AI Proficiency in Higher Ed Institutions

Between curiosity and requirement: AI literacy in everyday university life – for staff, lecturers and students

What does it actually mean when an algorithm suddenly joins the conversation? For that is precisely what happens when we use AI chatbots such as ChatGPT, Gemini or Claude to write, discuss or seek inspiration and research ideas for our work. Artificial Intelligence (AI) can bring many benefits and sometimes even speed up our work, but even here we realise: there are also risks and, above all, uncertainty. 

Whether in teaching, examinations, student advisory services or research – AI is here to stay. It contributes, thinks with us and perhaps even makes decisions alongside us at times. And it raises questions for all of us:

• What do I still decide for myself?
• What do I need to bear in mind?
• And where does AI help me to truly improve – as a teacher, as a staff member, as a student?

Building a sound understanding of AI applications

As of February 2025 universities need to actively address these issues. The European Union’s AI Act introduces new rules and clear requirements. In teaching and administration in particular, it is becoming increasingly necessary to build up sound knowledge of the use of AI – for example, through training sessions or a course such as this one. Not at some point in the future, but now.

A course that provides clarity and puts you into action

This learning programme has been developed by Multimedia Kontor Hamburg (MMKH) in collaboration with university partners in Hamburg. It helps you to

• better understand AI,
• implement legal requirements and
• use AI tools confidently in your own field of work.

With this learning offer, we aim to make a meaningful contribution to training university staff in the use of AI, with a focus on generative AI. We help you to act in a well-informed and considered manner – not just because it is a requirement, but because it is necessary and beneficial for your future. AI is here to stay. 

This course is open to anyone interested. In some places, specific reference is made to MMKH’s partner institutions who were involved in developing the programme: HAW Hamburg, TU Hamburg, HafenCity Universität Hamburg and Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg. 

Not all of the generative AI models presented here are used at every single one of these higher education institutions. Therefore, please check with your university to find out which AI models are permitted to be offered and used.

The course draws on the learning objectives set out in the following document by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Hochschuldidaktik (dghd): Die KI-Verordnung der EU als Impuls für die Entwicklung von AI Literacy an Hochschulen.

The course is licensed under the Creative Commons licence CC BY-SA. Please note, however, that individual materials may be subject to different licence terms.

What you will be able to do after completing this course: Your learning objectives

Upon completion of the course, you will be able to...

✅ describe how AI systems work in general – even without prior technical knowledge,
✅ assess the opportunities and risks associated with the use of AI in research, teaching and administration,
✅ use AI tools responsibly in your work or study context,
✅ distinguish between the types of AI covered by the AI Act – from minimal to unacceptable risk,
✅ identify the legal and organisational obligations that higher education institutions must fulfil when using AI.

What to expect: An overview of the course content

1. Understanding AI: Basics, terminology and use in higher education

• What is Artificial Intelligence?
• How do AI models "think" and what are their limitations?
• How can generative AI tools be used effectively in teaching, research or administration?

2. Legal and ethical requirements for the use of AI

• What is permitted? What is acceptable? And what should you avoid?
• How do you handle data protection, fairness and transparency?

An additional learning module is currently being developed on the topics of “AI Act risk classes” and “AI Act obligations”.

How the course works

The course is divided into thematic chapters.

• In each chapter, you will find texts, videos (with subtitles available) and short reflection exercises (e.g. quizzes, drag-and-drop).
• You can work through the course at your own pace and in a flexible manner – take a break and continue at a later time.
• Navigation: You will find a drop-down navigation menu in the left-hand column. At the end of the course, you will find ChatGPT 4o, connected via an API, which you can try out for free.

Certificate of Attendance

To get the most out of the learning resources – and, not least, to receive a certificate of attendance – we recommend that you register for the course.

At the end of the course, you will receive an automatically generated certificate of attendance if you:

• have completed the first two chapters in full and
• have successfully passed the tests at the end of the first two chapters.

Recommendation: The interactive elements such as quizzes, videos and drag-and-drop exercises in the chapters are designed to help you prepare for the test.

 
Questions or feedback

This course is a beta version. Content and features are currently still being developed and are subject to change. 

If you have any questions regarding the content or technical issues, the team at MMKH – Multimedia Kontor Hamburg will be happy to assist you.

AI is transforming everyday life at university – play an active role in shaping it. This course will give you the knowledge and confidence to do so – we wish you every success and hope you will enjoy learning!

Your MMKH team