AI for Institutional Transformation
About This Project
This project explores how AI is currently reshaping and could possibly even transform higher education. Through leader interviews, national trend analysis, and case studies, we are building public-good resources to guide institutions toward equitable, responsible AI adoption.
Purpose
At its core, this study asks: How can artificial intelligence advance institutional transformation in higher education that leads to better and more equitable student outcomes?
We frame this question around two parallel journeys. The first is the longstanding effort of colleges and universities to achieve institutional transformation, defined as “the realignment of an institution’s structures, culture, and business model to create a student experience that leads to dramatic and equitable increases in outcomes and value” (Postsecondary Changemakers, 2025). The second is the rapidly unfolding adoption of AI, which has emerged as both a potential disruptor and a possible catalyst for positive change. This report sits at the intersection of these two paths, exploring whether and how AI can serve as a tool to advance transformation rather than deepen existing inequities.
To investigate this question, T3 Advisory and Complete College America conducted interviews with leaders from 33 institutions (both 2- and 4-year) across the country regarding AI adoption. The interview phase is the first stage of a larger research project and builds toward three goals:
To create public goods research and resources for the field (e.g., prompts, reports, trainings, tools)
To inform institutional leaders on how AI can support transformation efforts
To provide a current state analysis and refine topics and use cases for upcoming focus groups
Resource Library
A free, open-source library of resources to help higher education practitioners navigate AI Adoption decisions.
Unless otherwise noted, all materials in this Resource Library are shared under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), allowing sharing and adaptation with attribution.
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Recorded on May 12, 2026
When institutional leaders discuss AI adoption, the conversation often starts with licensing fees. But the real story is broader: adopting AI at scale requires both visible financial investments and hidden resource commitments in time, people, and culture. Our research found that institutions must also navigate a rapidly expanding vendor market, with AI features rolling out faster than governance can address. This session provides a clear framework for understanding the full spectrum of costs, real and hidden, and the governance foundations that must be in place before scaling. This session is designed for CFOs, CIOs, budget officers, procurement leads, and compliance officers who control resources and risk.
Presenters:
Dr. Audrey Ellis, Founder & Principal, T3 Advisory
Norman Palmer, Director of Technology & Innovation, Complete College America
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Recorded on April 21, 2026
Watch HereProfessional development for AI is both uneven and underdeveloped across higher education. Our research found that faculty often receive more structured training opportunities than staff, and many institutions lack a clear strategy for who delivers training, what content is prioritized, and how training connects to institutional goals. This session explores four emerging training roles—faculty/peer trainers, administrators, students, and external partners—and offers a framework for building sustainable AI capacity that reaches everyone, not just those who opt in. This session is designed for Senior leaders of Academic and Student Affairs, HR leaders, teaching and learning center directors, faculty development coordinators, and department chairs responsible for professional development.
Moderator: Dr. Audrey Ellis, Founder & Principal, T3 Advisory
Panelists:
Dr. Jennifer Gebelein, Director of AI Integration and Faculty Success, Florida International University
Dr. Greg Morris, Senior Vice Provost, Dallas College
Melissa Vito, Vice Provost for Academic Innovation, University of Texas San Antonio
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Recorded on March 17, 2026
Watch HereThe research completed at T3 Advisory revealed a persistent gap: institutions know they need to engage with AI, but many lack a clear picture of where they actually stand. This session introduces T3's AI Adoption Rubric and Survey Suite: practical tools designed to help you move from assumptions to evidence. You'll learn how to assess across five dimensions (adoption coordination, leadership support, policy development, resource commitment, and technology deployment), deploy surveys to faculty, staff, students, and leadership, and translate findings into action.
What we cover:
- Why most institutions remain in fragmented, uncoordinated AI experimentation
- The five dimensions required for effective, institution-wide AI integration
- How the “permission gap” limits adoption despite leadership support
- Using the AI Adoption Rubric and Survey Suite to assess readiness and align stakeholders
- Why AI policy should start narrow and evolve over time
- Where to begin: defining a shared vision for AI’s long-term impact
Speakers:
Dr. Audrey Ellis, Founder & Principal, T3 Advisory
Mohammad Obiedat, Deputy CIO – ERP & AI, ACCS
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A snapshot of how colleges and universities are experimenting and strategizing their way into the age of AI.
