Newswise — Artificial intelligence is reshaping how higher education teaches, assesses learning, produces knowledge and prepares students for a fast-changing world.
Held in Paris on 17–18 March 2026, the first AI in Higher Education Summit brought together 183 participants, representing 67 universities and more than 27 countries, to explore one central question: how should higher education evolve in an AI-driven world?
Organised by ESCP Business School and the ESCPTech Institute, the Summit created a space for dialogue between researchers, professors, institutional leaders, accreditation bodies, ed-tech pioneers, policymakers and industry experts. This Executive Report synthesises insights from 40+ parallel sessions, 8 keynotes and 3 roundtables.
“The question is no longer whether to implement AI. It is how to do so responsibly.”
Louis-David Benyayer
Associate Professor of Digital Transformation
AI Initiatives Coordinator at ESCP
Chair of the SummitKnowledge
44% of faculty believe students know more about AI than they do
Experience
77% of companies expect new graduates to have AI experience
Preparation
58% of employers believe universities are not doing enough to prepare graduates for an AI-enabled workforce
-data courtesy of Carrington Crisp
What you’ll find in the report
The Executive Report captures the key themes and strategic takeaways that shaped discussions at the Summit, including:
Perspectives from leading institutions and organisationsNew models for assessment, pedagogy and governanceData and insights on employer expectations and skills gapsStrategic recommendations for institutions navigating AI transformation, including an introduction to ESCP’s own ABC framework for creating AI-ready universities
The report explores five tensions shaping AI adoption in higher education: efficiency versus educational purpose, adoption speed versus institutional trust, automation versus human judgment, open innovation versus sovereignty and control, and scale versus responsibility.