The Anti-Japanese War not only inflicted widespread devastation and loss upon China but also triggered a profound evolution in Chongqing's higher education system, as the city emerged as a sanctuary for scholars and students seeking refuge from the conflict. This study explores how the war influenced the evolution of Chongqing's higher education framework within China's educational landscape. The study examines key variables such as the educational ideology, curriculum development, enrolment trends, institutional support, faculty composition, and student outcomes. Employing a comprehensive literature review methodology, 147 articles were analysed using MAXQDA software. The findings underscore the pivotal role of the war in reshaping Chongqing's higher education framework, fostering a pragmatic, experiential learning approach infused with values of national unity and patriotism. Moreover, institutional support and faculty qualifications emerged as critical factors influencing student outcomes, with teaching and learning methodologies identified as primary mediators between independent and dependent variables. The study also identifies cultural, historical, political, and ideological influences, along with Globalisation and internationalisation as significant contextual factors. The implications of these findings are pertinent for policymakers, educators, and researchers, while acknowledging certain study limitations and proposing avenues for future research in this area.