Mar 30, 2026
In this episode of the Campus Technology Insider Podcast, Campus Technology Editor-in-Chief Rhea Kelly interviews Bridget Burns, CEO of the University Innovation Alliance, about how generative AI is reshaping student success work and increasing the need for cross-institution collaboration. Burns describes the UIA’s role supporting 19 large public research universities as a shared R&D lab for higher ed, emphasizing open, scalable practices that improve student outcomes. She outlines key AI challenges for institutions, including governance gaps, privacy and data risks, intellectual property, contract liability, safety concerns, and limited capacity to evaluate rapidly evolving vendor agreements. Burns highlights ASU’s AI initiatives and explains UIA’s AI Decision Framework, outlining critical questions to ask before signing enterprise AI agreements. She also discusses institutional readiness, AI literacy, and principles for scaling innovations through adaptation, cross-functional teams, clear targets, and ongoing evaluation.
00:00 Welcome and Introductions
00:32 UIA Mission and Model
01:49 Generative AI Changes
05:07 Promising Campus Use Cases
07:22 Top Risks and Governance
09:23 ASU Early Mover Lessons
11:11 AI Vendor Decision Framework
15:28 Procurement Questions That Matter
18:54 Community Over Perfection
21:42 AI Readiness and Culture
25:53 Scaling with Guardrails
31:56 Closing Thoughts and Wrap Up
Resource links:
- University Innovation Alliance AI Decision Framework
- EDSAFE AI Alliance
- Educause report: The Impact of AI on Work in Higher Education
- University Innovation Alliance Scaling Innovation Toolkit
Music: Mixkit
Duration: 34 minutes