Unlike previous research, which has largely been based on surveys and self-reported data, this study examined students' actual usage behaviour.

"Previous research on AI learning assistants has relied primarily on relatively small-scale surveys. Our study is the first to demonstrate, how students actually use an AI learning companion such as Syntea, based on real usage data. In doing so, we provide a robust empirical foundation for the further development of AI-supported learning assistants while also making an important research contribution to the use of AI in higher education," explains lead author Prof. Dr.-Ing. Kristina Schaaff, Professor of Digital Transformation with a focus on AI at IU International University of Applied Sciences.

Analysis shows: AI usage follows students' study patterns

Among other findings, the analysis revealed the following:

• Syntea is widely used: Around 58 per cent of the students included in the study used Syntea during the observation period.
• The use of Syntea reflects students' different study and life circumstances: Whilst most interactions take place during weekday daytime hours, part-time students are more likely to use the AI learning companion outside regular working hours, particularly in the evenings and at weekends.
• Students across all age groups use the AI learning companion: Around 64 per cent of Generation Z students (born 1997–2012) use Syntea, compared with around 50 per cent of Generation X students (1965–1980) and 38 per cent of Baby Boomers (1946–1964).
• Women use Syntea slightly more frequently than men (59 per cent compared with 55 per cent).
• Syntea is used particularly intensively in the subject areas of Psychology & Education and Marketing & Communication.

The findings show that AI-supported learning does not take place in isolation from students' everyday study experience, but rather reflects their individual life circumstances. Part-time students, for example, tend to use Syntea more frequently in the evenings and at weekends, whilst full-time students predominantly use the AI learning companion during weekday daytime hours.

"The findings clearly demonstrate that AI-supported learning has become part of everyday student life at IU. Particularly interesting is the fact that some of the results contradict our original assumptions – for example, the high level of usage among older students. Insights like these can only be gained through the analysis of real usage data and help us to further develop Syntea in a targeted way," says Quintus Stierstorfer, Senior Director AI Product, inventor of Syntea and co-author of the study.

Findings feed directly into the further development of Syntea

For IU, study findings such as these also provide a concrete mandate for further development. Syntea is continuously refined on the basis of scientific evidence, real-world usage data and student feedback.

In the future, Syntea – which has recently evolved from an AI assistant into a Learning Companion – will be enhanced with multimodal capabilities, particularly for visually oriented degree programmes, enabling it to support students in an even more personalised way. In addition to taking account of students' different life circumstances, Syntea will increasingly offer personalised learning dialogues tailored to individual career goals and interests, thereby strengthening the practical relevance of higher education. Accompanying research¹ shows that this approach can increase both student satisfaction and engagement.

About the study

The study Using AI-based Learning Assistants in Higher Education: A Large-Scale Descriptive Analysis was presented at the AIET 2026 (Artificial Intelligence in Education Technologies) conference, held from 29 to 31 July 2026 in Zagreb, Croatia (https://www.aiet.org/).

The authors are Prof. Dr.-Ing. Kristina Schaaff, Dr Valerie Hekkel and Quintus Stierstorfer from IU International University of Applied Sciences. The study is based on anonymised log data from more than 77,000 distance-learning students (cleaned dataset: 76,000) who were enrolled in Bachelor's or Master's degree programmes at IU in February 2025.

The full study is available free of charge via arXiv:
https://arxiv.org/pdf/2607.08748

The study will also be published by Springer Professional.

About Syntea

Syntea is the AI-powered Learning Companion of IU International University of Applied Sciences. It accompanies students throughout their entire degree programme, helping them to better understand learning content, prepare for examinations and achieve their individual learning goals. The Learning Companion answers subject-related questions, explains complex concepts, supports learning organisation and provides personalised exam preparation. Through individual feedback and support tailored to personal learning goals, Syntea promotes self-directed and flexible learning. The current version is used by students on average four times longer than its predecessor and was awarded the Gold Award at the QS Reimagine Education Awards in December 2025.

Further information:
https://www.iu.de/en/syntea/

¹ Mehlan, R., Hess, C., Stierstorfer, Q., Schaaff, K. (2026). Personalized Knowledge Transfer Through Generative AI: Contextualizing Learning to Individual Career Goals. In: Schlippe, T., Cheng, E.C.K., Wang, T. (eds) Artificial Intelligence in Education Technologies: New Development and Innovative Practices. AIET 2025. Lecture Notes on Data Engineering and Communications Technologies, vol. 279. Springer, Singapore.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-95-4423-3_5

Erfurt, 16 April 2026. IU International University of Applied Sciences is the first university in Germany to systematically and measurably integrate a self-developed competency model for the AI-driven world of work into its curriculum. This model is based on the "Job Readiness Framework", which specifically prepares students for the professional use of AI and structures their competency development in five measurable levels. Thus, graduates can demonstrate their ability to confidently and purposefully deploy AI in work contexts. According to an international comparative study¹ by IU with 4,063 participants, 55.8 per cent of recruiters prefer this type of qualification over traditional skills tests.

Following an initial pilot phase beginning in April 2026, the Job Readiness Framework will systematically be offered across all IU disciplines and degree programmes, in both distance learning and dual study formats. It is therefore intended for students from all disciplines, ranging from IT and social work to design. While the existing subject content will remain unchanged, it will be systematically complemented by the application of AI, the development of practical competencies, and practice-oriented decision-making formats.

The holistic framework specifically strengthens human capabilities such as judgement and critical and creative thinking. Humans excel in these areas over AI, and it is precisely for this reason that these competencies are crucial for meaningfully steering AI in professional contexts. In an increasingly AI-driven global labour market, they are the key to success.

Framework aims to close AI competency gap

"Technology is developing faster than people can be upskilled," says AI expert Prof Dr Kamal Bhattacharya, Vice-Rector Research and Transfer at IU and professor for computer science.

"Only months often separate new generations of powerful AI models, whilst university curricula develop over years. This creates a growing gap between technological development and human competency – this is what we want to close," Bhattacharya continues.

The need for action is clear: in its 'Future of Jobs Report', the World Economic Forum (WEF) identifies skills gaps as the greatest barrier to business transformation (63 per cent of employers worldwide). Simultaneously, the WEF projects that 39 per cent of all core skills will need to be newly acquired by 2030.

With the Job Readiness Framework, students learn, amongst other things:

• To structure problems analytically
• To develop creative solutions
• To critically evaluate AI results
• To decide which tasks can be delegated to AI – and which cannot

The aim of the approach is to develop students from mere users to active designers in human-AI collaboration. They learn not only to use AI as a tool but to integrate it as a partner in work processes.

International survey confirms relevance

To validate the developed framework, IU conducted an international survey¹. Between 2 and 16 December 2025, a total of 4,063 working individuals – including 702 recruiters – aged 18 and above were surveyed in Germany, Canada, the USA, the United Kingdom and France.

Companies see clear benefits particularly in recruitment: 55.8 per cent of recruiters surveyed indicate they prefer AI-related competency credentials over traditional skills tests.

Overall, the approach is widely approved of: 61.5 per cent of respondents rate the IU framework as more effective than comparable models from other organisations, and 79.9 per cent consider it to be substantively complete.

The approach of defining competencies not as long lists of individual skills, but as "Professional Modes", is particularly well-received. IU understands these to be overarching ways of thinking and working that are applied in different professional situations and systematically developed.

The future competencies most frequently cited by respondents are creative thinking (56.6 per cent), analytical thinking (53.6 per cent) and empathy and active listening (46.9 per cent).

These can be directly mapped to the four "Professional Modes" of the Job Readiness Framework: Creative Problem Solving, Continuous Learning, Strategic Collaboration with humans and AI, and Responsible Decision-Making.

Measurable competency levels

The Job Readiness Framework structures these capabilities in a five-level competency model (from level 0 to level 4).

The framework's objective is for all IU students to reach the maximum level 4 by graduation.

"Every student leaving a university should be able to demonstrate a traceable assessment of their own AI competencies," demands Dr Sven Schütt, CEO of IU.

A recent IU survey² shows that IU students are already better equipped with AI skills today than students at other universities: 83 per cent of IU students and graduates agree with the statement that they have learnt the meaningful deployment of AI tools at IU. By comparison: at other private universities, the figure is 70 per cent, and at state universities it is 67 per cent.

"The results show: our efforts are working. With our AI-powered learning companion Syntea, students have been training reflective engagement with AI for years," emphasises Schütt.

