Helping to shape AI expertise at universities
The Stifterverband's “AI Campus” learning platform supports universities in systematically developing expertise in artificial intelligence (AI) in their studies, teaching, and administration. Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU) is participating in the nationwide consortium with its Heine Center for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science (HeiCAD). The “AI Campus” learning platform aims to reach over 500,000 people with free learning opportunities. As part of its high-tech agenda, the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space (BMFTR) is funding the project “Strengthening AI Skills at Universities” with around 6.9 million euros between 2026 and 2029.
The “EU AI Act” makes new requirements for the competent and responsible use of artificial intelligence binding, including in higher education. The joint project “Strengthening AI Competencies at Universities” addresses these requirements and creates nationwide offerings from universities for universities in Germany.
Through HeiCAD, HHU is involved in the development of low-threshold AI education offerings. This expertise was built up in the “AI for All” program established at HHU. With this program, the university specifically strengthens the ability of its students, teachers, and staff to understand, critically evaluate, and use AI systems responsibly (known as “AI literacy”).
Prof. Dr. Martin Mauve, Vice Rector for Digitalization and Scientific Infrastructure at HHU: "The challenges of using artificial intelligence responsibly in research, teaching, and administration are enormous. This makes it all the more important that we solve the associated problems together and that universities are not left to their own devices. The ‘AI Campus’ offers the ideal platform for this. We are therefore very pleased that HHU is actively involved in this network."
“With the AI Campus, we are providing an open learning platform to support universities in Germany in a scalable manner,” says Dr. Volker Meyer-Guckel, Secretary General of the Stifterverband. “In doing so, we are creating the necessary framework for orientation, exchange, and the joint strengthening of AI skills.”
The joint project “Strengthening AI Skills at Universities” is coordinated by the Stifterverband and implemented in collaboration with eight university and research partners: RWTH Aachen University, Humboldt University of Berlin, German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, FernUniversität in Hagen, Technical University of Munich, and Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen. A central focus of the partners is on cross-institutional and cross-state synergies and strategic decisions to permanently anchor AI skills in studies, teaching, and administration.
HeiCAD is involved in the project, particularly in the further development and open provision of so-called OER-based AI skills training and its cooperative development within the “AI Campus” network. ‘OER’ stands for “Open Educational Resources” and refers to educational materials with open licenses that can be used, adapted, and reused free of charge.
Dr. Jacqueline Klusik-Eckert, the responsible project manager at HeiCAD: “Our focus is on the subject-specific embedding of AI literacy content in curricula in all faculties at HHU, the further training of all status groups at HHU, and the transfer and reuse of materials beyond the consortium.”
About the “AI Campus”
The “AI Campus” is the learning platform of the Stifterverband für Künstliche Intelligenz (Donors' Association for Artificial Intelligence). With free online courses, videos, podcasts, and tools, this public-interest initiative strengthens AI skills in society.
Further information: AI Campus website