About the Program
Lead AI Transformation Through a Structured Framework for Excellence
Artificial intelligence is no longer simply a technology or digital transformation initiative. It is reshaping strategy, operating models, workforce, economics and competitive advantage while creating new questions around governance, sovereignty, security, trust and accountability. For boards and executive teams, AI has become a core enterprise leadership agenda.
Designed by AUS Executive Education and Professional Development (EEPD) in collaboration with the Global Centre for AI Excellence (GCAIE), this executive program equips C-level executives, board members and senior leaders with the frameworks and practical tools needed to lead AI transformation at enterprise scale. Built around the Global AI Excellence Model (GAIEM), the program helps participants evaluate AI opportunities and investments, assess organizational readiness and maturity, navigate emerging technology and model choices, strengthen governance and risk oversight and translate AI ambition into measurable institutional value.
Through case-based discussions, executive simulations and practical exercises, participants will examine the decisions shaping the AI enterprise—including open versus closed model strategies, build-buy-partner choices, agentic and autonomous systems, AI sovereignty, token and inference economics, operating model implications and value realization. Participants will apply SCALE logic to assess readiness and develop an AI Excellence Playbook to guide responsible, secure, economically sustainable and scalable AI adoption.
Why This Program Now?
- AI adoption is advancing faster than organizational readiness. Organizations are moving from generative AI experimentation to enterprise-scale deployment and agentic systems, often before governance, capabilities, economics and operating models are fully prepared.
- AI is now a strategic leadership priority. It affects competitiveness, governance, risk, trust, security and long-term value creation.
- Executives are making increasingly consequential AI choices. Leaders must determine where AI can create value, which capabilities to own or source, which models and platforms to adopt, appropriate levels of autonomy and where to invest.
- AI excellence requires an integrated enterprise approach. Strategy, leadership, governance, data, technology, execution, workforce capabilities, economics and value realization must work together as one management system.
- Moving from experimentation to scale requires informed leadership and disciplined economics. Organizations need structured approaches to assess maturity, prioritize investments, understand token and inference economics, manage model and vendor dependencies and scale AI responsibly.
- The challenge is not simply to adopt AI, but to build lasting institutional capability. This requires moving beyond isolated tools and use cases towards resilient, sovereign-aware, secure and scalable AI capabilities that deliver measurable value.
Skills You Will Develop
AI STRATEGY AND VALUE CREATION
Align AI opportunities with organizational priorities, leadership goals and enterprise readiness
EXECUTIVE AI DECISION MAKING
Evaluate AI opportunities, investment options, governance choices and risk implications
AI EXCELLENCE FRAMEWORK APPLICATION
Apply the GAIEM framework to assess readiness, identify AI excellence opportunities and shape scale-up decisions
AI MATURITY AND READINESS ASSESSMENT
Assess AI maturity across strategy, data, technology, operating model, risk and governance capability
RESPONSIBLE, SOVEREIGN AND SECURE AI GOVERNANCE
Evaluate responsible AI, governance, ethical, sovereignty, security and trust requirements
AI TRANSFORMATION PLANNING
Create an actionable AI Excellence Playbook that sets priorities, initiatives, sequencing and governance
Who Should Attend?
Ideal Candidates:
- Executives, board members and senior leaders
- Government, strategy, innovation and transformation leaders
- Risk, governance, compliance and technology leaders
Curriculum Structure
5 core modules covering the essential dimensions of organizational AI excellence
3-Day Program Flow
Fundamentals of AI Excellence
FUNDAMENTALS OF AI EXCELLENCE CERTIFICATE (GCAIE-FE)Theme: The Evolution of Intelligence, from Machine Learning to Superintelligence
Key Outcome: Gain a deep, contextual understanding of AI's evolution, technological foundations, AI systems, data lifecycles, model behavior, and the forces driving excellence, safety and competitiveness worldwide.
Mastering the Global AI Excellence Model (GAIEM)
CERTIFIED AI EXCELLENCE PRACTITIONER (GCAIE-P)Theme: Frameworks, Criteria and Application Mastery
Key Outcome: Achieve operational fluency in GAIEM, mastering how to interpret data, apply scoring logic, generate actionable insights aligned with global standards, and conduct structured self-assessments with governance interventions, and AI adoption from pilot to scale.
Assessment Simulation and Calibration
CERTIFIED AI EXCELLENCE ASSESSOR (GCAIE-A)Theme: Practicing Real-World Evaluation
Key Outcome: Learn how to translate the GAIEM framework into a practical application by embedding AI excellence practices into organizational programs, processes and strategies.
