New: 'AI in education’ webpage for lecturers
Over the past year, AI experts across the university have launched initiatives for and with lecturers, students and staff. This is in response to the growing role of AI in society, with its impact and associated risks calling for greater awareness within our sector. All information for lecturers is now available on the ‘AI in education’ page on the Leiden University website.
Practical guides for teaching staff
The ‘AI in Education’ working group – a team of IT and education experts – explored the potential of AI tools for both teaching staff and students. Their fieldwork and discussions resulted in practical guides for teaching staff, as well as an overview of current agreements on how different faculties are using AI. Information on what is and isn’t permitted is also available for students. While the working group sees great potential, it remains cautious in its recommendations due to concerns about privacy and knowledge security. The guides can be found on the ‘AI in education’ webpage.
Other AI developments for staff
For staff, workshops funded by the workload reduction fund have focused on the thoughtful use of AI tools. These sessions introduced participants to the privacy and data risks of tools such as MS Copilot and ChatGPT. The workshops continued in the form of AI Co-creation Labs. In these labs, 23 teams submitted proposals for AI solutions that make daily work easier, more enjoyable and more efficient. Thirteen approved ideas are momentarily developed by the teams themselves into prototypes and will be presented this fall.
In addition, many staff are considering AI from an academic perspective. The university’s SAILS (Society, Artificial Intelligence and Life Sciences) initiative fosters collaboration between academic disciplines on the use of AI and research into how it is used.