Chemical scientists get green light for international collaboration projects with AI and medical education innovation

Chemical Science and Engineering applicants Hubert Gojzewski and David Fernandez Rivas have both received good news. Their proposals for Virtual International Collaboration Projects (VIS) have been approved.

Fair use of AI

Hubert's proposal is about the fair use of artificial intelligence (AI) in assignments for international students in the natural sciences. The use of AI can support students in their learning process, but unregulated use can lead to accusations of fraud. The project will involve 12 Dutch and 12 Polish students to work out rules for the use of AI and the limits of its use, with the aim of stimulating discussion about the integrity of scientists and the acknowledgment of scientific sources. The University of Twente, and the Poznan University of Technology, Poland have AI experts who want to contribute to this project.

Hubert:

I was very curious to see if this idea would find recognition among reviewers. And it did. I cannot wait to start this project, especially since the project will be a synergistic work of two universities that are closest to my heart. 

In the project, we want to develop best practices for using artificial intelligence. Of course, AI may be used when reporting scientific results, but within limits that do not harm the scientific development of students. I believe the project will strengthen Dutch-Polish cooperation by creating a network for the exchange of students’ ideas and thoughts.  

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Commercial innovation in the medical sector

David has proposed a learning program called "Glide Path to Commercialization for a Medical Device for 21st Century Therapeutics," in which students collaborate to learn how to bring innovations to the market. The program focuses on both high- and low-income countries and involves key stakeholders in research innovations. The experiences of the first student cohort will be documented and published as a case study and serve as the basis for future exchange programs. The University of Twente wants to learn from the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa, and other Dutch universities (such as 4TU) can eventually benefit from this.

David

This is awesome news! After many years of exchanging research ideas with South African colleagues, led by Professor Yahya Choonara, we have now an impulse to initiate this educational project. What excites me the most is that we will facilitate the interaction between Dutch and South African teams of students. They will work towards identifying what are the most painful diseases and contrast each country's scale-up barriers following an empathic entrepreneurship approach. Ultimately, we hope to create relationships among the students themselves providing networking for their professional future.

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VIS

Virtual International Collaboration Projects (VIS) are projects in which students and academics from different countries collaborate on joint research projects. The projects are funded by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science. The aim of these projects is to promote intercultural exchange and collaboration, as well as the sharing of knowledge and expertise. The use of digital technologies, such as video conferencing and online collaboration platforms, makes it possible to conduct these projects remotely, without the need for physical travel. VIS projects are an important way to connect globally and enrich the knowledge and skills of students and academics.

New opportunities for CSE students at S&T

Last year, Arturo Susarrey Arce, assistant professor in Chemical Science & Engineering, at Nanotechnology, and in the ICR&TIST minor, together with Herbert Wormeester (programme director of Nanotechnology), won this VIS prize. This allowed them to set up a 5-EC course on sustainable nanotechnology within the master’s programme in Nanotechnology, together with Tech de Monterrey in Mexico in the COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) project. This education started in February; it is CBL (challenge-based learning), where students have to solve problems together and learn to work with fellow students from different cultural backgrounds and in different time zone. With the two new winners Hubert and David, there are new opportunities to offer CSE students an interesting learning experience in an exciting project with students from Poland or South Africa, without the need to travel.

Interested in VIS funding or applying next year? Contact Linlin Pei for more information: l.pei@utwente.nl.