Apeejay Stya University hosts National Refresher Programme on “Applications of AI in Higher Education”

Apeejay Stya University, in collaboration with UGC-MMTTC, Hansraj College, University of Delhi, under the aegis of UGC and AIU-ASU-AADC, successfully organised a 12-day National Refresher Programme on “Applications of AI in Higher Education” from August 25 to September 5, 2025. The programme served as a dynamic platform for academicians, researchers, and educators from across India to discuss the evolving impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in academia and the ethical challenges it presents.

The inaugural session held on August 25, 2025, was graced by Prof. (Dr.) Vijay Vir Singh, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor of Apeejay Stya University. In his address, he highlighted the importance of carefully integrating AI into higher education while maintaining a balance between technological advancement and students’ intellectual as well as emotional well-being. He also stressed the necessity of establishing well-defined institutional policies for the responsible use of AI.

The event’s Keynote Address was delivered by Prof. Amita Dev, who spoke on “AI, Academia & Ethics in the 21st Century.” She provided an insightful overview of how AI is reshaping the educational landscape and underlined the ethical considerations that must guide its application. The day further featured engaging sessions by Prof. V. Veeraraghavan on cross-disciplinary AI applications and Prof. Mansaf Alam from Jamia Millia Islamia, who discussed crucial topics like platform bias, data ethics, and the risks and opportunities that accompany AI adoption in academia.

Over the following days, participants explored a broad range of themes including Generative AI, prompt engineering, AI-aided curriculum design, innovative assessment models, chatbot-based student engagement, and AI’s role in health sciences. The programme featured an impressive line-up of speakers such as Dr. Ehteram Raza (Jamia Hamdard), Prof. Tripti Swarnkar (NIT), Dr. V.R. Reddy (IIT Jodhpur), Prof. Satya Sunder (IIT Madras), Prof. R.C. Sharma (AUD) and many others.

Hands-on workshops provided participants with practical exposure to AI-assisted coding, visualization tools, literature review automation, and ethical AI frameworks. The sessions also facilitated meaningful discussions on policy formulation, accreditation, and governance, highlighting how institutions can prepare themselves for an AI-driven academic future.

The programme concluded on September 5, 2025, with capstone reflections by Dr. Swarup Dutta (TERI) and Prof. Vibhash Kumar (SAU), who emphasised that while AI promises innovation and efficiency, its implementation must be anchored in integrity, honesty, and academic ethics.

With participation from over a hundred educators and researchers nationwide, the National Refresher Programme proved to be a landmark initiative in advancing AI literacy in higher education, reaffirming Apeejay Stya University’s commitment to promoting ethical innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and capacity building in the digital era.