How EDHEC accelerated its AI strategy with the QS AI Capability Assessment

Understanding AI activity across the institution

Like many universities, EDHEC had no shortage of AI initiatives. Different teams were experimenting, piloting tools and exploring new ways of working. What was harder was seeing the whole picture.

The QS AI Capability Assessment process helped EDHEC bring together information from across the institution, creating visibility over more than 60 AI initiatives spanning teaching, research and operations. The exercise helped leaders understand where progress was being made, where activity overlapped, and where further investment was needed. "The framework gave us the ability to have that institutional-wide view," Sisto says. "It gave us a structure and approach to go across the entire institution and enter into dialogue with our colleagues about what they're doing with AI, how they're doing it and where they are in the development stage."

The process also sparked conversations between departments that might not otherwise have happened, helping teams learn from one another's experiences and share examples of what was working in practice.

Turning assessment insights into action

The assessment gave EDHEC more than a snapshot of existing AI activity. It created a practical basis for prioritisation, helping leaders understand which areas were advancing quickly and where more structure, resource or coordination would be needed.

For an institution already active in AI, this external framework helped bring consistency to a complex and fast-moving area. Rather than looking at individual initiatives in isolation, EDHEC could assess progress across governance, operations, teaching and research., then use those findings to guide decision-making.

The assessment process also encouraged internal conversations that helped EDHEC connect activity across departments. This was particularly valuable for moving from experimentation to institutional learning, ensuring strong examples could be surfaced, shared and considered as part of wider planning.

Peer exchange remained a useful part of the wider process, giving EDHEC access to practical perspectives from institutions facing similar challenges. But for Sisto, the clearest value lay in the assessment’s ability to make AI capability visible and actionable at institutional level.

Moving governance higher up the agenda

One area that stood out during the assessment was governance.

While EDHEC had already invested heavily in teaching, learning and research initiatives, the governance pillar highlighted questions that had received less attention. As AI regulation evolves and institutions deploy AI across a growing number of functions, understanding roles, responsibilities and oversight becomes increasingly important.

"The pillar that we found most illuminating was the Governance and Human Commitment pillar," says Sisto. "The framework gave us a very strong vision on how we need to organise internally to ensure not only that we're using AI responsibly and in a compliant manner, but that we're really optimising its use across all of our different business units."  

A framework for institutional progress

For EDHEC, the assessment was never about achieving a particular score. Its value came from creating a shared understanding of where the institution stood and what should happen next. The purpose of this is not to judge your level on where you are in AI, but to identify where we are as an institution and how we can move forward.

Looking back, Sisto's advice to other universities is simple: don't just complete the assessment. Make the most of the opportunity to learn from others.

"Speak to other people who are going through this at the same time so that you can learn from them."