{"id":793,"date":"2026-02-05T14:24:21","date_gmt":"2026-02-05T12:24:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/oppekavaarendus\/?page_id=793"},"modified":"2026-08-18T16:42:55","modified_gmt":"2026-08-18T13:42:55","slug":"ai-ambassadors","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/oppekavaarendus\/en\/ai-ambassadors\/","title":{"rendered":"AI ambassadors"},"content":{"rendered":"

AI ambassadors are disciplinary experts based in institutes and colleges who support curriculum development in the age of artificial intelligence. Their role is to advise programme directors and teaching staff on defining discipline-specific AI competences, help integrate the use of AI into courses, and support programme directors in updating thesis processes and assessment criteria so that they continue to assess students\u2019 actual knowledge and skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An AI ambassador can be consulted when you wish to discuss which AI-related competences graduates of your curriculum should acquire, how to help teaching staff formulate principles for the use of AI in their courses, how to design learning tasks so that AI supports deep learning or how to revise thesis guidelines and assessment rubrics to make them more robust in the context of AI use. AI ambassadors also help initiate discussions and learning circles and support the development of a coherent curriculum-level roadmap for AI competence development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Activities of AI ambassadors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The aim of the AI ambassador role is to support curriculum development to ensure that courses systematically build students\u2019 AI competence, with a primary focus on discipline-specific tools and practices. At the same time, teaching staff are encouraged to use AI in ways that support learning and help students develop independent skills. It is important that students learn to view AI as a tool that supports learning rather than as a means of completing tasks on their behalf. In addition, AI ambassadors support the updating of thesis processes and assessment criteria to make them more robust in the context of AI use and continue to enable the assessment of students\u2019 actual knowledge and skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The work of AI ambassadors is guided primarily by the specific needs of each institute and curriculum. The role is not implemented identically across the university; rather, it is shaped in collaboration with programme directors and heads of academic affairs, taking into account the specifics of the discipline, existing practices and development priorities. As a rule, one ambassador supports 2\u20134 curricula, depending on their size and complexity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AI ambassadors contribute to curriculum development in a variety of ways. They advise programme directors on discipline-specific AI skills and suitable tools, and support their integration into courses and learning activities. They also help establish teaching staff learning circles and discussions where principles for AI use in courses are developed and good practices are shared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An important aspect of the role is supporting the updating of thesis-writing processes and assessment criteria, as well as identifying students\u2019 needs in collaboration with programme directors. The objective is to develop a roadmap for AI competence development for each curriculum, helping to integrate individual changes into a coherent and comprehensive approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Evaluating the impact of AI ambassadors\u2019 work<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The effectiveness of AI ambassadors is assessed based on the changes achieved through curriculum development. The outcomes of this work are reviewed by the faculty\u2019s academic affairs committee, which evaluates the extent to which the curriculum has been systematically adapted to meet the requirements of the AI era.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result of this work, the key discipline-specific AI competences and tools that graduates are expected to master have been defined, and a clear roadmap has been developed for the systematic development of these competences. AI competences are reflected in both course learning outcomes and specific learning activities, and all courses have established principles governing the use of AI. Thesis guidelines and assessment criteria have been updated to enable the assessment of students\u2019 actual knowledge and skills in a context where AI is widely used. An important long-term indicator of success is the continued participation of teaching staff in professional development activities related to AI skills. Curriculum feedback, which programme directors can also evaluate over time, should demonstrate that students\u2019 AI skills have genuinely developed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

University\u2019s support for AI ambassadors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

To support AI ambassadors, the university has established an AI ambassadors network to assist AI ambassadors in curriculum development by providing learning circles, methodological support and training opportunities, so that university graduates acquire the skills to use AI in a conscious, purposeful and professionally appropriate manner. The network is coordinated by the University of Tartu Centre for Learning and Teaching, with Heiko P\u00e4\u00e4bo as coordinator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

List of AI ambassadors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Faculty of Arts and Humanities<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n