Pilot phase already launched

The practical implementation of the Job Readiness Framework has already begun. Since early April, initial project courses have been running on the IU distance learning platform. These include 'Social Entrepreneurship' and 'Customer Journey', each with over 100 students, 'Business Start-up', with over 400 students, and 'Business Model Development', with over 50 students.

In some of these pilot courses, AI-assisted research forms part of the assessment: students compare different AI models, critically analyse their results and justify their selection, thereby learning when and how AI can be meaningfully deployed.

By the end of the year, the Job Readiness Framework will be available for courses across all degree programmes. Its modular design means it can be adopted incrementally by other universities and organisations without the need to rebuild the curriculum, providing a practice-oriented framework for systematic preparation for an AI-driven world of work.

Press enquiries for interviews
For interviews and background discussions, Dr Sven Schütt, CEO of IU International University of Applied Sciences, and Prof Dr Kamal Bhattacharya, Vice-Rector Research and Transfer and Transfer at IU, are available.

Contact:
Press Office – IU International University of Applied Sciences
Email: presse@iu.org
Phone: +49 (0)173/7426 113

¹ The results are based on an international comparative study conducted by IU International University of Applied Sciences. Between 2 December and 16 December 2025, a total of 4,063 individuals aged 18 and above were surveyed across five countries: Germany (n = 850), the United States (n = 802), the United Kingdom (n = 811), France (n = 800), and Canada (n = 800). Participants included recruiters, executives, education professionals, and employees in general. All respondents were either employed or self-employed at the time of the survey. Data was collected via an international online panel (Cint) using a standardised online questionnaire.

² The “University Experience Study 2026” was conducted by Kantar Profiles between 27 August and 20 October 2025. A total of 4,004 students and graduates from public and private universities were surveyed, including 1,597 alumni, with the sample being representative in terms of age and gender. The target group comprised alumni from the past five years, current students, and dropouts. The study was commissioned by IU International University of Applied Sciences and conducted independently by Kantar Profiles in accordance with its internal quality standards.

Methodology: To ensure the highest possible comparability between universities, three different comparison approaches were used:
(a) “Public universities vs. private universities (excluding IU) vs. IU”,
(b) “IU vs. benchmark”, and
(c) “Public vs. private universities”.

In (a), IU is compared separately with public and private universities. Individuals studying or having studied at IU are considered as a distinct group and are not included within the category of private universities.

In (b), public and private universities are grouped into a single cohort and compared against IU students and alumni.

In (c), all public and private universities are grouped together in each category (including IU).

Erfurt, 5 March 2026 – Whilst general AI tools only provide short-term benefits, pedagogically designed AI leads to sustainable learning gains – according to the OECD Digital Education Outlook 2026. IU International University of Applied Sciences has now further developed its AI-powered learning assistant Syntea into such an effective learning system: a comprehensive learning companion for over 80,000 IU distance learning students.

Syntea, which was awarded the Gold Award at the prestigious QS Reimagine Education Awards in London in December 2025, aims to provide individual support throughout the entire course of study – through increased motivation, structured learning planning, greater confidence in handling learning content, and organisational relief. This applies particularly to students who pursue their studies alongside work, family or other commitments. The fact that Syntea has become a central point of contact in everyday student life is also demonstrated by the latest usage data: the new version in the form of the learning companion is already being used four times longer on average than the previous version.

With this further development, Syntea now provides continuous support to IU students in their everyday learning:

Learning tailored to individual sweet spots: Whether commuting with a podcast, between meetings in dialogue with Syntea, or in the evening at the desk with visual explanations – students can choose how they learn best: Those who think visually receive diagrams and charts; those who learn through application receive practical tasks.

Interacting by voice and learning interactively: In the new Syntea version, students can now also upload their own documents for Syntea to analyse; and interaction – as with ChatGPT, for example – is also possible via voice input. Unlike conventional AI models that only provide answers, Syntea asks targeted follow-up questions – as in a real conversation. This helps students sharpen their thinking and actively identify knowledge gaps.

Finding one's own rhythm: Syntea recognises students' current status and suggests the next meaningful learning steps. On request, they receive a reminder of upcoming learning units via push notification or WhatsApp – in this way, students keep their studies continuously in view even with changing everyday demands.

Less administration, more learning: Syntea now also consolidates study organisation – from retrieving relevant documents and downloading certificates to planning the next learning steps. This saves valuable time in often already full daily schedules between work and learning.

This combination of flexible learning formats, dialogue-based interaction, adaptive support and organisational assistance enables the over 80,000 IU distance learning students to make continuous progress even with irregular learning times – without losing the thread or having to laboriously catch up.

(A detailed overview of all functions and learning benefits can be found in the annex below.)

Survey confirms: better exam preparation and deeper understanding

Initial results from a survey¹ among IU distance learning students and Syntea users show that the comprehensive learning companion approach works: More than 70 per cent of respondents respectively indicate that with the newer Syntea version they:

• feel better prepared for exams,
• achieve a deeper understanding of learning content,
• and learn more effectively than with traditional formats.

Dr Sven Schütt, CEO of IU International University of Applied Sciences, says: "Syntea has fundamentally changed the way many of our students learn. This is also confirmed by the positive feedback from students. At the same time, through daily use of Syntea, they learn to use AI competently and reflectively. That's a clear advantage in the job market."

How the new Syntea feels in everyday student life

Bianca Kroll, Bachelor degree student in Social Media at IU:
"The new Syntea has completely changed the game for me. Previously, learning was more like a compulsory programme – reading scripts, highlighting, hoping something sticks. Since Syntea has been involved, it feels like interactive tutoring."

Nadine Zettl, Medical Assistant and Bachelor degree student in Health Management at IU:
"Without Syntea, I would actually have had to drop out. Learning with just scripts doesn't work for me when you're constantly interrupted by childcare and daily life. With Syntea, I can pick up again at any time without having to spend ages reading up on where I left off. With three children, I would have been desperate."

Developed for the reality of distance learning students

The challenge that Nadine Zettl describes is real: Nearly a third of IU distance learning students have children in their household according to an IU first-semester survey³, and more than half work full-time alongside their studies.

The fact that Syntea is so closely oriented to everyday life is also due to the way it was developed: Since its inception in early 2022, the platform has been further developed under the leadership of Quintus Stierstorfer, Senior Director AI Products at IU International University of Applied Sciences, together with teaching staff and through continuous feedback from students:

"From the very beginning, our aim was to design learning in a way that fits into different life realities," explains Stierstorfer.

"Many use it regularly for precisely this reason – because it actually helps them to progress with their studies reliably and more efficiently even under challenging conditions such as professional or family commitments. Syntea thus plays a central, complementary role in teaching by optimally supporting self-directed learning processes," Stierstorfer continues.

Annex: new features in detail

The new Syntea is now available to all IU distance learning students as a standalone platform at syntea.com². Students can now use it for almost all learning tasks: from creating flashcards to preparing for exams.

The following functions have been specifically optimised for study purposes and combine multimodal formats (text, audio, visual explanations) with dialogue-based micro-apps that can be flexibly integrated into everyday learning. All functions are based on the latest AI language models, which means they are at a performance level otherwise reserved for paid Pro versions.

Learning support and deepening

• Exam trainer: Knowledge testing through questions on various course sections with direct evaluation and overview of learning progress; the trainer helps students realistically assess their level of preparation. To increase exam confidence and minimise exam anxiety and procrastination, a mock exam mode including an exam readiness indicator is currently being rolled out.
• Learning dialogue: Understanding-oriented learning based on the Socratic method through open questions that promote critical thinking and gradually unlock complex content. It also strengthens the ability to articulate thoughts clearly and precisely – both in exam situations and in professional communication.
• Extended question-and-answer function: Answers course-related and general questions using constantly updated AI language models.
• Interactive online script: Supplements existing online scripts with comprehensible explanations, summaries and clear classification of learning objectives.
• Progress indicators: Make learning status transparent – students see where they stand, which provides more confidence and is intended to reduce exam anxiety and procrastination.

Exploration and introduction

• Exploring new topics: Enables low-threshold entry into new content before targeted deepening or learning.
• Course overview: Provides compact orientation at the beginning of a course on structure, requirements and next steps.

