ITU co-led project on responsible AI in education awarded DKK 5 million
New collaboration between IT University of Copenhagen and the University of Southern Denmark will develop and test new teaching and assessment approaches to ensure students acquire essential competencies in an AI-driven world. The project is funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation.
Claus BrabrandCollaborationsResearchgrantsartificial intelligence
Written 3 November, 2026 07:45 by Theis Duelund Jensen
Generative artificial intelligence is changing how software engineering is taught. Students can now use AI tools to generate working code and software solutions in minutes. How can universities ensure that students develop the knowledge, judgement and professional competencies they need when AI can perform many of the tasks traditionally used for learning?
A new three-year research project, PREPARE – Pedagogical Alignment for Responsible AI in Software Engineering Education, seeks to address this challenge. The project has received approximately DKK 5 million in funding from the Novo Nordisk Foundation and brings together researchers from the IT University of Copenhagen (ITU) and the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) from 2027 to 2030.
Rethinking education for the age of AI
PREPARE combines two complementary research perspectives.
At SDU, the project is led by Associate Professor Adam Alami and focuses on an Agency-First approach. The aim is to ensure that students remain in control when working with AI systems. While AI may perform substantial parts of the technical work, students must be able to direct the technology, critically evaluate its outputs, verify results and take responsibility for decisions and outcomes.
At ITU, the project is led by Professor Claus Brabrand and the Center for Computing Education Research (CCER). Here, the focus is on rethinking educational design through the lens of constructive alignment. This involves redesigning intended learning outcomes, teaching and learning activities, and assessment methods to ensure that students develop the intended competencies, even in contexts where AI tools are readily available.
“AI challenges some of the fundamental assumptions on which we have built software engineering education,” says Professor Claus Brabrand.
“When AI can perform tasks that students previously had to complete themselves in order to learn, we need to rethink learning objectives, teaching activities and examinations. The issue is not simply whether to allow or prohibit AI, but how to ensure that students continue to develop the competencies they need.”
From research to educational practice
As part of the project, researchers will redesign, implement and evaluate six undergraduate and postgraduate Software Engineering courses across the two universities. The project will develop and test new teaching activities, learning materials and assessment formats designed specifically for AI-supported learning environments.
The ambition is to move beyond the current debate about whether AI should be permitted in education and instead establish evidence-based approaches for integrating AI responsibly into teaching and learning.
“The funding gives us a unique opportunity to translate our research on teaching and learning into concrete changes in educational practice,” says Claus Brabrand.
“We will be able to systematically develop, test and evaluate new forms of teaching and assessment that reflect the reality in which AI has become an integral part of software development.”
The project will only be carried out in courses where the institution, teaching staff and line management have formally approved participation. Theis Duelund Jensen, Press Officer, phone +45 2555 0447, email thej@itu.dk