Source: Own illustration
On September 1 and 2, 2026, the fifth Learning AID took place at Ruhr University Bochum. More than 350 participants gathered at the conference to discuss artificial intelligence, learning analytics, and data mining in higher education. Learning AID was launched in 2022 by the KI:edu.nrw project and has been organized by its successor project, KI:Expertisezentrum.nrw, since July 2026.
The IT Center was also represented this year: At the “Market of Opportunities,” we presented our support chatbot Ritchy and engaged in conversations with numerous interested attendees.
In this post, we provide insights into the event, the diverse program, and the discussions surrounding Ritchy.
AI in the Higher Education Context: Diverse Perspectives
Learning AID provides a platform for cross-university exchange on topics related to artificial intelligence. The range of topics spans research and teaching, higher education strategy, and technical, strategic, and organizational issues.
This year’s program also reflected the wide range of topics. Speakers included Prof. Thorsten Thiel (University of Erfurt), who delivered a keynote address on AI and democracy, and Prof. Sandra Leaton Gray (University College London), who shared a British perspective on AI in higher education and outlined her vision for the future of higher education.
The subsequent sessions addressed topics such as AI agents, learning analytics, AI literacy, and questions of practical implementation at universities. In addition to research presentations, the conference also featured workshops, panel discussions, and insights from a student perspective.
The engagement with AI at universities has long since extended beyond individual courses or research projects. In addition to academic studies, teaching, and research, administration, counseling, and IT services are also playing an increasingly important role.
Ritchy at the “Market of Possibilities”
On the second day of the event, the “Market of Possibilities” provided a special space for discussion. Current projects and applications were presented through demonstrations and a poster session.
The IT Center took this opportunity to present Ritchy as a real-world example. There was considerable interest in Ritchy. Discussions focused in particular on the technical infrastructure, specific use cases, and the human quality assurance of Ritchy’s responses. The conversations also revealed that many universities face similar challenges: How can new AI solutions be meaningfully integrated into existing structures?
The experiences with Ritchy provided numerous points of reference for professional exchange. With Ritchy, the IT Center presented a best-practice example and demonstrated how our AI solution is firmly integrated into IT support and existing university structures.
AI Transformation in Higher Education
In addition to the “Market of Opportunities,” the panel discussion on science policy featuring NRW Minister of Science Ina Brandes provided a particularly valuable opportunity to discuss the overarching challenges of AI transformation.
Another highlight of the event was the symbolic presentation of the grant award notification for the new project “KI:Expertisezentrum.nrw.” Minister Brandes presented the grant award notification to the leadership team led by Dr. Peter Salden, Prof. Dr. Malte Persike, and Martin Bovermann.
This also underscored, at the institutional level, the importance that dialogue and the joint development of AI offerings have come to hold for universities.
Shaping AI Together
Learning AID 2026 demonstrated just how diverse the perspectives on artificial intelligence in higher education are. In addition to academic questions, the focus was primarily on concrete application scenarios and real-world experiences.
For the IT Center, the conference was a great opportunity to share experiences from the practical use of Ritchy with other stakeholders in the higher education sector.
The event provided ample opportunity for networking and highlighted that AI transformation at universities requires collaboration across different disciplines, roles, and institutions. Of particular importance is the willingness to share experiences and jointly develop new solutions. We were able to gain valuable new perspectives and insights from the numerous conversations and discussions.
Further information about Learning AID and materials from the conference can be found here: https://ki-edu-nrw.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/learning-aid/
Responsible for the content of this article is Melisa Berisha.
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