Exploring responsible AI Integration in management education: A case study of Southern African Universities

Abstract

The integration of responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI) in higher education has emerged as a
transformative yet complex process, particularly in the Global South. This study investigates the
challenges and opportunities associated with responsible AI adoption in management education
within selected Southern African state universities. Despite growing interest in AI-enhanced
learning, these institutions face structural and institutional barriers that hinder ethical and
effective integration. Guided by Institutional Theory, this research employs a qualitative multiple
case study design to derive insights from 30 purposively selected participants, including academic
staff, policymakers, and ICT administrators, across various public universities in Zimbabwe and
South Africa. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions and
analysed using thematic analysis. Findings reveal four major challenges: infrastructural deficits,
low digital literacy, institutional resistance, and the absence of AI-specific education policies.
Nonetheless, participants identified promising opportunities in curriculum innovation, faculty
development, and regional collaboration. The study extends Institutional Theory by demonstrating
how organisational norms and cultural inertia influence AI adoption in under-resourced
educational contexts. Practically, it offers policy-level and institutional recommendations for
ethical AI deployment, including the need for national frameworks, digital infrastructure
investment, and structured AI training programmes. This research contributes to the growing
discourse on ethical AI in African education by highlighting both systemic constraints and
pathways for transformative change in management education.