Organisation and documentation

• Document search: View and reflect on previous grades and centrally retrieve study certificates and certificates – for less administrative effort.
• Central overview: Consolidates all learning and organisational functions in one place; additional services are being added gradually.
• Documenting learning progress: Automatic documentation after each quiz and dialogue with overview of progress in the course.

Additional formats

• Podcasts (Beta): Dialogic audio format for reviewing and contextualising existing course content – ideal for learning on the go, for example.
• Feedback function: Students can provide feedback on the use of Syntea and actively contribute to its further development.

ABOUT SYNTEA

Syntea is the in-house learning AI of IU International University of Applied Sciences and has been supporting all online students in distance learning since the end of 2023. The platform was specifically developed for distance learning students who organise their studies flexibly and independently alongside other commitments such as work and family. Syntea supports them in their self-learning phases with time- and location-independent learning formats – without compromising on academic depth or competence orientation. Use is voluntary for students and not exam-relevant. In future, Syntea is also to be available via native app on mobile devices.

Syntea was awarded the Gold Award in the category "AI in Education by Higher Education Institutions" at the QS Reimagine Education Awards & Conference 2025 in London in December 2025. This award is regarded as one of the world's most prestigious prizes for innovation in higher education. Syntea had previously received several international prizes in the field of AI and higher education – for example at the Global EdTech Awards in 2024.

Previous IU press releases on Syntea: https://www.iu.de/en/news/?h=1&t=syntea

¹ Between December 2025 and January 2026 and ongoing, Syntea users were surveyed in a voluntary short survey on the benefits of the new Syntea version. The samples varied by question/answer: Deeper understanding of learning content (n = 230), More effective learning (than with traditional formats) (n = 349), More confidence in exams (n = 264)

² Note: The syntea.com interface is only accessible to Syntea users by entering student login credentials.

³ The data are from an IU first-semester survey of 2,272 distance learning students who began their studies between October 2023 and March 2025 (survey period: February 2024 to May 2025).

Image material on speakers

• Dr Sven Schütt, CEO of IU International University of Applied Sciences
• Quintus Stierstorfer, Senior Director AI Products at IU International University of Applied Sciences

Press enquiries for interviews or live demos

Dr Sven Schütt, CEO of IU International University of Applied Sciences, and Quintus Stierstorfer, Senior Director AI Product, are available for interviews and background discussions. We can also organise a live demo of Syntea or a press briefing on request.

Additional image material is available on request.

Press Contact:

André Adler
Press Office – IU International University of Applied Sciences
E-mail: andre.adler@iu.org
Telephone: +49 (0)173/7426 113

“Receiving this award recognises our commitment to AI-powered learning to personalise and democratise education,” says Dr. Sven Schütt, CEO of IU International University of Applied Sciences. “Our goal is to provide every student with personalised support, real opportunities to grow, and the skills they need to succeed in a rapidly changing world.”

Syntea has evolved significantly since its launch in April 2022, which preceded the hype surrounding the ChatGPT release later that year. Today, Syntea is one of the most advanced AI-driven learning platforms and companions in the university space. Its latest advanced version recognises students’ work environments, preferences, and study objectives and guides the student in a multimodal, multi-agent setup through the learning experience towards successful course completion. In addition to personalising the learning experience, it supports students’ learning motivation. As a result, it increases both study retention and study progress and makes learning more relevant for every student.

“This honorable award shows that AI has the potential to significantly improve the learning experience by providing personalised support and empowering students to confidently navigate complex subjects,” says Mark Zakhvatkin, Director AI & Data, IU Group. “With Syntea, we offer students a reliable, adaptive learning companion that complements traditional teaching methods, promoting deeper understanding and demonstrably better preparation for exams,” adds Quintus Stierstorfer, Senior Director AI Product, IU Group.

About QS Reimagine Education Awards & Conference

The QS Reimagine Education Awards & Conference is a global forum for university leaders, EdTech innovators and educators to showcase pioneering approaches, improve learning outcomes, and prepare institutions for future challenges. See here for more information.

About Syntea

By combining adaptive learning, personalised tutoring, instant feedback, progress tracking, and an intuitive user experience, Syntea effectively supports the needs of modern, flexible study programmes. The AI-powered learning companion guides students through tailored learning paths, identifies knowledge gaps, provides actionable insights, and offers 24/7 guidance. This enables students in distance learning and part-time professional education to study efficiently alongside work and other commitments, promoting deeper understanding, improved exam preparation, and continuous skill development. See here for more information.

Overview: IU Syntea press releases

Erfurt, 15. April 2025 - April and May are the peak period for Abitur examinations in Germany. During these two months, the written exams, which make up the largest part of the Abitur grade, take place in almost all federal states. For school leavers, this means intensive, high-pressure learning. However, there is now digital support for learners: AI-supported tools can serve as learning guides, writing tutors or private tutors. Used correctly, they offer pupils and students valuable support, for example when preparing for exams.

The "Learning Report 2024" from IU International University (IU) shows that AI can improve exam results: 57.9 per cent of those surveyed with AI experience in learning stated that their learning or exam results had improved significantly or somewhat through the use of AI tools such as ChatGPT. 

In order to provide learners with a comprehensive overview of AI tools purposes and to promote their meaningful use, the IU has compiled the following tips for learners: 

Which AI tools help with learning?

There are now a large number of AI-supported programmes that can make learning easier. Here are some examples and specific application tips: 

• ChatGPT: The best-known AI tool can help with the creation of summaries, explanations and practice questions. Recently, documents can also be uploaded in the free version of ChatGPT. However, care should be taken not to use any sensitive data. 
• Perplexity: The AI-supported search engine combines AI with a comprehensive database and provides answers including references - ideal for academic work. 
• Flashka automatically creates flashcards from PDFs for efficient exam preparation. 
• Notion AI supports the organisation of notes, to-do lists and seminar content. 
• DeepL: One of the leading AI-supported translation tools, which is particularly suitable for precise and context-related translations. In addition to text translations, entire documents can also be uploaded and translated. 
• Syntea (IU only): The AI-supported learning assistant of IU International University, specially developed for IU students on distance learning programmes. The answers generated by Syntea refer to the IU scripts and are checked and professionally verified by lecturers

How do you use AI sensibly? 

Artificial intelligence can provide valuable support in the learning process - be it as a virtual tutor, discussion partner or motivational aid. However, you should not blindly rely on AI: although language models can formulate convincingly, they can also occasionally invent facts - so-called "hallucinating". It is therefore essential to check sources and scrutinise results, especially when it comes to specialist content.

A few examples of prompts 

A well-formulated prompt can significantly improve the quality of AI responses. The following example prompts show how versatile AI can be used in learning:

• "I'm preparing for an exam in education, my topic is the theory of social roles. Give me ten exam questions on the topic and let me answer them in order." 
• "Ask me a complex business analysis question that tests my ability to apply analytical methods to real-world business scenarios." 
• "Imagine you're my fellow student and have no idea about democratic theory. I'm going to explain to you what you need to know." - This method helps to deepen your own understanding by using the AI as a training partner.

"Artificial intelligence can support the learning process, but it is no substitute for your own thinking, critical reflection and creativity. Students and pupils should use AI tools in a targeted and responsible way to prepare effectively for exams - it is crucial to always keep an eye on the facts and maintain a healthy dose of scepticism," says Prof. Dr. Ulrike Lichtinger, Professor of Social Sciences at IU International University and expert in positive education. 

Further links 

• Tips for exam preparation (article in IU Magazine): https://www.iu.de/magazin/pruefungsvorbereitung-tipps/  (German) 
• Link to the IU Learning Report 2024: https://www.iu.de/en/research/studies/iu-learning-report-2024/
• Further information and explanatory videos about Syntea: https://www.iu.de/en/syntea/

Erfurt, Germany, 29 January 2025. AI expert and IU advisory board member Sascha Lobo recently emphasised the importance of "AI tools such as learning agents for learning processes" as the key to the digital revolution An AI agent is an intelligent system that independently takes on tasks, optimises workflows and makes proactive recommendations based on user data. Recently OpenAI presented an AI agent for ChatGPT, Microsoft also introduced agents for Microsoft 365 Copilot at the end of 2024.

Now, Germany's largest university is also implementing its own developed AI agent in teaching: IU has enhanced its AI learning assistant Syntea, introduced in 2023, with AI agent functions to make learning even more personalized and promising for its students. While Syntea previously provided individualized learning feedback to IU students, it now takes it a step further by dynamically adapting its didactic methods to the students' learning styles – for example, by suggesting suitable learning methods or setting proactive reminders for necessary learning phases.

