Source: Own Illustration
We have reported on KI:connect.nrw several times on this blog, most recently in October when it reached a milestone of over 350,000 potential users at universities in North Rhine-Westphalia. Now we look back on the year 2025, in which KI:connect.nrw has developed from a pilot project into a statewide AI infrastructure that covers almost the entire university landscape in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Project Launch and Joint Mission
The KI:connect.nrw project was launched on July 1, 2024, and has since pursued an ambitious but clear approach: to provide universities in North Rhine-Westphalia with centralized, data protection-compliant access to generative AI while significantly simplifying its introduction, operation, and governance.
Instead of many individual isolated solutions, a joint, scalable service was created with funding from the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the Ministry of Culture and Science (MKW), as well as technical implementation and support from the IT Center at RWTH Aachen University in collaboration with the Center for Teaching and Learning Services (CLS).
2025: From Pilot Operation to Nationwide Availability
In April 2025, pilot operation began with initial trials at selected universities. In mid-June, the first university began using KI:connect productively. August 27 marked the official launch for all universities in North Rhine-Westphalia, giving them centralised and secure access to modern AI models. The accessible web interface also provides easy access to generative AI applications.
Scaling and Reach
The connection of additional universities developed into a key success factor over the course of the year: by fall 2025, twelve universities were already using KI:connect.nrw. This corresponds to more than 350,000 potential users who study and work at these twelve universities. The high demand signals the need for a common basic AI service for universities in North Rhine-Westphalia.
More Than Just a Chat: Platform and Services
In 2025, it became even clearer that KI:connect.nrw is more than just a chat interface. Over the course of the year, the service has developed into an operating and implementation platform for generative AI at universities in North Rhine-Westphalia. KI:connect.nrw supports the participating universities both technically and organizationally.
Its configurability allows it to be customized to the needs of individual universities. Among other things, quotas, prompts, and even the design can be tailored to the universities’ specifications. In addition, participating universities are provided with documents and process packages that support them in areas such as contract conclusion and data protection. In the future, the technical integration of KI:connect into university-specific applications is also to be made possible.
Community and Networking
One highlight of the year was the AI-Tech MeetUp NRW on September 22, 2025, in Bochum. Together with the state projects Open Source-KI.nrw and KI:edu.nrw, stakeholders from universities and technology met to exchange experiences on topics ranging from infrastructure issues to specific use cases. Further information on the MeetUp can be found on our blog.
Year-End Developments
At the end of 2025, KI:connect.nrw was expanded to include several new processes: With the introduction of virtual API keys in November 2025, universities can now allow users to utilize AI models from their own tools and applications.
Admins receive more detailed support: Administrative functions are explained in a compact video format.
In addition, KI:connect.nrw actively positioned itself in the governance and security discourse, thereby strengthening operational security, integration options, and transparency.
Outlook for 2026
With the successful rollout in 2025, the focus in 2026 will be on integration depth and scaling: API-based integrations into university systems and workflows are to be expanded. Further growth in connection numbers is also expected. The aim is to connect the last remaining interested universities in North Rhine-Westphalia to the project.
The focus will also be on the continuous development of documentation, support, and operating concepts.
A long-term goal is to expand the project beyond North Rhine-Westphalia.
The year 2025 has shown that KI:connect.nrw is well on its way to establishing itself as a central, reliable AI infrastructure for universities in North Rhine-Westphalia and potentially beyond.
Responsible for the content of this article are Melisa Berisha, Hedda Faber and Robin Jakobitz.
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