Skills you'll gain
By the end of this executive sprint, you will be able to:
- Explain the governance responsibilities of executives and board members in relation to AI adoption and oversight.
- Interpret and apply leading AI governance frameworks and standards in a business or public-sector context.
- Identify key legal, ethical, operational, and reputational risks associated with AI, including agentic AI.
- Develop AI policies and governance approaches that balance compliance, accountability, and innovation.
- Assess AI systems through the lenses of privacy, fairness, transparency, and social responsibility.
- Build a more adaptive governance approach that can respond to rapid changes in AI technology and global regulation.
What you will learn
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Module 1: The executive and board-level AI governance landscape |
This module introduces the strategic role of leadership and boards in AI oversight, including governance responsibilities, accountability, and emerging expectations for responsible adoption. Participants will explore board oversight, governance structures, roles and escalation paths, and the leadership implications of deploying AI across an organization. |
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Module 2: Global frameworks, standards, and regulatory expectations |
This module provides an applied overview of the major frameworks and regulatory developments shaping AI governance. Topics include the EU AI Act, OECD AI Principles, the NIST AI Risk Management Framework, ISO/IEC 42001, and Canada’s Federal Directive on Automated Decision-Making, with attention to how these frameworks apply across sectors and jurisdictions. |
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Module 3: Managing risk, compliance, and oversight in practice |
This module focuses on how organizations can identify, assess, and mitigate AI-related risks while maintaining transparency, accountability, privacy, and auditability. Topics include legal and regulatory considerations, algorithmic bias, privacy breaches, misuse, documentation, internal controls, and the added governance challenges associated with agentic AI systems. |
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Module 4: Building adaptive AI policies and governance tools |
This module brings the learning into practice through policy design, case studies, and implementation tools that leaders can use immediately. Topics include creating flexible AI policies, standardizing governance practices without stifling innovation, evaluating AI use cases, and developing practical governance mechanisms that can evolve alongside new technologies and global requirements. |
Who should enrol?
This executive sprint is designed for leaders and decision-makers responsible for AI adoption, oversight, policy, compliance, or organizational risk.
- Senior leaders and C-suite executives responsible for AI strategy, digital transformation, innovation, operations, or enterprise risk.
- Board members and advisors seeking stronger oversight of AI governance, accountability, and organizational readiness.
- Policy-makers and public-sector leaders involved in digital policy, public accountability, procurement, service delivery, or automated decision-making.
- Compliance, legal, privacy, and risk leaders responsible for AI policies, controls, audits, documentation, and regulatory alignment.
- Technology and transformation leaders who need to translate AI governance requirements into practical implementation models.
Bring Waterloo expertise to your organization's AI governance strategy
WatSPEED can provide premium custom learning experiences for organizations seeking to strengthen executive readiness for responsible AI adoption, governance, policy development, and organizational oversight. Register three or more team members from the same organization and receive 15 per cent off.
For more information, visit our Custom Training page or contact our team at watspeed@uwaterloo.ca.
Why WatSPEED?
WatSPEED connects the University of Waterloo’s global expertise in technology, innovation, public policy, and applied research with the practical governance challenges leaders face as AI becomes increasingly embedded across organizations, institutions, and society.
- #1 Ranked Canada's most innovative university (Maclean's, multiple years). Waterloo’s leadership in technology and innovation provides the foundation for executive programs designed to help organizations navigate emerging AI realities with greater strategic confidence and institutional readiness.
- Deep expertise at the intersection of AI, governance, and organizational leadership: Executive programs are informed by interdisciplinary perspectives spanning technology, strategy, policy, risk, ethics, and organizational transformation — reflecting the increasingly interconnected nature of AI governance decisions.
- Applied executive learning for real organizational environments: Programs are grounded in practical governance frameworks, executive decision-making scenarios, implementation considerations, and emerging regulatory realities that leaders must navigate today.
- Built for leaders responsible for oversight, accountability, and organizational trust: Executive learning experiences are designed for senior leaders, board members, policy-makers,
compliance professionals, and transformation leaders responsible for guiding AI adoption
in ways that balance innovation, governance, accountability, and public trust.
Related courses
FAQs
What is AI governance?
AI governance refers to the structures, policies, processes, and oversight mechanisms organizations use to guide the responsible design, deployment, monitoring, and use of artificial intelligence systems.
Who is this AI governance course designed for?
This course is designed for senior leaders, executives, board members, policy-makers, compliance professionals, risk leaders, and public or private sector decision-makers responsible for AI oversight, policy, or adoption.
Does this course cover AI regulation and compliance?
Yes. Participants will examine major AI governance frameworks, standards, and regulatory expectations, including the EU AI Act, OECD AI Principles, the NIST AI Risk Management Framework, ISO/IEC 42001, and Canada’s Federal Directive on Automated Decision-Making.
Does this course address agentic AI governance?
Yes. The sprint includes discussions about agentic AI and the additional governance challenges created by AI systems that can plan, act, use tools, and operate with greater autonomy.
Is this course technical?
This is an executive-level course focused on governance, oversight, policy, risk, and decision-making. It is designed for leaders and decision-makers and does not require prior technical experience.
What will participants be able to apply after the sprint?
Participants will be better prepared to assess AI use cases, ask stronger governance and oversight questions, interpret relevant frameworks, support AI policy development, and strengthen organizational readiness for responsible AI adoption.