Inner Development Goals (IDGs): A Framework for Governance Risk Management in Higher Education Institutions in the Age of AI
Keywords:
AI governance, Governance risk management, Higher education institutions, Inner Development Goals (IDGs)Abstract
In the era of artificial intelligence (AI), higher education institutions increasingly integrate AI into management and decision-making processes. Although governance mechanisms and risk management standards have been continuously strengthened, existing approaches remain largely structural and compliance-oriented, and are insufficient to address emerging governance risks associated with AI, including automation bias, ambiguity of accountability, and limited explainability of decisions. This article aims to (1) analyze governance risks in higher education institutions in the age of AI, (2) examine the limitations of structure-based governance mechanisms, and (3) propose the Inner Development Goals (IDGs) as a conceptual framework for governance risk management in Thai higher education institutions. The article argues that current challenges in AI governance reflect a critical gap in existing frameworks, namely the neglect of human inner capacities in decision-making processes. The five dimensions of IDGs—Being, Thinking, Relating, Collaborating, and Acting—serve as complementary mechanisms for strengthening ethical decision-making, systems thinking, accountability, and transparency across leadership, organizational culture, and governance systems.
The key contribution of this article is the reconceptualization of AI governance as an integrated human–technology governance framework, which emphasizes the integration of human inner development with structural governance mechanisms in order to enhance decision quality and legitimacy in risk management in the AI era.
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