摘要:The present study resulted from the analysis of a large array of investigative products focused on creativity in higher education. A systematic review of studies between 2008 and 2018 found 27 theses published by doctoral programs in the specific field of education. Twenty-five Brazilian scientific databases were analyzed using a qualitative approach aimed at mapping creativity in higher education, demonstrating longitudinally how, when, who and with what purposes creativity has been the object of study. The most widely used approach was qualitative, with a predominance of case studies, the majority of which described creativity as a learning strategy or one that seeks learning solutions; a smaller number of doctoral theses viewed creativity as cognitively developed and intrinsic to the student. For this reason, the results suggest a possible lag in terms of understanding creativity as a way to significantly strengthen learning and a basic structure in the development of critical thinking and problem solving.