AI-Powered Multilingual Degrees in Higher Education: Postcolonial Insights on Linguistic Justice and Disruptive Innovation

Abstract

Purpose – Artificial-intelligence (AI) powered multilingual degree programmes are emerging as a potential game-changer for global higher education, yet little scholarship integrates their technological, sociolinguistic and theological implications. This study synthesises postcolonial theory, disruptive-innovation economics and a biblical theology of education to evaluate whether such programmes democratise learning or reinscribe hierarchy. Design/methodology/approach – Guided by a critical-realist, transformative paradigm, the inquiry triangulates an integrative literature review (n = 162 sources, 2018–2025), five embedded case studies spanning Africa, Asia and North America, and a 10–15-year strategic foresight exercise. Four constructs—linguistic justice, pedagogical personalisation, epistemic authority and mission fidelity—anchor six falsifiable propositions that were pattern-matched through reflexive thematic analysis. Findings – AI translation and tutoring markedly widen access for under-resourced languages, but only when coupled with mother-tongue pedagogy, equitable bandwidth and faculty mentorship. Personalisation yields moderate learning gains (d ≈ 0.35) yet heightens automation bias, threatening epistemic authority unless Scripture-first verification and periodic human audit are enforced (2 Tim 3:16-17). Accreditation-aligned metrics confirm the super-additive effect of pairing linguistic justice with mission fidelity, whereas neglecting either variable erodes learning, equity and spiritual formation. Practical implications – The paper advances inspectable standards (S1–S3) and model-card templates that regulators, developers and Christian universities can deploy immediately to safeguard data ethics, doctrinal integrity and learner outcomes. Originality/value – By integrating postcolonial critique, disruptive-innovation theory and biblical theology, this study supplies the first holistic framework and evidence-informed guardrails for AI-mediated multilingual higher education.

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