Towards Ethical Artificial Intelligence Use in Lesotho Higher Education: A Benchmarking Study

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) has reformed pedagogical and administrative practices in education globally. Literature shows that AI provides several learning benefits due to its capability to mimic human decision-making. Consequently, ethical considerations surrounding AI usage, particularly in developing contexts such as Lesotho, remain underexplored. Following responsible research and innovation theory, this study sought to use the AI frameworks and guidelines of selected South African universities as a benchmark to inform the formulation of contextually relevant and ethically sound AI guidelines for Lesotho higher education institutions. Adapting a qualitative approach with explanatory design, the study used process benchmarking to examine the processes of high-performing universities to increase operational efficiency and implement the best practices for Lesotho higher education. Analysis yielded four themes: absence of formal ethical guidelines, limited awareness and understanding among key stakeholders, ethical risks, and discrimination for assessment. In synthesising the current state of AI guidelines and best strategies of other universities, this study lays the foundation for the development of guidelines for Lesotho higher education.