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 findings

Survey 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.

News Release

IREX and Development Gateway Reveal Findings of Higher Education AI Readiness