Innovation is a competitive factor for any organisation. It makes it possible to stand out from the competitors. Entities use the digital age's means to carry out their missions. In this respect, higher education institutions are no exception. Indeed, the search for an innovative education system is always relevant. This paper aims at presenting a systematic literature review (SLR) focusing on massive open online courses (MOOCs), their achievements and the challenges they are facing. Using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA) model, the results of the synthesis and analysis of 27 papers show there is a variety of content that MOOCs have dealt with. Most of the published studies focus on the design. Only connectivist MOOCs can be considered an educational innovation. Moreover, the designers of MOOCs do not take into account the individual needs of the different participants. Hence, several challenges remain to be overcome. The identified gaps could motivate further research.