Prof. Dr. Klaus Meier (holder of the Chair of Journalism I at the KU) and his research associate Dr. Jonas Schützeneder have successfully applied for two fellowships of the AI Campus. The AI Campus is a learning platform for artificial intelligence (AI) with free and open-license online courses, videos and podcasts. It is being developed by the Stifterverband in a consortium with renowned partners. Within the framework of the new Fellowship Program, the integration of digital learning offerings on the topic of AI into university teaching is being tested.
A total of 79 lecturers from universities throughout Germany have applied for a fellowship as individuals or in tandems. One or two teaching fellowships were awarded to each of the twelve best concepts. Diverse subject areas are covered in the selection with fellowships in social sciences, the humanities, engineering and natural sciences. The Fellows receive didactical, technical and financial support in implementing their concepts.
"Artificial intelligence is already shaping processes and content in journalism. We want to investigate this on two levels as part of the fellowship: In the teaching practice, we are developing basic scientific and practical features of AI and virtual organization of newsrooms and media in the Master's degree program in Journalism in a cooperative project with Bayerischer Rundfunk and SPIEGEL. In the field of research, we want to concentrate on links to our international DFG-funded project 'Innovations in Journalism in Democratic Societies'", explain Meier and Schützenender. In addition, the fellowship network will provide exciting impetus for further projects.
As researchers and university lecturers, both have not only pursued a basic research-oriented approach for years, but also a transfer-oriented one: "We want to train our students academically and practically for tasks in journalism and the media industry. At the same time, we see the Eichstätt Journalism department as a platform for networking. We also want to make visible externally what we are dealing with academically, what knowledge society can gain from it and what relevance journalism has for a democratic society.”
In 2017, Professor Meier received the Ars Legendi Prize for excellent university teaching for this commitment. The prize is also awarded by the Stifterverband together with the German Rectors' Conference. Dr. Jonas Schützeneder, in turn, has already been awarded the KU prize for good university teaching several times.
For more information on the Stifterverband’s AI Campus, please visit www.ki-campus.org.