239-024-00490-1.
A. Lachheb, J. Leung, V. Abramenka-Lachheb, and R. Sankaranarayanan, “AI in higher education: A bibliometric analysis, synthesis, and a critique of research,” Internet High. Educ., vol. 67, art. 101021, 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.iheduc.2025.101021.
L. J. Wiese, I. Patil, D. S. Schiff, and A. J. Magana, “AI ethics education: A systematic literature review,” Comput. Educ. Artif. Intell., vol. 8, art. 100405, 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.caeai.2025.100405.
Y. Yan, H. Liu, and T. Chau, “A systematic review of AI ethics in education: Challenges, policy gaps, and future directions,” J. Glob. Inf. Manag., vol. 33, no. 1, pp. 1–50, 2025, doi: 10.4018/JGIM.386381.
N. F. V. Mosha, J. Chigwada, G. F. Ketchiwou, and P. Ngulube, “A systematic review of artificial intelligence in higher education institutions (HEIs): Functionalities, challenges, and best practices,” Educ. Sci., vol. 16, no. 2, art. 185, 2026, doi: 10.3390/educsci16020185.
M. J. Page et al., “The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews,” BMJ, vol. 372, art. n71, 2021, doi: 10.1136/bmj.n71.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Hamadi Teme, Rushuang Yu
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
