In May, an international gathering of experts in Artificial Intelligence in Education will take place, featuring Professor César Alberto Collazos, a member of the AIED Unplugged Network. This reflective space will focus on the development of more inclusive and usable platforms to transform educational processes—an urgent matter in today’s global context.

Professor César Alberto Collazos represents the Universidad del Cauca in the AIED Unplugged Network, a UNESCO initiative supported by the Federal University of Alagoas (UFAL) and the University of São Paulo (USP). “This initiative addresses growing disparities in access to Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED) by developing innovative, infrastructure-independent solutions, ensuring that AI’s transformative power reaches all students regardless of their socioeconomic status,” stated the Unicauca professor, who also leads the Research and Development Group in Software Engineering (IDIS) in the Faculty of Electronic Engineering and Telecommunications.

Rooted in principles of equity and inclusion, AIED Unplugged aims to build bridges between continents through South-South and North-South-South cooperation with partners from South America, Africa, and Asia, as well as globally renowned institutions. According to Professor Collazos, the first meeting will take place in May to begin shaping the initiative’s roadmap. The goal is to evaluate current AI technologies used in education and to develop more inclusive and usable platforms that enhance educational processes—while also creating new research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, especially in the areas led by the IDIS group.

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“Through research, webinars, publications, and interactive workshops, the initiative will foster international dialogue to share best practices and advocate for sustainable solutions to improve education quality,” said Professor Collazos. As part of the UNESCO Chair initiative, this effort brings together partners, experts, educators, and students to democratize access to AI in education, particularly in regions with limited digital infrastructure.

Proud of Unicauca’s participation in this global initiative? Here are the experts involved in AIED Unplugged:

• Yu Lu, Beijing Normal University (China)
• Paul Prinsloo, University of South Africa (Africa)
• Olga Santos, International Artificial Intelligence in Education Society (IAIED) (Spain)
• María M. Rodrigo, Ateneo de Manila University (Philippines)
• César Collazos, Universidad del Cauca (Colombia)
• Katiene Symone de Brito Pessoa, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (Brazil)
• Isabela Gasparini, State University of Santa Catarina (Brazil)
• Helena Macedo Reis, Federal University of Paraná (Brazil)
• Elaine Harada, Federal University of Amazonas (Brazil)
• Ig Ibert Bittencourt, Federal University of Alagoas (Brazil)
• Seiji Isotani, University of São Paulo (Brazil)

It is a true honor for our university—Patrimony of All—to have experts such as Professor César Alberto Collazos representing our institution. His commitment and trajectory are a testament to the academic and research excellence that defines Universidad del Cauca. His role in international networks like AIED Unplugged not only elevates our global presence but also contributes to the development of more inclusive, innovative, and transformative education.

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Want to learn more? Visit the official website: https://unesco.nees.ufal.br/
Don't be surprised to see the Unicauca logo among the partner institutions: We keep breaking barriers!

 

Written by: Center for Communications Management