Leading Through the AI Shift: Strategies for Higher Education

The rise of artificial intelligence is reshaping classrooms, administrative workflows, and institutional decision-making. For higher education leaders, the challenge isn't just understanding the technology; it's navigating the human questions it raises: How do we support faculty and staff through uncertainty while sustaining momentum? How do we ensure technology serves our institutional mission? And how do we lead with intention when the landscape keeps changing?

Drawing on T3 Advisory’s national research on AI adoption across higher education and on Every Learner Everywhere’s expertise in best practices for using AI on campuses, this session highlights a consistent barrier: many institutions aren’t stalling because of bad technology or bad intentions, but because the people responsible for leading the day-to-day work—department leaders, functional managers, and student services directors—have been left out of strategy and change efforts. Through real-world examples and guided reflection, participants will explore what responsible AI implementation can look like on their campuses and leave with actionable strategies to lead through the shift.