Current Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) Research

GenAI in Scottish Higher Education: Attitudes and Perceptions of Students and Staff

Funding from The Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland is enabling a Scottish research group led by Prof Kirsty Kiezebrink to build upon research funded by the Advance HE Collaborative Development Fund 2023-24.

This new phase of research will focus specifically on Scottish institutions, providing a deeper analysis of the perspectives, challenges and opportunities within Scottish institutions. The project aims to inform policy and practice in Scotland, ensuring that the integration of GenAI tools in education aligns with the unique needs of Scotland.

There are 3 main activities currently taking place:

Deployment of an additional GenAI survey on staff and student perceptions of GenAI tools in HE across Scottish institutions only .
Evaluation and enhancement of resources designed to facilitate institutional conversations on the use of GenAI tools in education.
Focus groups on disciplinary impact of GenAI, such as on the creative industries.

The research is part of the work of the Scottish Artificial Intelligence in Tertiary Education (TE) Network (ScAITEN), a Scotland-wide group for those leading on artificial intelligence in learning and teaching in their institutions. The group serves to co-ordinate and share practices around artificial intelligence (AI) in learning and teaching. It also undertakes collaborative research and events. The network's current objective is to position Scottish Tertiary Education as open, ethical and innovative in the use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in learning and teaching.

If you are a Scottish institution interested in engaging with this research please email genai-education@abdn.ac.uk.

Core Research Team

This project is led by Prof. Kirsty Kiezebrink, University of Aberdeen, alongside the following collaborators:

Dr Louise Drumm, Associate Professor in Digital Education, Edinburgh Napier University
Emma Duke-Williams, Educational Technologist and Learning Designer, Library Academic and Cultural Services, University of Dundee
Rosemarie McIlwhan, Associate Professor of Digital Pedagogies and Practices, Heriot-Watt University
Dr Sara Preston, Senior eLearning Adviser, University of Aberdeen

Participation Information for our Survey and Focus Groups

Survey on the integration of GenAI in Scottish HEIs: We are inviting Scottish universities to participate in an important research project on student and staff perspectives of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) in higher education, funded by the Carnegie Trust for University of Scotland.

This phase of the research will focus exclusively on Scottish institutions, providing deeper insights into the challenges and opportunities presented by GenAI in education. Our aim is to inform policy and practice in Scotland, ensuring that the integration of GenAI tools aligns with the unique needs of Scottish higher education. Our results will be made available to the whole sector, including an open access dataset.

How Your Institution Can Get Involved

Please email us at genai-education@abdn.ac.uk if your institution would like to participate.
Participation in Staff Focus Groups: We are running focus groups to understand the impact of GenAI tools on disciplines within the creative industries. This research is being conducted as part of a Carnegie Trust funded project examining GenAI attitudes among HE stakeholders.

Focus group sessions will last no more than 60 minutes and will be online and/or in person depending upon what is most applicable.

If you are a participant in one of these focus groups please read the Participant Information Sheet for Staff Focus Group and ensure that you complete the short consent form which will be made available during the focus group.
Participation in Student Focus Groups: We are running focus groups to understand the impact of GenAI tools on disciplines within the creative industries. This research is being conducted as part of a Carnegie Trust funded project examining GenAI attitudes among HE stakeholders.

Focus group sessions will last no more than 60 minutes and will be online and/or in person depending upon what is most applicable.

If you are a participant in one of these focus groups please read the Participant Information Sheet for Student Focus Group and ensure that you complete the short consent form which will be made available during the focus group.

Wellbeing Support