Teacher Training Needs In Artificial Intelligence In Portuguese-Speaking African Countries

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into higher education repre-sents an opportunity for pedagogical innovation, but also a challenge, espe-cially in Portuguese-speaking African contexts marked by socioeconomic inequalities and technological infrastructure limitations. Despite its poten-tial, little is known about the actual teacher training needs in these coun-tries. This study followed a mixed-method, descriptive-exploratory ap-proach, focusing on identifying training needs. The research combined a re-view of international literature (2020–2025) with semi-structured inter-views with administrators of six Portuguese-speaking African higher educa-tion institutions (one per country, except Mozambique, where two partici-pated). The interviews, conducted via Zoom or WhatsApp, explored institu-tional perceptions of AI, teacher skills gaps, and strategic priorities. The da-ta were analyzed using thematic categorization and triangulated with bibli-ographic evidence. The analysis shows that training needs are common across countries, although they vary in the intensity of technological and organizational challenges. The study suggests that training programs should prioritize AI fundamentals, practical pedagogical applications, and ethi-cal/digital literacy, respecting institutional and geographic diversity. The survey provides an initial and unprecedented diagnosis of teacher training needs in AI in Portuguese-speaking African countries, laying the founda-tion for the design of adapted training programs and future continuing pro-fessional development policies.