Rwanda’s higher education and teacher training institutions are taking important steps towards the responsible and effective use of artificial intelligence. Through a collaboration between the Commonwealth of Learning, the Higher Education Council (HEC) and the University of Rwanda, representatives from nine higher education and teacher training institutions have come together in Kigali, Rwanda, for a three-day session to develop and strengthen institutional AI policies and guidelines. The initiative aims to establish a coherent, future-ready framework that enables institutions to harness AI to improve the quality of education, foster innovation and promote ethical practices.