Artificial intelligence and the sustainable internationalisation of education in the Global South

Abstract

The increasing application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Generative AI (GenAI) technologies within higher education presents remarkable prospects, as well as challenges, for the internationalisation of educational opportunities in developing economies. Most AI-in-education research is Global North–focused, a Global South perspective is needed to address technology access and educational delivery challenges. This conceptual paper examines how AI adoption within higher education corresponds with the aims of achieving equitable internationalisation across developing economies, drawing on internationalisation theory, the diffusion of innovations framework, and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s sustainable development goals, particularly Goal 4 and Goal 10. The paper articulates an overarching AI and Sustainable Internationalisation Framework, conceptualising AI adoption as a co-existing dynamic between system-level (top-down, policy-driven) adoption and tool-level (bottom-up, practitioner-driven) experimentation. The paper synthesises recent empirical and conceptual literature on adoption, teacher readiness, digital equity, and institutional policy, interpreting findings in light of evidence from Global South. The discussion identifies pathways to sustainable outcomes of equitable access, capacity-building, and justice-oriented internationalisation, versus unsustainable outcomes that exacerbate the digital divide. The paper concludes a Global South Agenda for AI-enabled internationalisation, offering recommendations for policy, institutions, and research in developing countries.