IU has successfully piloted the new agent functions in Syntea and plans to roll them out in the first online courses of its distance learning programme by the end of the first quarter of 2025. This positions IU International University as one of the first organisations in Germany to develop its own AI agent and among the first German universities to integrate an agent-based AI learning assistant into teaching. 

"Our goal is to continuously enhance the learning experience for our students by leveraging the new opportunities AI provides," says Dr. Sven Schütt, CEO of IU International University of Applied Sciences.

"With the introduction of AI agent functions to Syntea, we are ushering in a new era of learning. Syntea now independently thinks ahead, proactively suggesting the next learning steps while constantly evolving. It flexibly adapts to each student's unique learning style, offering personalised learning methods and proactive support. Unlike a standard learning assistant, we now provide our students with a fully tailored, future-focused learning environment," continues Dr Sven Schütt, CEO of IU International University of Applied Sciences.

Syntea independently suggests suitable learning methods

Unlike the previous approach, where fixed learning processes were prescribed, the new agent-based Syntea adapts dynamically to students' learning objectives. It independently determines which method is best suited to each student—whether it’s a training session, a quiz, a Socratic dialogue, or even playful elements like an escape game. Additionally, Syntea can proactively remind students of study times and tasks, with notifications sent via push messages or WhatsApp if desired.

"Our goal is to make the learning process as personalised as possible by proactively engaging with students," explains Quintus Stierstorfer, Director of Synthetic Teaching. “Syntea selects the most suitable methods based on each student's individual needs.”

Session feedback agent and multimodal learning

A key innovation is Syntea's ability to provide real-time feedback during the learning process. An AI agent evaluates every interaction between Syntea and the student, delivering personalised recommendations for the next session. This enables students to tailor their learning experience—whether by tackling simpler tasks, exploring new formats, or adjusting the content to fit their needs.

Additionally, Syntea now integrates multimodal elements seamlessly into its interactions. Text, video, images, and interactive applications work together harmoniously within the learning experience. This variety not only enhances engagement but also ensures a richer and more immersive understanding of the material.

Administrative tasks can now be completed directly in Syntea

In addition, everyday student life is made easier by integrating administrative tasks—from course planning to organizing semesters off. Syntea simplifies administrative processes with proactive notifications and personalized support. Even more complex tasks, such as planning module combinations or applying for semesters abroad, are supported by interactive and user-friendly features within Syntea.

“The integration of these services into Syntea offers a seamless experience, allowing students to spend less time on organizational matters and more time focusing on their academic goals,” says Stierstorfer.

About Syntea

Syntea is an AI-supported learning buddy that was specially developed by IU International University of Applied Sciences to meet the needs of its students. It supports the achievement of learning goals, adapts to the learning pace and rhythm of the individual, continuously tracks learning progress and helps to identify and close knowledge gaps.

Further information at: https://www.iu.de/en/syntea/

Previous press releases published by IU International University of Applied Sciences on Syntea: https://www.iu.de/news/en/?h=1&t=syntea

Erfurt, 28 October 2024. At the opening keynote of the Microsoft AI Tour 2024 in Berlin, Satya Nadella, Chairman and CEO of Microsoft, presented examples of the use of artificial intelligence in German companies. As example for the use of AI in the education sector, he highlighted the IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU) as a pioneer in Germany. 

The AI learning assistant Syntea has been in use at IU since October 2023, providing individual and personalised learning support for online studies. Syntea was developed by IU for students and uses the Azure OpenAI service. In the future, the learning assistant will also be available to students at the IU Copilot School featuring Microsoft in Microsoft 365 Copilot. 

The IU Copilot School was founded in June 2024 and combines academic education with the teaching of AI skills. Through the future integration of Syntea into Microsoft 365 Copilot, students will also acquire valuable AI skills such as AI prompting and data analysis. 

Further information on Satya Nadella at the Microsoft AI Tour 2024 in Berlin is available here in the Microsoft News Center.

IU Group joins Allianz für KI-Kompetenz in Deutschland 

At the AI event, which took place at the CityCube in Berlin, Agnes Heftberger, Corporate Vice President and CEO of Microsoft Germany, together with Satya Nadella, launched the ‘Allianz für KI-Kompetenz in Deutschland’. The aim of this initiative is to strengthen the German economy through a joint further training offensive in the field of artificial intelligence and to give employees access to necessary AI skills in order to secure Germany's innovation and competitiveness. 

The IU Group, the parent company of IU International University of Applied Sciences, has already joined the ‘Allianz für KI-Kompetenz in Deutschland’. 

Further information on the ‘Allianz für KI-Kompetenz in Deutschland’ at the Microsoft AI Tour 2024 in Berlin is available here in the Microsoft News Center.

Dr Sven Schütt, CEO of IU International University of Applied Sciences and CEO of the IU Group, who spoke to experts on the customer panel, emphasises: 

“Generative AI tools will revolutionize the way we learn by unlocking the personal potential of learners across the globe. It enables individualized learning paths, tailored support, and deeper knowledge acquisition while opening new career opportunities. We are thrilled that Microsoft is partnering with IU to initiate a transformation in AI-powered learning with the IU Copilot School featuring Microsoft.”

Link  to the digital IU press kit.

Link to more information about the IU Copilot School featuring Microsoft.

Link to press release about the launch of IU Copilot School featuring Microsoft from 26 June 2024. 

Erfurt, 10 October 2024: Following its foundation in June 2024 with its focus on IT and technical subjects, the IU Copilot School featuring Microsoft (IUCP) welcomed its first students at the beginning of September. Now, IUCP will be expanding its range of courses to include ten new degree programmes in the fields of business and management, marketing and communication, human resources and law as well as design and media; these include programmes such as Business Administration (B.A.), Social Media (B.A.), New Work (B.A.) and UX Design (B.A.). The IUCP is thus pursuing the goal of making AI-supported learning interdisciplinary and accessible to a larger, AI-savvy target group. 

The IU Copilot School focuses on a holistic educational approach that enables students to combine the proven advantages of the IU distance learning programme, such as full flexibility, with the potential of the AI productivity tool Microsoft 365 Copilot. In the future, IUCP will offer more than 250 practice-oriented online programmes (bachelor's and master's) that impart state-of-the-art knowledge in forward-looking subjects such as Applied Artificial Intelligence as well as in subjects that are always in high demand, such as Business Administration or Social Media. 

AI skills for students of all disciplines 

The long-term goal of the IU Copilot School is for all students to study at a standardised AI competence level in the future. This includes even students who are not from IT or AI-related fields, ensuring that they also have access to essential AI skills.

"Key competences such as AI prompting, digital problem-solving skills and data analysis will soon be just as indispensable as today's MS Office skills. IU is a leader in teaching these future skills. Future graduates of the IU Copilot School who master these skills will gain a significant competitive advantage on the labour market," says Dr Sven Schütt, CEO of IU International University of Applied Sciences. 

Integrated in the future: Microsoft 365 Copilot and AI Learning Buddy 

Microsoft 365 Copilot helps students to largely automate repetitive tasks such as creating tables of contents and references. Copilot can also summarise content from lectures or live events (Teams meetings) and translate texts. The functions are integrated directly into MS Office applications, offering a simplified user experience so that students can create templates directly in Word or receive programming suggestions for external programmes such as Python in Excel. 

IU's personalised learning buddy, Syntea, will also soon be seamlessly integrated into Microsoft 365 Copilot. Syntea provides students with targeted support with knowledge tests, exam training and questions about course content. In the future, IUCP students will be able to use both AI tools in combination with MS Office to achieve their study goals even more efficiently. 

Overview of all ten new Bachelor's and Master's programmes by subject area: 

Business & Management 
• Business Administration | 180 ECTS | German | B.A. 
• Master of Business Administration | 90 ECTS | German & English | MBA 
• International Management | 180 ECTS | German & English | B.A. 
• Master of Business Administration | 60 ECTS | German & English | MBA 
• AI in Business | 180 ECTS | English | B.Sc. 
 

Marketing & Communication 
• Marketing | 180 ECTS | German | B.A. 
• Social Media | 180 ECTS | German | B.A. 
 

Human Resources & Law 
• New Work | 180 ECTS | German | B.A. 
 

IT & Technology 
• Business Informatics | 180 ECTS | German | B.Sc. 
 

