AI-Driven Educators Academy Project Begins with a Transnational Project Meeting in Cyprus
The project seeks to equip both pre-service and in-service teachers with the competences needed to understand, use and critically engage with AI in pedagogically meaningful, ethical and inclusive ways. As AI increasingly influences teaching, learning, assessment and school organisation, AIDEA addresses the urgent need to support educators in adapting to these changes while upholding European educational values and democratic principles.
The project consortium consists of universities, teacher education providers, research organisations, schools and educational stakeholders from eight European countries. Partners include University of Jyväskylä, University of Cyprus, University of Barcelona, European Schoolnet and several other organisations working together to develop a transnational Academy for AI in teacher education.
The first transnational kick-off meeting of the project was held at the University of Cyprus in February 2026. During the two-day meeting, partners introduced their organisations and project roles, discussed the overall project structure and work packages, and planned the first stages of implementation.
The meeting included discussions on project management, quality assurance, pedagogical framework development, training implementation activities, dissemination and sustainability planning, as well as the creation of an AI-powered digital learning hub for educators. The University of Jyväskylä is leading Work Package 3, which focuses on the development of AI training modules for teachers and school leaders.
In addition, project partners discussed upcoming deliverables related to AI needs analysis, policy gap analysis and pedagogical framework development during the second day of the meeting.
AIDEA is structured around three complementary dimensions of teacher competence development:
- Teaching About AI – supporting educators in understanding AI concepts, systems and societal implications;
- Teaching With AI – focusing on the pedagogically meaningful use of AI tools in teaching and assessment;
- Teaching For AI – preparing learners to participate critically and responsibly in an AI-shaped society.
Throughout the project, partners will develop a modular European training curriculum for AI in teacher education, open educational resources, practice-oriented learning materials, and an AI-powered digital learning hub supporting collaboration and knowledge exchange among educators. The project will also organise piloting activities, mobility opportunities and international peer-learning activities for teachers and school leaders.
AIDEA places particular emphasis on responsible and trustworthy AI in education by addressing issues such as fairness, transparency, bias, data protection, inclusion and human oversight. Through its activities, the project aims to strengthen AI literacy among teachers, support pedagogical innovation in schools and contribute to evidence-based educational policy development at both national and European levels.
For more information and future updates about the project, visit the AIDEA website and follow the project on social media channels.
Thank you for hosting us in beautiful Cyprus!
For more information, please contact project researcher Matias Mäki-Kuutti at mamajuma@jyu.fi
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
