The development of digital technologies can have a positive impact on our lives, but it can also cause uncertainty, especially when it comes to very rapid and far-reaching changes. We recently witnessed this with the introduction of the Large Language Model (LLM) ChatGPT, whose capabilities surprised even many experts in the field of computer science. Suddenly it is possible for a program to take on various tasks in the field of text processing and text generation that seem to require creativity and originality at the very least.

In addition to the obvious advantages, such as the individualization of learning and the creation of interactive learning environments, LLMs also raise numerous ethical questions that have not yet been adequately discussed. These include questions regarding equality in access to education, fairness in the assessment of coursework, the potential reinforcement of social inequalities through the use of algorithms, and the privacy and safety of learners and teachers in the digital space. There are also fundamental questions about what skills we want to teach in education and what skills technology can or should take away from us.

Given these complex challenges, it is crucial that the development and implementation of LLMs in education is accompanied by strong ethical reflection and is based on principles of autonomy, equity, transparency and accountability. Addressing these challenges requires an interdisciplinary debate: we therefore invite you to share your ideas on the following question:

How can the development and use of Large Language Models (LLMs) in education be responsibly designed to address challenges such as fairness, equality and data protection?

Who can participate?

Female students and doctoral candidates

The research competition is aimed at female students and doctoral candidates. Outstanding theses and dissertations that deal with the above-mentioned issues and are no more than three years old can be submitted.

Female founders

The competition is also aimed at female founders who started a relevant business no more than three years ago and deal with the above-mentioned issues. If you would like to apply with a start-up project, please provide a letter of motivation explaining how your project fits in with the theme of this competition.

In view of the enormous variety of topics, there is no restriction to one specialist discipline. The scientific work can come from the natural sciences as well as the humanities and social sciences.

Sponsorship

Two theses/dissertations and one start-up project will be awarded EUR 3,000 each.

Award procedure

The application must be submitted electronically by 02.12.2024 at Sophia Merkel and must include the following documents: 

• Curriculum vitae,
• Letter of motivation (max. 500 words),
• Abstract (max. 1,000 words),
• Research paper (only if it is a thesis/dissertation)

The submitted papers will be evaluated on the basis of two criteria:

• Originality and relevance of the contribution,
• scientific excellence.

The projects will be selected by an independent jury of scientists, employees of research institutions and companies according to the criteria described above.

Award ceremony

The award ceremony is expected to take place publicly at KIT in the first quarter of 2025 (possibly together with another event). In addition to the laudatory speech, the focus will be on the three presentations (around 20 minutes each) by the award winners.

Contact us

Do you have any questions? Then please send us an e-mail to Sophia Merkel.