A Strategic Framework for AI in Higher Education
The SCALE Framework guides academic leaders from scattered AI experiments to sustainable, policy-grounded adoption. Map your journey—from Spark to Campus-wide Expansion—and lead change with clarity, evidence, and buy-in.
Executive Summary
✔️ Go from scattered pilots to a structured institutional AI plan.
✔️ Use the SCALE model to spark awareness, guide pilots, and expand policy.
✔️ Build executive alignment and cross-department coordination with ease.
✔️ Gain a wealth of practical AI resources: 40-page guide, readiness audit, sample roadmaps and plans, and more.
Note: This framework & toolkit is included with our Teaching with AI Certification and AI Educational Leadership Certification. And they are also available as standalone toolkits.
Why SCALE Matters
AI excitement often sparks isolated pilot projects—one faculty member testing ChatGPT here, a department rewriting rubrics there—but without a common language or metrics, those efforts stall in “demo mode.” Without an institutional AI roadmap, SCALE turns scattered experiments into an evidence-driven roadmap. It provides a framework for AI governance, guiding leaders to align policy, resources, and professional development so early wins compound into campus-wide transformation.
Only 29 % of institutions report a “coordinated AI strategy,” yet 82 % cite AI as a top-three priority for 2026.
What is SCALE?
Five Leadership Phases
Swipe to see more of the table
| Phase | Focus | Key Actions |
|---|---|---|
| S – Spark Awareness | Build shared vocabulary & urgency | Keynote, AI showcase, baseline survey, etc. |
| C – Craft Projects | Launch low-risk, high signal projects | Select flagship courses, set metrics, etc. |
| A – Assess Impact | Collect data & student feedback | Dashboard, comparative analytics, etc. |
| L – Lead with Policy | Formalize guidelines & incentives | Craft AI policy, offer clear PD pathways, etc. |
| E – Expand Institutionally | Scale success stories & resources | Department packs, faculty stipends, etc. |
SCALE turns those phases into an iterative loop—assess, refine, expand—so progress never stalls.
NOTE: Toolkits are self-serve, stand alone resources for faculty and leaders. The Teaching with AI Certificate and AI Educational Leadership Certificate are multi-module credentials with artifact-based assessment and institution-ready reporting.
What's Inside the Toolkit
SCALE Essentials Guide
The SCALE Essentials Guide distills the entire framework into a single, action-oriented bundle. Whether you’re a dean launching your first pilots or a provost ready to formalize policy, the guide equips you with clear steps, editable templates, and real-world examples to move from inspiration to institution-wide execution. Inside you’ll find:
- 40-page PDF with step-by-step playbooks for each phase
- Readiness self-audit worksheet
- KPI dashboard template (Google Sheet)
- Policy-drafting checklists & sample language
- Case vignettes from early-adopter campuses
This toolkit is also a core resource in the AI Educational Leadership Certification (LEAD Series) and our consulting engagements.
Perfect for: Deans, Provosts, CTL or Online Learning Directors, and academic leaders
Who are ready to formalize campus AI strategy and scale adoption
For Community Colleges: See how a community college used the ‘Start with Awareness’ domain to move from faculty apprehension to coordinated exploration.
For Large Universities: Learn how a large state university applied the ‘Lead with Strategy’ domain to bring order to siloed, chaotic AI initiatives.
For Departments: Discover how a single department used the ‘Expand Institutionally’ domain to scale a successful pilot into a core part of their curriculum.
Put the SCALE Framework into Action
The SCALE Framework is more than a model; it’s the foundation for our advanced leadership programs and strategic consulting. It provides the structure for our work with Deans, Provosts, and other academic leaders to drive meaningful, sustainable change.
SCALE is the foundation of our AI Educational Leadership Certification (LEAD Series)—guiding deans, CTLs, and academic leaders through audits, planning retreats, and strategy design.
In our Custom Consulting engagements, we use SCALE to facilitate strategic planning retreats and co-design campus-wide AI initiatives.
Ready to use this framework to guide your institution’s AI strategy?.
Join the AI Teaching & Leadership Brief
Subscribe to the AI Teaching & Leadership Brief – the Navigate AI in education blog – where you will receive occasional updates with tools, research, and strategies for teaching, leadership, and innovation with AI.