Design & Media 
• UX Design | 180 ECTS | German | B.A. 

Further information on the IU Copilot School featuring Microsoft can be found at: 
https://www.iu-copilot.org/en/lp/copilot/ 

Press release on the founding of the IU Copilot School featuring Microsoft dated 26 June 2024: 
https://www.iu.de/news/en/iu-international-university-of-applied-sciences-launches-iu-copilot-school-featuring-microsoft/

Erfurt, 15 July 2024. AI learning buddy “Syntea”, developed by IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU), demonstrates how artificial intelligence (AI) can take education to a whole new level. It has been in use as a personal learning assistant in almost all IU online courses since mid-2023 and makes learning more effective, faster and sustainable. The advanced use of AI technologies and the significant contribution that Syntea makes to the personalisation and democratisation of education have received both national and international recognition, as demonstrated by two recent awards: German Mittelstand e.V. presented the AI solution with the GM Innovation Award 2024 in Munich on 8 July, and a few days earlier, IU received the British Global EdTech Award 2024 for Syntea in the category for “Best AI Integration”.

"Syntea is a significant step in our mission to make education more accessible and personalised. Through the meaningful use of cutting-edge AI, we can offer our students a personalised learning experience that was not possible in higher education before," says Dr Sven Schütt, CEO of IU. "The awards are a real honour for us and reaffirm our commitment to transforming the educational landscape through innovative approaches to technology and learning and preparing people worldwide for the demands of the new AI age." 

The success of Syntea is based on the intensive collaboration between education experts, AI professionals and technology developers at IU, led by Quintus Stierstorfer, Director Synthetic Teaching. Syntea uses the latest technical language models and is constantly being further developed. Students benefit from an interactive, dialogue-based and dynamic learning environment that supports them on their way to a successful university degree. 

In recent years, IU has established itself as a leading institution in the integration of technology in the education sector. With a wide range of online degree programmes, a strong focus on digital learning methods and most recently, the founding of the IU Copilot School featuring Microsoft, IU has revolutionised the education market and is setting new standards for the future of learning. 

About the awards 

The Global EdTech Awards recognise the world's leading EdTech companies, products and projects for their contribution to digital education. IU received the award for the best AI integration. The award ceremony took place on 20 June 2024 in London. 

The GM Innovation Award is presented by the German Mittelstand e.V. to inspiring innovations by entrepreneurs. Among other things, the degree of innovation, the willingness to take risks and the economic, ecological and social impact are taken into account in the assessment. The award ceremony took place as part of the GM Summer Summit '24 on 8 July 2024 in Munich. 

About Syntea 

Syntea is an AI-supported learning buddy developed by IU International University of Applied Sciences specifically for the needs of its students. It supports students individually in achieving their learning goals by adapting to their learning pace and rhythm, continuously tracking their learning progress and helping to identify and close knowledge gaps. 

Syntea offers four main functions: Firstly, Syntea identifies students' strengths and weaknesses. Secondly, students can get reliable answers to specialised questions about specific courses around the clock. Thirdly, students can prepare specifically for exams and receive personalised feedback directly. Finally, Syntea maintains an interactive dialogue with the student and constantly asks new questions, which continue until the subject matter is fully understood.

However, Syntea offers more than just AI capabilities: As a mixture of tutor and mentor, this personalised avatar adapts to the individual preferences of the learner. In the future, it will be possible to control Syntea by voice command. 

Further information on Syntea can be found at: https://www.iu.de/en/syntea/

Erfurt, 26 June 2024: IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU), Germany's largest university with more than 130,000 students, has launched the IU Copilot School (IUCP) featuring Microsoft. IU and Microsoft collaborate to make education more accessible with the help of AI and to provide students with the necessary future skills for the new age of AI. With the IUCP, IU is creating a new, unique higher education model that is tailored to students' individual abilities and optimally supports them in their personal academic progress using AI.
 

"We are proud to have Microsoft on our side as a partner for the democratisation of education in the coming AI era. With the creation of the IU Copilot School, we are making a paradigm shift in education that enables continuous and integrated learning. By using Microsoft 365 Copilot, we are improving the learning experience of students as they study and we prepare them with the skills they need for a future, in which we all work together with AI", says Dr Sven Schütt, CEO of IU International University of Applied Sciences.

“IU International University of Applied Sciences is a leader in the application of AI for personalised learning and the teaching of AI skills across all disciplines. With its seamless integration of Microsoft 365 Copilot, IU Copilot School impressively demonstrates the understanding of forward-thinking education and empowers future employees through the use of AI", explains Alexander Britz, Public Sector Lead at Microsoft Germany. 

Integrated learning with Microsoft 365 Copilot in more than 250 online courses 

The IU Copilot School will launch its first study programmes in the German market in October 2024. Candidates can apply now. With the launch of IUCP, students will have the opportunity to choose from existing IU online degree programmes, such as B.Sc. Applied Artificial Intelligence, with a focus on the use of the AI-supported productivity tool Microsoft 365 Copilot, including a license for Microsoft 365 and Microsoft 365 Copilot. IUCP prepares its future students for an integrated learning experience that equips them with useful skills in Copilot 's application throughout their studies. 

IU will successively integrate all suitable study programmes offered in distance learning into the IUCP. In the future, IUCP students will be able to choose from more than 250 bachelor's and master's programmes. 

IUCP combines formal learning and AI support 

Microsoft 365 Copilot provides an innovative learning experience for IUCP students: It combines formal learning focused on an educational goal with hands-on learning supported by AI. In addition, with M365 Copilot, students have the opportunity to be among the first in Europe to extensively use an AI tool that will be widely adopted by companies worldwide in the future. 

Microsoft 365 Copilot is directly integrated into the user interface of Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint. This allows IU Copilot School students to benefit from a variety of features in their everyday study life: The tool makes it easy to search and summarise information from various sources in the Microsoft ecosystem, for example in Teams channels or Outlook. In addition, Microsoft 365 Copilot supports students in the creation, formatting and translation of Word documents, PowerPoint presentations and Excel spreadsheets. In this way, Microsoft 365 Copilot not only serves as a source of inspiration and problem solving for students, but also promotes creativity in projects and tasks. 

Syntea and Microsoft 365 Copilot: the best of two AI worlds 

IU plans to fully integrate its self-developed Syntea into Microsoft 365 Copilot by the end of the year. This will allow IUCP students to seamlessly access all Syntea functions within the MS Office interface. With the help of the AI-powered learning companion Syntea, they will have direct support in the tool. Through interactive and personal conversations, Syntea will assist students to reach their individual learning objectives any time of the day. 

At the same time, IUCP students can profit from all the advantages of Copilot for Microsoft 365 and thus benefit from powerful language models such as the Microsoft Azure Open AI Service. 

Thanks to the close co-operation with Microsoft, the AI learning buddy Syntea will always make optimal use of the most advanced AI technology to personalise learning. IUCP will also adapt its learning offerings to the latest trends and skills of the AI era. 

Further information on the IU Copilot School featuring Microsoft at: 
https://www.iu-copilot.org/en/lp/lp-copilot/

Information on the benefits and functions of the AI learning companion Syntea at: 
https://www.iu-copilot.org/en/studies/syntea/

All previously published press releases from IU International University of Applied Sciences about Syntea at: 
https://www.iu.de/news/en/?h=1&t=Syntea 

ABOUT MICROSOFT  

Microsoft Deutschland GmbH, established in 1983 as a subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation (Redmond, U.S.A.), employs over 3,000 employees in Germany across seven locations: Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Cologne, Munich, Stuttgart, and Walldorf. Together with our 30,000 partners in Germany, we support businesses with innovative solutions for the intelligent cloud and the Intelligent Edge, enabling them to thrive in the digital transformation and the era of artificial intelligence. Microsoft is also a global leader in areas such as productive AI-driven software solutions, IT security, innovative hardware, and development platforms based on open-source technology. Through our career network LinkedIn, we connect more than 950 million people worldwide, and with Xbox and Game Pass, we provide a cross-platform gaming experience. Microsoft invests in expanding AI infrastructure, cloud capacity, and the qualification of professionals in Germany. Collaborating with politics, economy, and academia, we participate in diverse initiatives and projects, ensuring that everyone can partake in the progress of the digital society.

