AI-driven multilingual courses for interdisciplinary education

Category of recipe: Internationalisation through pedagogical activities and development of international skills.

Objective: Improving academic quality / offer; Developing global competence / employability skills; Curriculum internationalisation.

Short description of the recipe: This initiative focuses on recording courses that are broadly relevant to multiple departments (e.g., management, accounting, human rights, European Union studies, coding) and using AI tools to translate them into multiple languages. The recorded content is stored in a centralised database, accessible to students and faculty, fostering a multilingual and interdisciplinary academic environment.

Academic recognition: ECTS credits for elective courses and certificates of attendance for non‐credit courses.

Level of difficulty: Medium

Calendar and time needed: Around 3–4 months for course selection, recording, translation, and database integration.

Cost summary: €€

Language and level required: B2 or higher in one of the available languages.

Roles and Responsibilities
Project leader: Leads the initiative, coordinates all stages of the process, and ensures alignment with the university's internationalisation goals.
Professors:

Identify interdisciplinary courses suitable for recording and sharing.
Record and validate lectures.
Review AI-generated translations for quality and accuracy.

IT Team:

Manage the technical set up of recording tools and AI translation software.
Develop and maintain the cloud-based platform for storing and sharing materials.
Provide ongoing technical support to professors and staff throughout the process.

International Relations Office: Coordinate communication, ensure permissions, and promote the initiative among faculty and students.
Advisor in Internationalisation (if there are some in the university): Provides strategic guidance on internationalisation efforts and assists with implementation.
Pedagogical Engineers (if there are some in the university): Offer expertise in instructional design, AI-enhanced teaching, and multilingual learning strategies.

Ingredients
A collection of interdisciplinary courses appealing to multiple departments, such as management, human rights, European Union studies, or coding, ready for adaptation and sharing.
A visionary project leader passionate for innovation in education and AI-driven solutions.
Motivated professors committed to bringing inclusivity and multilingualism to their classrooms by integrating AI tools into their teaching practices.
AI-powered translation tools and high-quality recording equipment for seamless multilingual course creation.
A centralised cloud platform to store and distribute translated and recorded materials.
Dedicated IT and administrative staff to support technical and organisational needs.

Recipe steps
Step 1: Identify suitable courses

Select interdisciplinary courses within your programme that could appeal to a broad range of students, such as management, human rights, European Union studies, or coding.
Ensure these courses are adaptable and relevant for multilingual and cross-departmental use.

Step 2: Appointment of a leader

As a head of programme or professor, take an active role in coordinating this initiative.
Assign a project leader or take the lead yourself to guide the process, set goals, and ensure that the necessary support is in place.

Step 3: Prepare materials

Organise your course materials to ensure they are ready for recording.
Refine lecture content and prepare supplementary resources like slides or handouts.
Ensure clarity and structure in your delivery.

Step 4: Record your lectures

Use the provided recording tools to capture lectures that deliver clear and engaging content.
Your IT team will support you to ensure your recordings meet the required standards.

Step 5: Translate with AI tools

Once your lectures are recorded, use AI translation software to generate multilingual versions.
Review these translations carefully or engage students and colleagues to ensure accuracy and cultural sensitivity.

Step 6: Upload to the platform

Work with your IT team to upload your recorded and translated lectures to the centralised cloud-based platform.
Ensure the materials are correctly categorised and accessible to all students and staff.

Step 7: Engage students

Encourage students to explore the multilingual resources.
Explain how these materials enhance their learning experience and provide them with global competencies.

Step 8: Gather feedback

Collect feedback from students and colleagues on the usability of the platform and the quality of the translated materials.
Use this input to improve the process and refine the resources.

Step 9: Promote and share

Share your success stories with colleagues within your department and across the university.
Highlight the benefits of using this approach to foster a more inclusive, multilingual, and internationalised learning environment.

Budget description
This recipe requires investment in AI tools, recording equipment, and platform development to ensure seamless implementation.
Cost for the organising institution:

AI-powered translation tools: Subscription or license costs (depends on the software and volume of content).
Recording equipment and software: One-time purchase or licenses.
Cloud-based platform: Development, hosting, and maintenance.

Business model of the activity: The activity operates as a subsidised initiative, with potential support through institutional funding, national and international grants, or other external funding sources. Additionally, contributions from participating departments may support specific costs like software licenses or training.
Budget type / sources of revenues: Subsidised costs, Institutional funding, National and international grants (e.g., Erasmus+), Call for proposals at national or EU levels.

Non-mandatory items[edit | edit source]

Tips and tricks:

Pilot the initiative with a limited number of courses to refine the process before scaling.
Encourage cross-departmental input to identify the most appealing courses.
Emphasise how the platform fosters inclusivity and global competencies during internal presentations.

Communications and dissemination:

Work with your institution’s communication team to prepare a launch announcement and a user guide for the platform.
Share testimonials from professors and students who participated in the pilot to demonstrate its impact.
Promote the platform during departmental meetings and internationalisation-related events to boost engagement.

Resource:

Cardona, M. A., Rodríguez, R. J., & Ishmael, K. (2023). Artificial intelligence and the future of teaching and learning: Insights and recommendations.
Tzirides et al. (2024). Combining human and artificial intelligence for enhanced AI literacy in higher education. Computers and Education Open, 6, Article 100184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeo.2024.100184