Harnessing Generative AI for Pedagogical Innovation in Higher Education: Evidence from Zimbabwean Stakeholders

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is becoming a disruptive force in education worldwide, providing creative answers for curriculum development, institutional management, and personalized learning. Given Zimbabwe's limited infrastructure, changing regulatory frameworks, and low level of digital readiness, integrating GenAI offers both enormous potential and difficult obstacles. The potential of GenAI to transform Zimbabwe's educational system is examined in this study, which focuses on a cooperative investigation carried out by scholars from several faculties at a single university in the country. A thorough literature review serves as the foundation for the study, which is also enhanced by interdisciplinary academic perspectives from the fields of management, computer science, education, and the social sciences. The mixed methods approach used allowed for a thorough investigation of the applications of GenAI, institutional preparedness, ethical issues, and policy ramifications. The use of GenAI to improve teaching strategies, automate tests, and boost administrative effectiveness is becoming more popular, according to key findings. The study does, however, also emphasise the necessity of national AI policy development, capacity building for ethical AI deployment, and strategic investment in digital infrastructure. Policymakers, researchers, university administrators, and practitioners of educational technology are the target audience for this paper. It provides helpful suggestions to help Zimbabwe's educational system integrate GenAI contextually, in line with Education 5.0, the country's vision for inclusive and innovative development.