The AI Researchers project aims to embed AI literacy in European higher education by equipping early-career researchers and academic supervisors with structured AI training. The project encourages responsible AI adoption in research, aligning with EU ethical guidelines and research frameworks. It integrates AI literacy into research supervision and doctoral training to ensure sustainable, long-term impact.
The project develops a Certified Online Course, a Train-the-Trainer Programme, AI literacy toolkits, and institutional accreditation pathways. These activities are complemented by research on AI adoption barriers, curriculum development, interactive workshops, peer learning circles, pilot testing, and policy engagement. The project also produces an AI Mentor Training Manual, institutional AI integration strategies, and policy recommendations, all aimed at strengthening research training, promoting ethical AI use, and ensuring AI literacy remains a core competence across European HEIs.
We engage a diverse range of participants across four target groups to ensure the broad uptake and sustainability of AI literacy training in Higher education research. These include:
1: Early Career Researchers: Master’s students and PhD candidates will be involved in participant forums to ensure that AI literacy training aligns with the needs of early career researchers.
2: Academic Supervisors: 60+ academic supervisors from partner universities participate in the Train-the-Trainer workshops, gaining AI literacy skills to integrate into their research and mentoring practices.
3: Higher Education Leaders & Policymakers: Higher education leaders, including rectors, deans, and department heads, will engage in discussions on embedding AI literacy within institutional research training strategies.
4: Vocational Education Training and Youth Education Stakeholders: VET and youth education stakeholders will be involved to explore how AI literacy training can inform professional training and digital learning environments.