Madar (Dakar) - Senegal's National Academy of Sciences and Techniques (ANSTS) opened a two-day workshop in Dakar on Wednesday 11 November 2026 on integrating artificial intelligence into higher education, with the aim of reaching a harmonised national framework governing the use of the technology in universities, the state daily Le Soleil reported on Thursday.
The meeting brings together academics, researchers, experts and players from the digital sector, and also aims to strengthen the skills of university staff and improve teaching practices.
Representing the Minister of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, Dr Boubacar Camara, Prof. Elhadj Babacar Ly, director of innovation, valorisation, intellectual property and technology transfer, said generative AI had become an everyday tool for lecturers, students and administrative staff in less than three years, without regulatory and teaching frameworks keeping pace.
"We are in a situation of use without a framework," he said, pointing to risks for academic integrity, the quality of training, equal access and personal data protection. "Our responsibility is clear: neither submit to it nor ban it, but regulate and train," he added.
He identified four major shortcomings: the lack of explicit policies within institutions, a shortage of certified skills, scattered initiatives and dependence on foreign platforms, which raises concerns over costs, digital sovereignty and the promotion of national languages. He called for a national guide to the use of generative AI, a skills framework and a train-the-trainers programme.
He also announced that Senegal is working to set up a national artificial intelligence centre in Diamniadio as part of its cooperation with Korea, and said the ministry would support the implementation of the workshop's conclusions.
Prof. Moussa Lo, a full member of ANSTS, said the aim was to "contribute to drawing up a harmonised framework for integrating artificial intelligence into our higher education system". He said surveys, including one by the Cheikh Hamidou Kane Digital University (UNCHK), showed extensive use of AI in preparing lessons, assessments and writing reports, adding that harmonisation does not mean making practices uniform.