5 Core Modules
AI FOUNDATIONS AND STRATEGIC VALUE
- Evolution from predictive and generative AI to reasoning, agentic and autonomous systems
- Foundation and multimodal models, capabilities, limitations and uncertainty
- Open versus closed model strategies and build-buy-partner-orchestrate choices
- AI sovereignty, strategic dependencies, model optionality and vendor lock-in
- AI value chain, strategic value and competitive advantage
- AI economics, tokenomics, total cost of ownership and value per AI outcome
THE GAIEM FRAMEWORK FOR AI EXCELLENCE
- GAIEM principles, pillars and criteria
- Leadership, AI ambition and enterprise strategy alignment
- Governance, accountability, execution and organizational capabilities
- Enterprise AI operating models and decision rights
- AI portfolio governance and capital allocation
- Value realization and evidence of excellence for boards and executives
AI MATURITY AND READINESS
- SCALE maturity logic and evidence-based assessment
- AI ambition versus current-state maturity
- Data, technology, talent, governance and operating model readiness
- Readiness for generative and agentic AI
- Architecture, infrastructure, model and platform dependencies
- Human-AI workforce readiness, sovereignty and resilience
- Translating maturity gaps into prioritized actions for enterprise scale
AI STRATEGY, DECISION MAKING AND GOVERNANCE
- AI ambition, strategic choices and portfolio prioritization
- Model, platform, cloud and build-buy-partner decisions
- AI investment cases, risk-adjusted value, AI FinOps and portfolio ROI
- Responsible AI, ethics, security, privacy and data governance
- Agentic AI governance, autonomy, human oversight and runtime controls
- Sovereignty, resilience, concentration risk and third-party dependencies
- Executive accountability and board oversight
AI TRANSFORMATION AND EXCELLENCE PLAYBOOK
- AI North Star, strategic agenda and investment thesis
- AI operating model, governance and platform strategy
- Model portfolio, data strategy and technology dependencies
- Agentic enterprise and human-AI workforce transformation
- Capability, talent, sourcing and partnership strategy
- Priority value domains, benefits tracking, AI P&L and cost governance
- Scaling high-value AI initiatives and stopping low-value experimentation
- First-year AI transformation roadmap
Learn from leading academics, AI practitioners and industry experts.
CERTIFICATION AND RECOGNITION
This program develops the knowledge and practical capabilities required to assess organizational AI readiness and support responsible AI transformation using the GAIEM framework (CERTIFIED AI EXCELLENCE ASSESSOR: GCAIE-A)
Certification is awarded based on fulfilment of the program requirements:
- Certificate of Completion: Awarded to participants who successfully meet both the attendance and assessment requirements
- Certificate of Attendance: May be awarded to participants who meet the attendance requirement but do not successfully complete the assessment requirements
Upon successful completion of the program requirements, participants will also receive a digital badge for professional networks.
Issued By:
American University of Sharjah in collaboration with Global Center of AI Excellence (GCAIE)
Delivery Mode
In-person
Completion Requirements
To successfully complete the program and qualify for certification, participants must:
- attend a minimum of 90 percent of the executive classroom sessions
- actively participate in case discussions, executive simulations and group exercises
- complete the SCALE-based AI readiness and maturity activity
- develop, submit, present, and discuss the final AI Excellence Playbook, including AI priorities, governance actions, capability needs, risk considerations and a first-year roadmap
**Certificate eligibility is subject to meeting the applicable attendance and completion requirements.
Delivery Mode
Duration
3 Days Intensive
Format
In-person
Group Size
15-25 Participants
Delivery
On-campus (AUS)
Entry Requirements
To enroll in this program, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- a minimum of 5 years of professional experience
- currently holding, or preparing to hold, a senior decision-making role
- a bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience
- involvement in strategy, innovation, transformation, governance, risk, technology, institutional development or executive-level decision making
- proficiency in English sufficient to engage in executive-level discussions
**Applications may be subject to review by the admissions committee.
Enrollment Options
YOUR PROGRAM FEE INCLUDES:
- three days of in-person executive education at American University of Sharjah
- pre-program AI readiness preparation and guided applied learning
- daily refreshments, lunch and networking opportunities throughout the program
- comprehensive learning materials, case studies and practical frameworks
- executive simulations and applied exercises using the GAIEM framework and SCALE maturity logic
- development of an AI Excellence Playbook to support application within your organization
- a certificate issued jointly by the American University of Sharjah Executive Education and Professional Development Office (EEPD) and the Global Centre for AI Excellence (GCAIE) upon completion of the applicable program requirements
- opportunities to connect with fellow senior executives, faculty and AI practitioners through an executive learning network
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a technical or programming background to attend?
No. The program is designed for executives and senior decision makers. No technical AI or programming background is required. The focus is on the strategic, governance, readiness and organizational decisions leaders need to make about AI.
How is this program different from a general executive AI course?
The program goes beyond AI awareness to focus on institutional AI excellence. Participants apply the Global AI Excellence Model (GCAIE) and SCALE logic to evaluate AI opportunities; assess organizational readiness; balance value, risk, trust and governance; and develop an AI Excellence Playbook for their organization.
What will I take back to my organization?
Participants develop an AI Excellence Playbook that brings together their executive AI agenda, priority value areas, governance actions, capability and workforce needs, operating model considerations and a first-year roadmap for responsible AI transformation.
Contact Us
Direct Program Contact
Manal Rayes
Manager of Executive Education and Professional Development
Ready to Lead AI Transformation with Confidence?
Join executives and senior leaders preparing their organizations to make informed AI decisions, strengthen readiness and governance, and create lasting organizational value.
