We invite proposals for interactive sessions for the first Symposium on AI Risks in Education and Safeguards (AIRES 2027).

AIRES is dedicated to advancing discussions on the opportunities, risks, and safeguards of artificial intelligence in education. 

Recognizing that these challenges extend beyond academia, we seek contributions that bring together diverse perspectives from research, educational practice, civil society, government, NGOs, quality assurance, student communities, industry, and other non-academic sectors.

Areas of interest

This call invites proposals in the form of workshops, panels, debates, student debates, moderated dialogues, fishbowls, World Cafés, design sprints, artistic interventions, or other interactive formats that:

• Explore the opportunities, risks, and safeguards associated with AI in education;

• Foster dialogue between researchers, educators, students, policymakers, quality assurance agencies, civil society organizations, and industry stakeholders;

• Address gaps between research, policy, and practice;

• Encourage interdisciplinary and cross-sector collaboration as it relates to the opportunities, risks, and safeguards for AI in education;

• Create space for critical reflection on the future of education in an AI-enabled world;

• Surface emerging challenges, tensions, and opportunities that require collective discussion and action.

Proposals should align with the goals and themes of AIRES by contributing to informed, inclusive, and constructive discussions on the opportunities, risks, and safeguards of AI in education, including its responsible development, deployment, governance, and use.

Suggested themes include, but are not limited to:

• Harnessing the opportunities of AI for teaching, learning, assessment, and institutional effectiveness;

• Identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks associated with AI in education;

• Balancing innovation, opportunity, and safeguards in AI-enabled education;

• Safeguarding educational integrity, human agency, and public values;

• The impact of AI on student and educator wellbeing, motivation, and identity.

• Governance, regulation, and institutional policies for responsible AI in education;

• Quality assurance and accreditation in the age of AI;

• Data governance, privacy, security, and digital sovereignty;

• Equity, fairness, accessibility, and inclusion in AI-enabled education;

• AI literacy, capacity building, and preparing learners and educators for an AI-enabled future;

• Student voices and participation in the governance of AI in education;

• Multi-stakeholder collaboration for the responsible development, deployment, governance, and use of AI in education;

• Institutional experiences, policy innovations, emerging best practices, and international perspectives on AI in education.

We particularly value contributions that demonstrate practical applications and real-world case studies.

Submission requirements

You can submit a proposal using this form. In preparation of your proposal, please note the following information is required:

• Title of your proposed session

• Organizers: please list the name, job title, affiliation, country, and contact information of all organizers. Please indicate which of the organizers will act as (1) session coordinator (i.e. primary point of contact), and (2) (expected) presenter/facilitator of the session (can be the same person).

• Format: indicate the format of your session (e.g. interactive workshop, panel, unconference, artist exhibit, etc.). Please briefly motivate the choice of format and explain how the format facilitates interactivity.

• Description: describe the theme, central questions, and structure of your proposed session. What problem/critique do you plan to address? What are the main goals of your session? Make sure to explain how the session contributes to the goals of the conference.

• (Tentative) list of (invited) presenters or facilitators: If applicable, please indicate name(s) of invited speakers or facilitators who are not part of the organizing team, including job title and affiliation. Please indicate whether invited speakers/facilitators have already (tentatively) committed to participate in your proposed session.

• Length: please indicate the planned length of the session. The default session lengths are 90 minutes (regular) and 40 minutes (short).

• Target audience: who is the target audience of your session (e.g. in terms of discipline, career stage, etc.)? How many participants can your session (ideally) accommodate?

• Special logistical requests: e.g. poster stands, audio equipment, etc.

We note that the organizers of AIRES 2027 are committed to working with accepted session organizers to support the development and successful delivery of their sessions, where needed or upon request.

Evaluation criteria

Interactive session proposals will be evaluated by the General Chairs in conjunction with the Interactive Session Chair. We are interested in all sessions that will enrich AIRES’s program with critical and diverse perspectives and that will contribute to interdisciplinary discussions. The selection process will be based on the quality of the proposals as well as the goal of creating a balanced and diverse program that reflects a range of disciplines, perspectives, stakeholders, and interactive formats.

The proposals will be evaluated based on:

1. Relevance to the workshop goals and themes (see above);

2. Quality and clarity of the proposal, particularly in terms of theme, format, and planning;

3. Originality of the theme and format, particularly with regard to featuring voices and views typically underrepresented in the scientific program;

4. Potential for impact: potential to influence academic discourse, public discourse, policy, or real-world systems;

5. Diversity of the organizing team (broadly construed).

Contact

For questions, please contact general-chairs@aires-symposium.org.