The ASIIN – AGUNE Webinar on ‘Artificial intelligence’

The Global Universities Network that saw its launch in the winter of 2023-24, had another successful event with the onset of spring. On 11 April ASIIN-AGUNE collaboration organised a free webinar on AI which offered the expertise of Prof. Dr. Paul Lukowicz the 'Scientific Director' of the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI GmbH) and Chair of 'Embedded Intelligence' in the Computer Science Department at Technical University of Kaiserslautern and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Manfred Krafczyk, Senior Vice President for Digitisation and Sustainability at the Technical University of Braunschweig. The sessions combined a rare presentation of the potentials and perils of AI in both technical details for those from this field and general answers for educationists in Higher Education. Professor Lukowicz very jovially gave examples of how AI can be helpful in education for Students, Teachers and Administrators and how we have to be clever in using this rather clever tool to our advantage. Practical examples like exploiting results of Rapid Assessment Tests with the help of AI were particularly interesting. Professor Krafczyk, in his humble style, alleviated all fears commenting on Kate Crawford’s remarks that AI is ultimately neither Artificial nor Intelligent. He emphasised that there is an urgent need to find means of using this co-pilot for developing a beneficial digital service eco-system and vibrant Enterprise Architecture Model.

The webinar was attended by more than 75 participants from all around the world, who also got a chance of asking their questions on this sensitive topic. The event was opened to not only the AGUNE members and applicants but also to a larger association of stakeholders directly or indirectly working with ASIIN in various aspects of HE. Overall, it was an elite gathering of intellectuals caring about building a better world assimilating this double-edged technological revolution, called AI.

The webinar was followed by a meeting of the AGUNE members where different collaboration points were touched. There was a call for journal entries and summer school participation announced and possibilities of student exchange and double degree programs and bi-lateral cooperation possibilities discussed. Some of the participants shared their latest achievements in international cooperation in HE. Thus, the network continues to take small steps towards making it a mutually beneficial alliance.