AI Capability Assessments

Assess, benchmark and strengthen institutional AI capability across teaching, research, governance and operations.

Choose between the QS AI Capability Self-Assessment for internal benchmarking or the QS AI Capability Analyst-Led Assessment for independent validation and strategic recommendations.

Why assess AI capability?

Universities are under increasing pressure to demonstrate effective, responsible and institution-wide AI adoption. However, many institutions lack a clear understanding of their current AI maturity, governance readiness and strategic priorities.

QS AI Capability Assessments help institutions:
1) Benchmark AI maturity across the institution
2) Identify capability gaps and areas of risk
3) Prioritise future investment
4) Strengthen governance and oversight
5) Support strategic planning and decision-making

Assessment options

QS AI Capability Self-Assessment

Ideal for institutions looking to benchmark AI maturity, identify capability gaps and support strategic planning through a structured self-guided approach.

QS AI Capability Analyst-Led Assessment

Ideal for institutions seeking independent validation, externally credible maturity levels and expert recommendations to support governance, stakeholder confidence and institutional positioning.

Which assessment is right for your institution?

Assessment feature	Self-Assessment	Analyst-Led Assessment
Internal benchmarking	✓	✓
Stakeholder surveys	✓	✓
Heatmap reporting	✓	✓
Independent validation		✓
Strategic recommendations		✓
Recognition & certification		✓
Two-year validated status		✓
Custom action plan		✓
Detailed findings report		✓
Executive summary presentation		✓

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Built on a trusted framework

The QS AI Capability Assessments are built on the QS AI Capability Framework, a higher education-specific model developed in collaboration with Microsoft, AWS, leading universities and sector experts.

Learn about the framework

Turning insight into action

The QS AI Capability Assessments help institutions turn insight into action.

Develop AI strategy

Identify priorities and align future investment.

Strengthen governance
Evaluate oversight, accountability and responsible AI readiness.

Support funding and accreditation discussions

Demonstrate capability through a structured and recognised assessment approach.

Build stakeholder confidence

Create a shared understanding of institutional AI maturity and future priorities.

Ready to assess your capability?

Whether you're exploring AI strategy, strengthening governance or seeking independent validation, we can help you identify the right assessment approach for your institution.

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Frequently asked questions

What is an AI capability assessment?

An AI capability assessment is a structured evaluation of an institution's ability to adopt, govern and develop artificial intelligence effectively. It helps organisations understand their current level of AI maturity, identify capability gaps and prioritise future investment.

The QS AI Capability Assessments are designed specifically for higher education and assess AI capability across teaching, research, governance and operations.

What is the difference between an AI capability framework and an AI capability assessment?

An AI capability framework defines what good AI capability looks like, while an AI capability assessment measures how an institution performs against that framework.

The QS AI Capability Framework provides the methodology. The QS AI Capability Assessments use the framework to benchmark institutional AI maturity, identify strengths and gaps, and provide actionable insights for improvement.

What is the difference between a Self-Assessment and an Analyst-Led Assessment?

The Self-Assessment enables institutions to benchmark their own AI maturity using a structured framework, scoring guidance and reporting tools.

The Analyst-Led Assessment includes independent review and validation by QS specialists, providing externally validated maturity levels, strategic recommendations and greater credibility for stakeholders, funders and partners.

Can the QS AI Capability Assessments support AI strategy and governance?

Yes. The assessments help institutions understand current AI maturity, strengthen governance and identify priorities for future development.

By providing a clear view of capability across the institution, the assessments support AI strategy development, investment planning, responsible AI implementation and leadership decision-making.

What do the QS AI Capability Assessments measure?

The QS AI Capability Self-Assessment and QS AI Capability Analyst-Led Assessment measure institutional AI maturity across governance, operations, teaching and research.

Using the QS AI Capability Framework, the assessments evaluate how effectively AI is being adopted, managed and supported across the institution, helping leadership teams identify capability gaps, strengths and strategic priorities.

Why should universities assess AI capability?

Universities assess AI capability to understand current AI maturity, identify capability gaps and establish priorities for future development.

A structured assessment helps leadership teams benchmark capability across teaching, research, governance and operations, providing evidence-based insights that support AI strategy, investment decisions and responsible AI adoption.

The QS AI Capability Assessments provide a higher education-specific approach to evaluating institutional AI maturity and identifying opportunities for improvement.

Have more questions?

Get in touch and we’ll be happy to help.