AI Pioneers - AI and the future of Education
Specific programme: KA220-HED - Cooperation partnerships in higher education
Grant Agreement: 2025-1-NL01-KA220-HED-000355215
Research team:
Manuel Graña Romay (Principal Investigator)
Anna Kaminska Chuchmala
Jose Manuel Lopez Guede
Borja Fernandez Gauna
Jose David Nuñez Gonzalez
Ekaitz Zulueta Guerrero
Josu Mayora Oria
Julian Estevez Sanz
Xabier Larrucea Uriarte
Partner entities:
STICHTING IHEDELFT INSTITUTE FOR WATER EDUCATION (Netherlands) (Project Leader)
Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU))
POLYTECHNEIO KRITIS (Greece)
Total budget: 400.000 € (UPV/EHU:106.000,00 €)
Project start: 01/10/2025
Project end: 30/09/2028
Total project duration: 36 months
Project summary:
In today’s rapidly evolving world, society is being reshaped by two interlinked phenomena: digital transformation driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and the urgent, far-reaching impacts of climate change. Studies highlight how extreme events—such as floods and droughts—are increasingly common due to human-induced warming.
The Global Water Monitor 2024 report underscores how these phenomena have caused massive displacement and economic loss, with millions facing water insecurity. Simultaneously, 86% of students are incorporating AI into their studies, based on the findings of the 2024 Global AI Student Survey conducted by the Digital Education Council.
Against this backdrop, our project emerges as both timely and essential. Society now demands educational institutions that are agile, digitally proficient, and environmentally responsive.
The project addresses two core needs: integrating advanced AI tools like Large Language Models and machine learning into education, and addressing the urgent environmental challenges posed by climate change. These technologies create an opportunity for educators to design interactive, personalized learning experiences, promoting digital literacy and critical thinking. At the same time, they allow real-world applications of environmental data to address the growing challenges of droughts, floods, and climate adaptation.
Our project leverages IHE’s expertise in water management, particularly using real-time remote sensing data and advanced modeling to understand floods and droughts. Additionally, our Mediterranean partner, Technical University of Crete (TU Greece), brings essential regional expertise. TU Greece, located in a drought-prone region highly dependent on groundwater, has developed leading training on predictive modeling and water scarcity.
La Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), complements these efforts through its research in environmental science and data analytics.
By applying machine learning techniques to remote sensing data, our project ensures students not only gain theoretical knowledge but also hands-on skills in the latest climate modeling and environmental problem-solving methods. Furthermore, our project demonstrates how AI can transform education. Rather than just updating teaching tools, we aim to rethink how education is delivered. AI-driven systems enhance accessibility, streamline learning, and improve outcomes, as seen in recent studies from the University of Hong Kong and EDUCAUSE. This proposal envisions a scalable, adaptable educational framework that, once implemented, will continue to make an impact long after the project’s lifecycle.
More information on the programme:
Cooperation partnerships - Erasmus+
Additional information