Since October 2023, Syntea has been supporting distance learning students at IU International University of Applied Sciences in more than 1,000 online courses as an AI companion. The approximately 4,000 students currently registered at the IU Academy now also use this online course system and can therefore access Syntea.

Sven Schütt, CEO of IU Group and IU International University of Applied Sciences, emphasises the relevance of AI-supported learning for the continuing education sector: 

"With the expansion of our AI learning assistant Syntea to IU's continuing education programme, we are taking another step towards our goal of democratising education. Conventional learning methods in continuing education do not always meet the personal needs of learners. For example, this could be people who have not studied for years and have little learning routine or experience with digital learning media. The highly intuitive use of Syntea also empowers these learners so that they can continue their education in a way that suits their personal prior knowledge, needs and learning pace."

The IU Academy's further training programme is aimed at employees who want to develop professionally and personally and prepare for the changing job world of the future. It is also aimed at jobseekers who want to improve their chances in the labour market through subsidised further training. For jobseekers, 100 per cent of the training costs are covered by the employment agency via an education voucher.

Round-the-clock answers and interactive learning

Syntea is optionally available to Academy participants in their course books on the myCampus learning platform. The AI application integrates seamlessly into the learning interface as a speech bubble at the bottom right of the screen. The AI learning assistant is available in almost all of the IU Academy's more than 600 online continuing education courses and offers numerous functions. For example, users can ask Syntea questions about specific course content via the chat function and receive answers based on the content of the IU courses around the clock. 

However, IU's self-developed Syntea is more than just a generative AI that uses, among other things, large language models (LLMs). Syntea also acts as a personal avatar that can be controlled via voice functions and uses interactive dialogues and a proactive approach to ensure that learners remain motivated and achieve their learning goals at their own pace and according to their personal needs.

Better internalisation of learning content

Feedback from academy participants who have already been able to use and try out Syntea, reports positive effects on their learning experience:

• Users report that Syntea helps them to answer questions so that the learning content can be better internalised through repeated questions.
• Others report that Syntea responds quickly and provides both concise and detailed answers, and that questions can be asked repeatedly so that answers can be explained more easily.
• Others are positive about the attention they receive through Syntea and that Syntea is also entertaining.

"Academy participants are already benefiting from IU International University of Applied Sciences’ many years of experience with innovative online courses and can currently acquire knowledge in over 600 online courses that will sustainably increase their job opportunities on the labour market. This flexible and personalised offer is further enhanced by the use of our AI learning buddy, Syntea and is particularly beneficial for those who would like additional support with their learning," says Franziska Bader, Director of the IU Academy.

Further information on Syntea can be found at: https://www.iu.de/syntea

About the IU Academy

The IU Academy offers innovative, state-recognised online continuing education at university level. It is part of Germany's largest university, IU International University of Applied Sciences, with over 20 years of experience in digital education. The IU Academy's continuing education courses support jobseekers, employees, people returning to work and career changers on their path to a future-proof job through certified continuing education courses with a focus on the labour market. IU Academy participants learn digitally, regardless of time and place, on a full-time or part-time basis and with personal support from coaches, career advisors and lecturers. Online students can learn and network on site, at any of the IU Academy's nationwide locations with free WiFi and learning areas.

Further information on the IU Academy can be found at: https://www.iu-akademie.de/

This first research tested whether the use of the AI-supported learning assistant Syntea, which was made available in almost all IU online courses in October 2023, influences the learning progress of distance learning students. 

Analysis by the IU research team shows that by using Syntea, the average time taken by IU distance learners to complete a course reduced by 27 per cent compared to baseline. This means that for a three-year bachelor programme students will be able to save almost 10 months of their study time. This is based on the assumption that this effect will be extrapolated on the total study time. 

Dr Sven Schütt, CEO, of IU International University of Applied Sciences, emphasises the importance of the study results:

“This landmark study underscores the revolutionary impact our AI learning companion Syntea is having on higher education. And as we continue to innovate, that impact will only increase. The findings suggest that education is on the brink of unprecedented improvement, paving the way for possibilities we couldn't have imagined just a year ago. Extrapolating this finding to the 15-year educational journey of the average bachelor student implies the potential to accelerate in average 4 years of education, opening up completely new opportunities to reshape our education system.” 

The research focused on the new Syntea feature, “Exam Trainer” which was released for several IU courses (around 40) in October 2023, continuing the history of the LLM (large language models) enabled innovation Syntea started in early 2022. In the future, it is planned that the trainer function will be available for half of IU’s courses. The trainer feature prepares students for the exam giving them the next exam-like question, thus providing personal feedback in the same style as you would have in the exam. By doing so, IU students receive a lot more feedback compared to students at other universities, which helps them progress faster.

(Source: D. Fabietti,  G. Nirmal, M. Möller, S. Schütt, H. Sommerfeldt, Q. Stierstorfer, M. Zakhvatkin (2024). ”Revolutionising Distance Learning: A Comparative Study of Learning Progress with AI-Driven Tutoring”, IU International University of Applied Sciences) 

The research paper “Revolutionising Distance Learning: A Comparative Study of Learning Progress with AI-Driven Tutoring” can be downloaded here. 

Press release on the Syntea rollout in October 2023.

About Syntea 

Syntea, the AI learning buddy developed by the IU, is designed for the students. Linked to the IU Learn app and available in almost all courses, Syntea offers an innovative learning experience. As a sophisticated, personalised AI learning assistant, Syntea responds to learners' needs and preferences. The AI learning buddy adapts to students' learning pace and rhythm, tracks their progress and helps them to identify and close knowledge learning gaps. 

Syntea comes with four main functions: Pre-Assessment to identify strengths and weaknesses, Question-Answering for immediate exam-relevant answers (after prior review by human teachers), Exam Trainer for personalised exam preparation and Deep Dialogue Learning for interactive dialogues to deepen understanding. 

The AI-supported learning buddy Syntea is now available as a public demo version in the ChatGPT store at the following link: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-P5olqoCPc-syntea

Further information on Syntea can be found at: https://www.iu.org/how-online-studies-work/syntea/ 
 

Erfurt, Germany, 21 November 2023. IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU), the largest university in Germany with more than 100,000 students, is a pioneer in the use of AI in education. As the first and so far only university in Germany, it is now using AI-supported learning on an even larger scale for its students. After the learning buddy Syntea, which was specially developed by IU, was introduced for the first time in all English-language online courses in November 2022, German-speaking students will now also benefit from the AI-supported learning assistance. By the end of September 2023, Syntea will be available in more than 1,100 online courses. Complementing the academic teaching with more than 670 professors and over 1,000 tutors, lecturers and study advisors, Syntea presents itself as a valuable optional additional offer for students. IU thus underlines its leading role in personalised, digital education that is accessible to all people.

"Our AI-based learning buddy is a milestone on the road to modern higher education. It represents our core belief that we can fundamentally change education for the better through the use of technology and enables us to think learning in a completely new way: students can now ask their individual questions online and receive an answer immediately - no matter where they are and when they are learning. This brings us a big step closer to our mission of making education as individual as possible," says Dr Sven Schütt, CEO of IU International University of Applied Sciences.

Syntea acts as a sophisticated, personalised AI learning assistant that responds to learners' needs and preferences. Syntea provides answers to individually posed questions about the learning material in a matter of seconds, which are checked by teachers in a short time. In doing so, the AI learning buddy takes into account the learning speed of the students and adapts to their learning rhythm. In addition, the AI records the learning progress of the students through questions, enabling them to identify and close their knowledge gaps in a more targeted manner. 

"Syntea is one of the first solutions in the world to offer AI-based teaching at a high level and across many degree programmes. This concerns both the underlying generative AI technology and the dialogue-based, natural interaction with Syntea. As a personal learning buddy, Syntea accompanies our students efficiently through their studies and takes their needs into account," says Quintus Stierstorfer, Director Synthetic Teaching at IU, who is largely responsible for the development of Syntea. 

In the current Syntea version, the following two functions are available to students at IU: Question-Answering (Q&A) and Pre-Assessment. 

Q&A: Around-the-clock answers to academic questions

Question-Answering (Q&A) provides students with verified answers to their questions about academic content around the clock in an anonymous and private learning environment, allowing them to learn flexibly. Syntea refers in its answers via a link to the corresponding chapter in the online script. Students thus have the opportunity to immediately dive deeper into the topic . In addition, teachers can add further relevant content, for example further links, to the checked answers. Syntea immediately recognises questions from fellow students that have already been asked in a similar way and can directly provide suitable and already verified answers. The AI learning buddy uses natural language processing (NLP) in its answers to understand and use words as humans do.

