Integrating Transformational, Servant, Inclusive, and Ethical Leadership to Foster Collaborative, Ethical AI Use in Higher Education Teaching and Learning

Higher education needs leadership models that help faculty and academic units adopt artificial intelligence in ways that are ethical, collaborative, and centered on learning. This conceptual article proposes an integrative leadership model that combines four well‑established traditions—transformational, servant, inclusive, and ethical leadership—to guide AI use in teaching and learning. The model links leadership mindsets and behaviors to two outcomes that matter for teaching and learning: ethically aligned decision‑making and authentic collaboration among faculty, students, and staff. Leadership approaches are synthesized and developed into design principles for curriculum, assessment, and classroom practice. Theoretical propositions connect leadership behaviors to the promotion of ethical teaching and learning and to authentic collaboration, while practical implementation tools for AI use are outlined for course teams and academic leaders. This framework emphasizes the role of departments, teaching and learning centers, and program leaders in balancing innovation with responsibility. The article contributes clear, practical steps for leading AI adoption that protect academic integrity, support inclusion, and foster a culture of shared teaching and learning responsibility (Bass & Riggio, 2006; Brown et al., 2005; Greenleaf, 1977; Nembhard & Edmondson, 2006; UNESCO, 2021; Holmes et al., 2019). Keywords: leadership in higher education; artificial intelligence; ethics; collaboration; teaching and learning; transformational leadership; servant leadership; inclusive leadership; ethical leadership