Goa: Indian universities must move beyond isolated artificial intelligence initiatives and adopt institution-wide transformation strategies that integrate AI into teaching, research, assessment and administration, education leaders said at the ETEducation Chancellors’ Conclave 2026.
Speaking during Mega Panel 3, “The Intelligent University: Leading Institutions in the Age of AI,” moderated by Devina Lason, Editor – Video Initiatives & Senior Anchor, The Economic Times Business Verticals, eight academic and industry leaders examined how universities can harness AI while preserving academic integrity, human judgment and meaningful student learning.
The discussion highlighted that becoming an AI-native institution requires more than adopting new tools. It demands changes in institutional leadership, faculty development, curriculum design and student engagement.
AI governance and academic leadership must evolve
Prof (Dr) Vikram Singh IPS (Retd), Former DGP, Uttar Pradesh, and Chancellor, Noida International University, emphasised that AI adoption must be accompanied by strong safeguards against algorithmic bias, discrimination and misuse.
He cautioned that institutions must remain vigilant about data quality, fairness and academic integrity while recognising AI’s potential to improve educational outcomes.
Abhay G Chebbi, Pro Chancellor, Alliance University, argued that AI investment decisions should not remain confined to technology departments.
He stressed that vice chancellors, deans and academic leaders must take ownership of AI strategy, supported by investment in faculty training and responsible evaluation of AI-generated outputs.
Faculty development and critical thinking remain essential
Dr Sandeep Arora, Chancellor, Kalinga University, maintained that traditional classroom teaching must evolve towards practical learning, critical thinking and complex problem-solving.
Aman Bansal, Vice President, Dev Bhoomi Uttarakhand University, emphasised the urgency of faculty capacity building as students increasingly adopt AI faster than educators.
He advocated redesigning assessments around multiple approaches to solving problems, encouraging students to defend their conclusions and learn collaboratively rather than simply reproduce AI-generated answers.
Dr Jagannath Rao, Pro-Chancellor, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation University, highlighted the importance of integrating AI into research while developing discovery-driven thinkers.
He described the institution’s approach of separating research-focused and teaching-focused faculty responsibilities, enabling students to participate in research and address real-world challenges, including those in rural communities.
Rao also stressed the need for reliable AI platforms and appropriate research infrastructure to support meaningful academic applications.
AI-native institutions require integrated systems and industry relevance
Prof Manoshi Roy Chowdhury, Co-Chancellor, Techno India University, emphasised that AI should strengthen creativity and intellectual curiosity without replacing the emotional support and mentorship provided by teachers.
She highlighted the importance of introducing AI capabilities from foundational learning stages while preparing educators to guide students towards responsible technology use.
Sonakshi Das, Vice President, Babu Banarasi Das University, argued that AI transformation cannot succeed when individual departments adopt technology independently.
She shared that the university has introduced practical AI components across 15% of its curriculum in 13 academic schools, alongside faculty development, AI-supported teaching practices and initiatives to personalise student career pathways.
Das also highlighted the use of AI in admissions and administrative processes, while stressing the need to verify AI-generated outputs and protect sensitive information.
Vishakha Mittal, Regional Sales Director, Salesforce, identified fragmented university technology systems as a major obstacle to institution-wide AI adoption.
She explained that disconnected admissions, academic, placement and alumni platforms limit the ability of universities to deploy AI effectively across the student lifecycle.
Mittal also highlighted growing employer expectations around AI fluency, practical skills and experience with enterprise technologies.
She advocated stronger industry-academia partnerships, live projects and micro-credentials that enable students to develop workplace capabilities before graduation.
Human intelligence must remain central to AI transformation
The panel also addressed concerns about students entering universities with extensive exposure to AI tools but limited understanding of their responsible academic application.
Chebbi observed that many incoming students are already familiar with generative AI but often use it for quick answers rather than deeper learning, reinforcing the need for structured guidance on effective AI use.
Across the discussion, panelists emphasised that universities must develop systems that encourage students to question, validate and apply AI-generated information independently.
The defining challenge for the intelligent university will be integrating AI across institutional operations while ensuring that technology strengthens human capabilities, academic integrity and the practical relevance of higher education.
