Higher Education AI Readiness Report
Universities around the world are innovating with artificial intelligence (AI) in areas such as teaching, research and operational administration. This report presents research aimed specifically at understanding the current state of AI integration within universities. The research indicates that the institutional foundations needed to turn AI adoption into university, and education system-wide value are still catching up with leadership ambition.In this report, a global survey that IREX and Development Gateway: An IREX Venture (DG) deployed over a three-month period (November 2025 – January 2026) in partnership with the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (UNSDSN). Responses came from individuals working across functions - as university leaders, faculty, and administrators – and as such do not necessarily represent the formal institutional views but rather provide insights into how ordinary university staff view AI. Findings are derived from an analysis based on an AI readiness index and maturity model that we developed.Responses were largely concentrated in Africa and the Middle East where youth populations are large, and higher education systems are expanding rapidly. These are precisely the contexts where AI-enabled higher education will shape workforce readiness, social mobility, and the capacity of states to deliver on their digital transformation strategies in future.Key findingsSurvey data indicate a gap in policy and governance, with only 34.2% of respondents reporting that their institution has a clear AI strategy linked to academic and operational priorities, and 39.5% reporting approved AI-related policies. A similarly low proportion report active senior leadership engagement in AI initiatives and where it does exist, it has largely not yet been fully translated into coherent strategies and rules of the game. Operational integration also remains limited - just under a fifth of respondents report governed pilots or deployments integrated into workflows, and only a similar proportion report systematic efforts to measure AI’s impact. While budget lines for AI are beginning to emerge, they remain inconsistent and weakly connected to institutional priorities.Special eventIREX will also host a webinar on June 10 at 9:00 a.m. (EDT): “The Higher Education AI Reality Check: From Global Insights to Institutional Action.” Learn more and register free.News releaseIREX and Development Gateway Reveal Findings of Higher Education AI Readiness
elee@irex.org
Tue, 04/14/2026 - 14:00
From Ambition to Action: Insights into University AI Readiness
Assessment
TagsHigher Education Solutions, AI for Education

Universities around the world are innovating with artificial intelligence (AI) in areas such as teaching, research and operational administration. This report presents research aimed specifically at understanding the current state of AI integration within universities. The research indicates that the institutional foundations needed to turn AI adoption into university, and education system-wide value are still catching up with leadership ambition.
In this report, a global survey that IREX and Development Gateway: An IREX Venture (DG) deployed over a three-month period (November 2025 – January 2026) in partnership with the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (UNSDSN). Responses came from individuals working across functions - as university leaders, faculty, and administrators – and as such do not necessarily represent the formal institutional views but rather provide insights into how ordinary university staff view AI. Findings are derived from an analysis based on an AI readiness index and maturity model that we developed.
Responses were largely concentrated in Africa and the Middle East where youth populations are large, and higher education systems are expanding rapidly. These are precisely the contexts where AI-enabled higher education will shape workforce readiness, social mobility, and the capacity of states to deliver on their digital transformation strategies in future.
Key findingsSurvey data indicate a gap in policy and governance, with only 34.2% of respondents reporting that their institution has a clear AI strategy linked to academic and operational priorities, and 39.5% reporting approved AI-related policies. A similarly low proportion report active senior leadership engagement in AI initiatives and where it does exist, it has largely not yet been fully translated into coherent strategies and rules of the game. Operational integration also remains limited - just under a fifth of respondents report governed pilots or deployments integrated into workflows, and only a similar proportion report systematic efforts to measure AI’s impact. While budget lines for AI are beginning to emerge, they remain inconsistent and weakly connected to institutional priorities.
Special eventIREX will also host a webinar on June 10 at 9:00 a.m. (EDT): “The Higher Education AI Reality Check: From Global Insights to Institutional Action.” Learn more and register free.
News releaseIREX and Development Gateway Reveal Findings of Higher Education AI Readiness
| # | Наименование новости | Тональность | Информативность | Дата публикации |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Teachers in AI-Enabled Classrooms | 0 | 13.85 | 17-04-2026 |
| 2 | Higher education’s AI advantage is the intelligence institutions already hold | 0 | 7.29 | 29-09-2026 |
| 3 | 6 key takeaways from ISTE 2026: How educators are applying AI in the classroom | 0 | 9.84 | 08-07-2026 |
| 4 | Impact Fellowships Network (IFN) 2026 Impact Study | 0 | 14.14 | 09-06-2026 |
| 5 | Workforce Development in Ukraine: Evidence-Based Approaches for Recovery and Resilience | 0 | 13.85 | 24-06-2026 |
| 6 | AI governance in education: From policy to practice | 0 | 8.64 | 18-05-2026 |
| 7 | Skills on the Move: Linking Labor Mobility and Vocational Training | 0 | 11.9 | 24-02-2026 |
| 8 | How India should recruit and train higher education faculty for the AI era | 0 | 10 | 28-09-2026 |
| 9 | Better Tools, Not More: What Educators Say About Teaching and Technology | 0 | 9.2 | 21-10-2026 |
| 10 | Практика опережает правила: как в науке поддерживают ИИ | 0 | 11.4 | 14-09-2026 |