Pre-assessment: assessing learning progress with video avatar

With pre-assessment, an AI-based assessment mechanism, students can test their level of knowledge at any time and on any topic by answering multiple-choice questions posed by Syntea. Syntea guides students through the questions and answers in the form of a talking avatar. After completing several questions, students can see which ones they answered correctly and which ones they answered incorrectly. 

The next step of the Syntea roll-out will be the introduction of further functions such as the Socratic Dialogue, in which students can enter into a natural dialogue with Syntea to stimulate active learning and critical thinking. In this process, students can ask specific questions themselves or be asked questions by Syntea to lead to knowledge gain. The Future Skills service also offers students the opportunity to choose from a range of individualised training aimed at future skills required in the labour market. Syntea is to be developed in the long term into a continuous learning support service - a personalised learning buddy - that actively encourages and motivates students to pursue their learning goals.

IU's leading role in digital and AI-enhanced learning

IU has been actively using digital learning tools in its teaching for years. For example, students at IU have been able to use the self-developed learning app IU Learn since 2021, as well as access thousands of digital learning scripts and videos. 

In order to offer students from all over the world the best possible personalised education, IU started early to develop its own AI-based offerings based on the latest technologies such as language models (LLMs) and GPT. They form the basis for the Syntea project.

IU will also offer elective courses in artificial intelligence in all degree programmes from October 2023. Students will thus have the opportunity to acquire new, essential skills in order to be prepared for the demands of the future labour market. In addition, IU's Artificial Intelligence and Data Science courses have already attracted over 2,000 new students with increasing demand.

Further information on Syntea with clear explanatory videos at: iu.de/en/syntea
 

Dr Diana Knodel, co-founder of the EdTech start-up Fobizz, highlighted the potentials and hurdles in the school sector. Representatives of the management consultancy McKinsey & Company presented surprising results from conducted AI studies. IU CEO Dr Sven Schuett, head of Germany's largest university already using its own AI solutions, shared his vision for higher education. The challenges and opportunities facing the public sector were discussed by CIO of the Federal Employment Agency, Dr Markus Schmitz. The AI Forum was moderated by Rafael Bujotzek, journalist and IT expert. 

Here are the most important findings of the event:

Education: one of the sectors potentially most affected by AI

According to a recent study by McKinsey & Company, education is one of the sectors that can benefit most from generative AI. This is because generative AI is particularly transforming work activities that require a high level of human understanding of natural language - such as communication, review, documentation and interaction with people in general - which applies to about 40 per cent of the jobs that workers do in the economy. This opens up enormous opportunities for the field of education. Fewer routine tasks give teachers more time for personal mentoring and higher productivity. AI, for example, facilitates the creation of teaching materials, reduces administrative time and provides learners with a whole new learning experience.

"The question is not whether to allow generative AI in the classroom, but how to ensure that its use is ethical and equitable, and that it does not interfere with critical thinking skills," said Andrew Goodman, senior partner at McKinsey & Company, who in his keynote at the AI Forum gave educational institutions five practical tips for the next important steps in the transformation process (see video recording).

"Using AI is a new skill. Anyone who wants to be successful in the workforce in the future needs AI skills. Teachers need to prepare students for this now," said Goodman.

Fewer barriers to access and more personalised education

Everyone should have access to education. This is the vision that drives Dr. Sven Schuett, CEO of IU International University of Applied Sciences. With IU, Schuett’s aim is to empower people worldwide to grow personally and realise themselves. The key to this is: personalised and democratised education. He sees the influence of AI as an opportunity to accelerate this process. ChatGPT & Co. can improve learning for students and make education at a higher level of quality more accessible to even more target groups.

"AI is probably the biggest disruption ever for the education sector, just as it is for the labour market. In my opinion, it is the biggest change since the invention of the internet and computers combined, and probably also the fastest humanity has ever seen," said the CEO, who is himself a pioneer in digital transformation with IU. Thanks to the early use of state-of-the-art technologies and demand-oriented offers, more students are enroled at IU International University of Applied Sciences than at any other German university.

"Artificial intelligence will impact and automate jobs at all skill and salary levels, and as it does so, the pace will accelerate, requiring much faster training where actual knowledge will become less important and meta and soft skills will become more important. That is why every learning offer should include AI," says Schuett. At IU, AI elective modules are currently being introduced for all study programmes. In addition, IU is the first university in the world to use an AI learning buddy, Syntea, which has been accompanying students in their personal learning process since the beginning of the year. At the AI Forum, Syntea developer Quintus Stierstorfer, Director Synthetic Teaching at IU, presented the digital learning buddy live, which already enables personalised education today.

Schuett's prediction: "Each of us will have a digital companion to personalise our learning journey. My closest colleague is now ChatGPT." But he also sees the hurdles to be overcome: "School systems change very slowly, but future skills and new learning opportunities are needed much faster. It should also be a social prerequisite to face change with hope and a positive attitude. There are many people who are afraid of being replaced by AI. Education, trial and error, learning opportunities and policy frameworks can counteract this."

One thing is equally important to the CEO: "Like all other powerful technologies, AI must and will be regulated. Because the technology is developing so quickly, it is currently difficult to say what restrictions there will be. From a European perspective, we should be careful not to overregulate it so that Europe doesn't regulate itself out of the game in this most important technological disruption." 

In his presentation at the AI Forum, Sven Schuett presented ten major challenges in the education sector that could be solved with the help of AI (see video recording in German language).

Teaching and learning AI skills already at school

EdTech start-up founder Dr Diana Knodel has also recognised how important it is to learn how to use AI and new technologies and to teach them to our youngest generations. With Fobizz, she developed a platform for further training and a range of digital tools for teachers and schools. This also includes a GDPR-compliant ChatGPT version for schools, which already has over 100,000 users.

"We want to bring AI into schools as quickly as possible and across the board - not only as a topic, but above all as a learning technology. This requires above all training and further education offers for teachers as well as clear framework conditions from the legislation, which must still leave enough room for experimentation," said Knodel.

She is aware that the road to this point will be a long one. Many federal states have shown a desire to integrate AI into teaching and to include it in the curriculum, but this is often not possible due to a lack of acceptance and openness as well as restrictive regulations.

"What could help would be if the federal government also provided budget for joint projects with other EdTech start-ups as part of its Digital Pact. That way we could bring learning tools to schools much faster," said Knodel.

Diana Knodel expressed her position and other demands at the AI Forum (see video recording in German language).

Tailored offers for jobseekers

The Federal Employment Agency also welcomes the transformation process. Thanks to AI-supported systems, time-consuming tasks such as checking study certificates, matching job seekers and those offering jobs or reading hundreds of thousands of job advertisements can be simplified and optimised by machines. Generative AI offers, among other things, the chance to determine precisely fitting offers and the demand on the job market in the shortest possible time. At the AI Forum, CIO Dr. Markus Schmitz presented the strategic foundation for using AI at his Agency, linked to voluntarily imposed data ethics guidelines and processes (see video recording in German language).

"We are definitely aware of our responsibility for the handling and use of sensitive data and do everything we can to make the technical processes secure and unprejudiced," said Schmitz, who sees the AI Forum as an important building block for the transformation of society as a whole: "We in the public sector often have the regulatory debate, where people only ever discuss what is not possible. It was great today to simply talk about the possibilities we have - of course always with the risks in mind. We should have this debate much more often in Germany and make it a social issue. It should not just be a dialogue between experts - it has been for many years. Events like this help to democratise the debate and thus make an important contribution."

All recordings from the AI Forum "Next Level Learning: AI in Education and the World of Work" as well as further background information on the topic at: iu.de/ki-forum-2023

For interviews, background discussions or a demonstration of the AI-supported learning buddy Syntea, we will be happy to put you in touch with the speakers.
 

Erfurt, 11 May 2023. According to the current short study “Learning with AI. Use of ChatGPT and the like for Learning.” by the IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU), a quarter of respondents (24.8 percent) have had experience with AI bots such as ChatGPT, Jasper Chat or Neuroflash. As the study shows, these tools are already quite popular among learners: more than a third of the respondents (34.9 percent) who use these AI bots use them for studying or learning. The learners use the AI bots primarily for research: 59.8 percent said they applied them for research or brainstorming. In addition, respondents who use these tools for learning stated "interest/curiosity" (49.8 percent) or "learning new skills" (47.5 percent) as reasons for use. 

