7th Coimbra Group High-Level Education Policy Seminar explores teaching and learning in the age of AI
13 November 2026
How should universities adapt teaching and learning to the age of artificial intelligence? This question brought together university leaders, educators, students and higher education experts in Kraków on 3-4 November for the 7th Coimbra Group High-Level Education Policy Seminar hosted by Jagiellonian University.
Under the theme “Teaching and Learning in the Age of AI: Perspectives from Students and Educators”, the two-day event explored how universities can harness generative AI while safeguarding academic values, critical thinking and the quality of education.
Opening the seminar, Prof. Ludovic Thilly, CG Executive Board Chair, challenged approaches centred on banning AI tools. “Trying to ban AI at the university level is not a policy; it is an admission of powerlessness,” he said, citing French historian Christian Henriot. He has also warned that excessive reliance on AI detection tools and strict policing risks diverting attention from the fundamental transformation taking place in higher education.
Through keynote presentations, panel discussions and an interactive World Café session, participants examined the implications of AI for teaching, assessment, academic integrity and institutional strategies. Students’ perspectives took centre stage, with discussions addressing AI literacy, equitable access to digital tools and the support students expect from their universities. The seminar concluded with a forward-looking roundtable on priorities for Coimbra Group universities.
A key takeaway from the discussions was that universities have both the responsibility and the capacity to actively shape the AI transformation, guided by their academic values and by the experiences and expectations of students, whose voices must remain central to the conversation.
In her closing remarks, Prof. Beatrix Busse, CG Executive Board Vice-Chair, called for “critical enthusiasm” in navigating the opportunities and contradictions of AI. She stressed the importance of universities working together, sharing knowledge, educational resources and infrastructure, while remaining firmly anchored in their values and responsibilities.
Organised in close cooperation with Jagiellonian University, the seminar will inform a forthcoming Coimbra Group report bringing together the main reflections and recommendations from the discussions. The event programme and photo gallery are available below.
