Abstract
Amid rapid advances in generative artificial intelligence (AI), universities routinely pilot tools but struggle to convert experimentation into durable pedagogical change. Evidence suggests that people and culture, rather than technology alone, determine whether AI enhances learning outcomes in higher education (HE). This Work‑in‑Progress paper focuses exclusively on staff capability and culture as the core enabler of AI‑ready management education. Drawing on the learning‑organisation lens (Senge), recent reviews of AI in education, and leadership scholarship in educational management, this paper proposes a three‑tier capability pathway—Awareness → Practitioner → Designer—embedded within communities of practice and supported by leadership routines that normalise reflective experimentation. We situate the framework within current debates on academic integrity, teacher AI literacy, equity and bias, and organisational learning with AI. We outline a qualitative, design‑based methodology for piloting the framework in a business school, with data collected via design sprints, observations, focus groups, and assessment artefacts. The contribution is twofold: (1) a theoretically anchored yet practical model for staff‑led AI transformation in HE; and (2) actionable managerial implications for deans, programme leaders, and centres for teaching excellence. The focus on people—rather than platforms—aligns with the BAM Knowledge & Learning Track’s emphasis on institutional readiness, AI‑enhanced management education, and organisational learning