A full 40.7 percent of the survey participants who use AI tools such as ChatGPT for learning use them to write texts for their studies. Just under a third (29.5 percent) use them to prepare for exams. 

More than half of AI bot users apply these tools to answer general questions (51.4 percent); other respondents use them for fun (47.9 percent). 

AI tools such as ChatGPT are also very popular as work assistants: 32.9 percent of respondents use them for work.

One in five experiences artificial intelligence in everyday learning 

According to the IU study, 21.5 percent of respondents have already consciously experienced AI in learning, however 25.3 percent are not sure whether AI was involved. 

Prof. Dr. Kamal Bhattacharya, Professor of Computer Science and Pro-Rector, Research and Transfer, at IU International University of Applied Sciences, says: 

“Artificial intelligence has been at work in the background for some time, whether in search engines, speech recognition or navigation systems. ChatGPT is the first successful attempt to establish an AI initially used only in science as a widely available and direct dialogue partner for humans. ChatGPT is seeing faster growth in the number of users than any other tool in the history of the internet. However, it takes time and familiarisation to use AI bots in a meaningful way that adds value. We have to learn how to shift from just using the bot to search for information to engaging in dialogue with it in order to work out answers together. New users may therefore be overwhelmed at first.” 

Personal support from special learning assistants meets broad approval

A digital learning assistant can support users at any time with questions about the learning material. It interacts with the student and adapts to their learning progress. 

More than half of those surveyed (51.0 percent) can imagine "personal support" in school/university or training by a learning assistant over a longer period of time . 

For 53.6 percent, the advantage of "flexibility in terms of time and space" is the most frequently cited benefit.

The second most frequently cited advantage by respondents was “easier research”, followed by “a lower inhibition threshold when asking questions” (40.8 percent). Also highly rated by a good third of the survey participants are the aspects of "more motivation through the playful learning experience" (30.2 percent) and "better understanding of contexts of related content" (29.8 percent). 

"ChatGPT already possesses amazing capabilities when it comes to finding consistent answers to problems in many fields, and it seems to know at least something about everything. But to some extent it is a universal tool and not specialised in one area. In order to meet current and future requirements for AI-supported learning, much more than domain-specific knowledge is needed, and learning behaviour should also be modelled. Users learn in a variety of ways. And the learning assistants of the near future offer the possibility of personalising learning through dialogue.” 

Learning assistant at IU: Syntea 

At IU International University of Applied Sciences, the learning assistant Syntea accompanies students on their individual learning journey. Syntea is an AI-driven teaching and learning assistant that is currently available to more than 10,000 IU students and will soon be made available to the entire IU student body. Syntea is designed to enable personalised interaction with students and improve their learning outcomes. 

In doing so, it takes into account the current state of knowledge and answers personal questions about the subject matter at any time. In this way, students receive around-the-clock support with their study questions and can thus learn even better at their personal learning pace and rhythm. 

IU is the only university in the world that uses a learning assistant in all English-language programmes. For more information about Syntea, please open this press release. 

ABOUT THE STUDY

For the short study “Learning with AI. Use of ChatGPT and the like for Learning.” by IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU), 1,205 participants in Germany aged 16 to 65 were surveyed representatively by age and gender between 21.02.2023 and 23.02.2023. The factsheet on the IU study is available here.
 

Syntea, a specially developed learning assistant, has been in use at the IU since last year. This learning assistant also uses AI, but goes one step further than an AI chatbot: Syntea uses a question-answer system to determine the students' personal level of knowledge and answers individual questions about the learning material. Since the answers come directly from the virtual learning library of the IU International University of Applied Sciences and are approved by tutors within 24 hours, they are academically validated and thus relevant for exams. In addition, Syntea enters into dialogue with the students by asking questions in turn in order to query the learning material and interact with the students.

The Rector of IU, Prof. Dr. Holger Sommerfeldt, emphasises: "Syntea offers an interactive and personalised learning experience that will positively accompany learning progress. Our university has been an innovator in digital learning tools for years and is already actively integrating them into teaching."

SYNTEA Question-Answering: Revolutionising Student Interaction

The QA (Question-Answering) tool, one of Syntea's core capabilities, is designed to transform the way students interact with course content and professors. By allowing students to ask questions about their course materials 24/7, the QA tool not only helps them clarify questions from the course book, but also unlocks full study flexibility. The answers provided by Syntea are approved by human tutors within 24 hours, so they can be used in exams. This guarantees each individual student success in their learning. 

Along with the answers, Syntea also sends links to the relevant materials from the vast virtual library of IU course materials. This helps students to dive deep quickly and easily into the topics and set their own learning focus.  

Syntea can also be seamlessly integrated into a wide range of channels such as web-applications, chat-clients and mobile devices. Due to its conversational interface, students can interact with Syntea in a very natural and intuitive way.  

Let Syntea introduce itself

Get to know Syntea by starting the video.

Leveraging the power of state-of-the-art NLP models, the QA tool currently utilises GPT version 3.5 and is set to receive a significant upgrade with the introduction of GPT4. Currently, we observe overly positive feedback with 85% of answers being rated as helpful by our users. Additionally, we ensure correctness and exam-relevance through human tutor verification of Syntea´s answers. In 65% of cases the original answer is approved and in the remaining cases tutors improve the answers or enrich them with additional details and examples. 

While the system already works great on the latest ChatGPT model, the introduction of GPT4 enhances the tool's capabilities and effectiveness in boosting accuracy of answers even further. We see increasing numbers of questions coming in from students compared to our classical channels, which demonstrates its wide adoption and positive impact on student learning experiences. 

3,500+ questions in 180 courses in the past 3 months via Syntea QA (March 2023)

Syntea Exam Trainer: Enhancing Preparation & Confidence

The Trainer tool, another valuable component of Syntea focuses on improving exam preparation for students. In providing students with exam-like questions and offering personalised feedback on their responses throughout the course, Trainer is a powerful tool to support learners' study progress. By simulating real exam conditions, Trainer helps students develop a deeper understanding of the subject matter and refine their problem-solving skills. Additionally, students gain a clearer understanding of areas they should concentrate their learning efforts on and when they are well prepared to take the final exam, providing them with greater confidence and success in their education journey.  

Trainer has been initially rolled out in selected courses. The tool has shown great promise, and plans for expanding it across more courses are underway.  

The Future of Learning: Socratic Teaching and Future Skills Training

IU’s commitment to advancing online education extends to further innovative features with successful proof of concepts, specifically Socratic Teaching and Future Skills training. These components aim to revolutionise the learning experience by fostering student engagement, critical thinking, and preparation for their professional career. 

Socratic Teaching, inspired by the methods of the philosopher Socrates, uses a dialogue to impart knowledge and encourage students to think critically. By adopting this approach, Syntea's Socratic Teaching feature will create more engaging and interactive learning experiences, challenging students to reflect on their understanding of course material.  

The Future Skills Training component of Syntea supports students preparing for rapidly evolving demands in the job landscape. As AI tools become increasingly prevalent it is crucial to equip students with the skills necessary to navigate future challenges. Instead of merely memorizing content, students need to internalise competencies such as engaging in win-win negotiations or fostering creativity. The Future Skills Training addresses these needs by providing immersive, real-life-like training experiences, enabling students to develop the essential skills required to excel in their future careers. 

Both Socratic Teaching and Future Skills Training are currently in test phase, with promising feedback and potential impact on student learning. As these features are further developed and integrated into the Syntea platform, IU International University of Applied Sciences will continue to lead the way providing innovative teaching solutions to offer the most personalised and flexible education for our students.  

IU International University of Applied Sciences is pioneering online education by integrating AI-powered solutions like Syntea. By leveraging cutting-edge NLP technologies like GPT models, we create a more personalised, engaging, and effective learning environment. 

Syntea's diverse capabilities, including the QA tool, Exam Trainer, Socratic Teaching, and Future Skills Training, demonstrate our commitment to fostering critical thinking and adaptability among our students. As we refine these innovative tools, we empower learners globally with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in an ever-evolving workforce. 

At IU, we are proud to be at the forefront of the AI-enhanced learning revolution. By continually pushing the boundaries of what is possible with AI technology in higher education, we remain dedicated to providing our students with the best possible learning experience, ensuring their success now and in the future.