Sustainable AI Governance for Institutional Resilience in Canadian HE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55016/rwaw1k51Keywords:
artificial intelligence governance; higher education policy; institutional resilience; distributed leadership; organizational learning; Canadian universities, Artificial Intelligence, Educational Governance and Administration, Educational Policy, AI Governance, Canadian UniversitiesAbstract
This qualitative multi-case study investigates how Canadian universities build institutional capacity for sustainable and ethical artificial intelligence (AI) governance in teaching, learning, and student support. Despite rapid AI integration, significant gaps persist in governance structures and leadership practices. Policy fragmentation is evident, with universities often delegating AI-related decisions to individual instructors without comprehensive institutional frameworks (Marcel & Kang, 2024). Recent surveys reveal that 56% of Canadian postsecondary personnel remain unsure whether their institutions have implemented broad AI policies (Jiang et al., 2025). Grounded in organizational learning theory, particularly the 4I Framework (Crossan et al., 1999), and distributed leadership frameworks (Spillane, 2006), this research examines how academic leaders conceptualize AI's strategic role, design governance structures fostering institutional resilience, and develop professional learning for responsible AI use. The study employs document analysis, semi-structured interviews, and focus groups across three to five Canadian universities. Expected contributions include a comprehensive framework for institutional resilience in AI governance and evidence-based recommendations for policy development and professional learning in Canadian higher education.
