Equipping Workforce Leaders for the AI Era: Faculty Insights From UAE Higher Education

Document Type

Article

Source of Publication

Transforming Policy and Practice Through AI Driven Educational Leadership

Publication Date

3-10-2026

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) restructures workforce dynamics and leadership roles, higher education institutions (HEIs) must prepare future leaders with technical proficiency and ethical compassion. In line with the UAE’s AI Strategy 2031, this chapter explores faculty perspectives (N=16) at a federal university in Abu Dhabi on embedding AI literacy into a mandatory leadership course. Using the framework of Braun and Clarke’s for thematic analysis, twelve themes emerged, emphasizing opportunities in AI-driven competencies such as data-informed decision-making, ethical awareness, and adaptive leadership. Challenges included inadequate faculty confidence, insufficient institutional support, restricted access to AI tools, and gaps between basic familiarity anddeeper AIliteracy. This study calls for interdisciplinary collaboration, ethical AI policies, and sustained professional development to promote inclusive, context-driven leadership education aligned with UAE Vision 2031.

ISBN

[9798337349084, 9798337349091, 9798337349107]

ISSN

2327-0411

Publisher

IGI Global Scientific Publishing

First Page

73

Last Page

103

Disciplines

Business

Keywords

Workforce (0.72) | Abu dhabi (0.69) | Workforce development (0.5) | Political science (0.5) | Public relations (0.48) | Engineering ethics (0.46) | Thematic analysis (0.45) | Higher education (0.36) | Management (0.35) | Sociology (0.34) | Professional development (0.33) | Medical education (0.31) | Line management (0.31) | Career Pathways (0.3) | Staffing (0.3) | Leadership development (0.3) | Aging in the American workforce (0.3) | Pedagogy (0.29) | Curriculum (0.28) | Business (0.26) | Government (linguistics) (0.26) | Core competency (0.25) | Experiential learning (0.25)

Scopus ID

105049171934

Indexed in Scopus

yes

Open Access

no

Link to Full Text

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