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This in-depth report offers a comprehensive analysis of how colleges and universities across the country are adopting artificial intelligence—uncovering national patterns, institutional challenges, and emerging practices from interviews with leaders at 33 diverse institutions. It provides a detailed, data-rich foundation for understanding the uneven landscape of AI adoption and the opportunities ahead for higher education.
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Recorded on February 9, 2026
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Two and a half years after ChatGPT's release, only 17% of institutions in our study show indicators of strategic AI integration—the rest remain in earlier phases, navigating uneven depth and speed of adoption. This session introduces findings from T3 Advisory's national study of 33 institutions and presents the practical frameworks emerging from our research. You'll learn what distinguishes institutions that are transforming from those still experimenting, and walk away with a diagnostic tool to assess where your campus stands. This session is designed for presidents, provosts, CIOs, deans, and strategic planning leads seeking a research-grounded foundation for AI decision-making.Presenters:
Dr. Audrey Ellis, Founder & Principal, T3 Advisory
Kate Krieg, Founder & Principal, Learn Consulting
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Structured instruments to assess AI readiness across leadership, departments, staff, and students.
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A practical tool for assessing institutional AI readiness and progress.
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A guide for institutional leaders, faculty, and staff to effectively and responsibly engage with AI.
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A practical template for presidents to help trustees guide AI decisions toward mission-aligned, durable progress.
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This scenario deck is designed to support colleges and universities as they explore the opportunities, risks, and practical considerations of adopting AI across institutional functions.
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This challenge card deck is designed to help colleges and universities build practical AI fluency by engaging teams in crafting prompts tied to real institutional priorities. Through collaborative, scenario-based exercises, it supports leaders in exploring how generative AI can strengthen problem-solving, innovation, and decision-making across key campus functions.
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A practical guide for launching collaborative AI learning communities that build shared capacity and connect individual experimentation to institutional strategy.
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A resource that highlights emerging roles in AI training so institutions can design coordinated, sustainable strategies.
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A practical guide for embedding student perspectives in institutional AI decision-making.
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A framework for designing AI professional development that includes your institution’s full workforce, not just faculty.
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Our research reveals that institutions frequently underestimate what AI adoption truly requires; this resource maps both the visible budget items and hidden resource commitments leaders need to plan for sustainable, equitable implementation.
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AI is reshaping higher education, bringing real risks to mission, equity, and more alongside opportunities to improve student support and institutional effectiveness. This brief helps leaders clearly weigh both sides and make more intentional adoption decisions.
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This resource breaks down the essential financial, technical, governance, and workforce conditions colleges need to put in place to move from scattered experiments to responsible, mission-aligned AI adoption.
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Register for our upcoming 5-part webinar series! Starts February 2026.
Contributors
T3 Advisory
At T3 Advisory, our mission is to empower higher education institutions, nonprofits, and other organizations to achieve sustainable, practical change. We are dedicated to fostering student success, equity, and innovation through customized, co-designed strategies that balance big-picture vision with actionable details. Our commitment to equity and student success drives us to create inclusive, impactful solutions that transform educational landscapes.
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Complete College America (CCA) builds movements for scaled change and transforms institutions. Specifically, CCA drives systemic change that leads to better college completion rates; scalable outcomes; and greater economic and social mobility, especially for historically excluded students. CCA operates at the federal, state, and institutional levels and works with its national network of forward-thinking state and higher education leaders. Since its founding in 2009, CCA and its network have introduced bold initiatives that help states and institutions implement data-driven policies, student-centered perspectives, and success-driven practices.
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Learn Consulting partners with organizations and people who are ready to tackle complex challenges and create lasting change. Our work spans the interconnected worlds of higher education, economic development, and social justice, where we serve as both strategic advisor and action-oriented architect. Learn Consulting brings together project management, equity-focused strategic planning, organizational development, evaluation expertise, and facilitation skills to address the real-world complexities our partners face. We believe meaningful change happens when strategy meets implementation, when data informs action, and when diverse voices shape the path forward.
The AI for Institutional Transformation research project was generously funded by the Gates Foundation. The findings and conclusions contained within are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect positions or policies of the Gates Foundation.