AI, Academic Expectations, and the Making of Intellectual Capital: Evidence from Polish and Greek Universities

Abstract

Purpose: This study analysed how the educational preferences of current students (referred to as digital natives), perceptions of artificial intelligence (AI), and expectations of academic teachers shape the development of intellectual capital in higher education in the context of differences in the level of digitisation in Poland and Greece. 
Methodology: The research draws on theoretical frameworks including learning styles, digital pedagogy, educational geography, expected value theory, and intellectual capital. A comparative analysis was conducted to examine students’ attitudes toward teaching methods, active learning approaches, and the use of AI in education. Survey data were collected from higher education students in Poland and Greece and analysed to identify cross-cultural differences. 
Findings: The results reveal significant national differences. Polish students, typically younger, preferred laboratories and group work, while Greek students favoured project-based learning and seminars. In terms of expectations, Polish students prioritised lecturers’ expertise and teaching diversity, whereas Greek students emphasised the development of social competences. Both groups acknowledged the educational potential of AI, though Polish students more often highlighted risks to independent thinking, while Greek students viewed AI as more inspirational. 
Originality: This study contributes to understanding how digital and socio-economic transformations shape educational expectations and learning preferences across cultures. It underscores the need for locally tailored academic programs that integrate technology and active learning strategies to enhance intellectual capital and better prepare students for digitally driven, knowledge-based societies. The results contribute to understanding how the development of intellectual capital in universities is linked to the creation of a skilled, innovation-oriented workforce, which is essential for the competitiveness of economies.

Key words: socio-economic transformation, spatial differences in education, Generation Z, active learning, digital natives, economic competitiveness

JEL classification: I23, I25