Major AI summit exploring the future of education returns to Derry

GenAIEdu June 2024, the third national conference on Generative Artificial Intelligence in Education, will explore the future of education in a world rapidly adapting to Generative Artificial Intelligence at Ulster University’s Derry campus.

The summit will bring together world-leading researchers, educators, students and industry professionals, to understand how generative AI will challenge the way we learn, teach and assess.

At GenAIEdu 2024 there will be lots of new activities and events including a practitioner showcase where local teachers and educators will showcase best practice in the use of AI in the classroom to improve AI literacy and future proof employability prospects for the region.

Confirmed to speak are some of the leading voices in generative AI and education: 

• Dr Angélica Rísquez, University of Limerick and Professor Mark O'Hara, Advance HE
• Sue Beckingham, Sheffield Hallam University and Professor Peter Hartley, Visiting Professor at Edge Hill University
• Hugh Meenagh, Microsoft Education Ireland
• Andrew Caffrey, CEO Canopy
• Co-lead at the National Centre for AI/JISC, Sue Attewell. JISC is the UK digital, data and technology agency focused on tertiary education, research and innovation
• As well as researchers and students from Ulster University, University of Limerick, Queens University and Edinburgh Napier University.

The focus of the conference will be on universities and teachers working together to prepare the region for the transformational change that AI is going to drive rapidly over the next few years.

It will explore new technologies that are currently available, those that are in development and to be released imminently, their potential impact on the sector and the practicalities and challenges of a rollout of AI in educational settings.

The three-day conference will take place on Ulster University’s Derry campus from June 26-28, and will be hosted by the School of Computing, Engineering, and Intelligent Systems. It will see a host of keynotes, talks, discussion panels and hands on workshops, demonstrations and networking events with leading academics, researchers and industry experts in this area.

The National Conference on Generative Artificial Intelligence in Education is funded by the Garfield Weston Trust.

Sue Attewell, Co-lead of the JISC National Centre for AI in tertiary education said: “Embracing AI is not just about understanding the future; it’s about actively shaping it. For universities, navigating when and how to integrate AI is crucial amidst other pressing issues like digital transformation, budget constraints, and faculty workloads. The challenges that generative AI introduces are significant, but by addressing them directly at GenAI Edu I hope we unlock generative AI’s potential to foster innovation and drive academic practice”.

Visiting Professor John Anderson, Independent Chair of the Innovation Forum said of the previous conferences: “Since the first Ulster University GenAIEdu conference in 2023 inspired a similar conference for school leaders, organised by the Education Authority’s EdIS (Education Information Solutions) Programme and the Innovation Forum (which promotes and evaluates the innovative use of digital technologies in school classrooms) teachers have continued to test out and evaluate the place for GenAI in schools.

"It’s becoming more common to see applications which ease teacher workload, releasing teacher time to support learners.   However, examples of the innovative integration of GenAI tools to stimulate learning are emerging – most interestingly, in primary classrooms.”

Professor Colin Turner, Pro Vice Chancellor & Executive Dean of Faculty of Computing, Engineering & the Built Environment, Ulster University added: “The first GenAIEdu conference brought to the fore the real and immediate impact of generative AI and how it is going to fundamentally change what schools and Universities (and other industries) currently do. It kickstarted the conversation and had a region wide impact as John outlines above.

"The pace of new technology development and adoption is ramping up and AI offers extraordinary – and somewhat unexplored - opportunities and challenges for transformation in education. Hosting this event, we are facilitating conversations which will help educators to understand the possibilities and pitfalls and navigate them carefully.”

More details on registration and the conference agenda are available here: https://www.ulster.ac.uk/conference/genaiedu-2024-june