The North-West University (NWU) says it has become the first South African university to adopt an official artificial intelligence (AI) policy, following approval by the NWU Council at its most recent meeting.

According to Prof. Anné Verhoef, director of the NWU AI Hub, in a recent article by Bertie Jacobs  at nwu, the move is a milestone for the higher education sector and is intended to strengthen national conversations on the responsible use of AI in teaching, learning and research. While many institutions have been hesitant to formalise AI rules due to the fast pace of change, NWU’s approach argues that a policy can be written broadly enough to remain flexible as the technology evolves.

The policy is designed to provide a governance framework for how AI is managed across the university—covering areas such as assessments, research outputs and postgraduate supervision—while clearly defining roles and responsibilities for students, lecturers, researchers and management. NWU also notes that without a coordinated approach, universities risk fragmented or conflicting practices that may confuse staff and disadvantage students.

A key feature of the policy is that it places AI governance within the university’s IT environment, recognising AI as an enabling tool that requires structured oversight. An AI Steering Committee—drawing representation from students, faculty, administration, the library and teaching-and-learning support—will oversee AI-related matters, reporting through institutional governance structures.

NWU says the policy went through an extensive consultation process involving faculties, Senate and refinement committees. It also highlights that stakeholder feedback raised broader, values-based concerns—such as maintaining a human-centred approach and considering the environmental footprint of AI, including energy and water consumption—alongside the practical governance questions.

The new policy is said to position the institution as a sector leader and provides a clear framework for ethical, responsible and sustainable AI use in higher education.

-NWU 

-The VIP Team