The INFINITE project recently reached an important milestone by sharing its work at one of the most prestigious international conferences in the field of science education: ESERA 2025.
For those unfamiliar with it, ESERA stands for the European Science Education Research Association, an organisation established in 1995 with the aim to:
Since its creation, ESERA has hosted 16 conferences in cities such as Leeds, Barcelona, Lyon, and Bologna. In 2025, marking the 30th anniversary of the association, the conference was held in Copenhagen, Denmark (more information about the conference: here). This year’s theme was particularly meaningful for our project:
“We live in an era of transitions and transformations, both digitally and environmentally. But what is society, and by extension science education, transitioning into? How do we design, implement, and evaluate our transformative efforts?”
This focus on digital transformation and societal change resonated with the goals of the INFINITE project. Motivated by this shared vision, the consortium submitted a proposal to present the results of Work Package 2, which explores the ethical and responsible integration of AI in higher education.
Our proposal was accepted, and the University of Groningen had the honour of presenting the work on behalf of the entire consortium. We chose the interactive poster format, which gave us the opportunity to engage with other researchers in a dynamic and personal way. The session began with a brief round of one-minute introductions from each presenter, helping participants decide which posters they wanted to explore further.
What followed was a very enriching experience. We had many interesting conversations with researchers from different countries, who not only asked about the project’s results but also shared their own concerns, reflections, and good practices related to AI and higher education. Beyond the data, we found common ground in our shared challenges, particularly in areas like ethics, digital transformation, and teacher training. Some participants stayed even after the session ended to continue the discussion, while others left written feedback or expressed interest in future collaborations. This confirmed that the topic of ethical and responsible AI use is not only timely but increasingly relevant for the science education research community.
And what exactly did we present?
Our poster, titled “Fostering responsible and ethical AI integration in Higher Education: Key findings from an Erasmus+ project”, showcased the results of a transnational study carried out across five European countries. The aim of this study, which forms the foundation of Work Package 2, was to better understand how AI is currently used in higher education and what challenges arise when trying to integrate it into professional and pedagogical practices.
To do this, we combined a systematic literature review with a needs analysis survey completed by 259 participants, including university teachers and students. The results show that while there is a strong interest in the potential of AI – especially for personalising learning, supporting assessment, and improving administrative processes – there are also important risks that must be taken into account. These include concerns about privacy, bias, academic integrity, lack of transparency, and the environmental and social impact of large-scale AI tools.
The survey also revealed that although many educators are familiar with AI tools, they often feel unprepared to use them in a responsible and pedagogically meaningful way. This is particularly true when it comes to areas such as assessment, collaboration, or protecting student data. Overall, the results point to the urgent need for practical resources and targeted training that help educators move from awareness to confident and ethical implementation.
It was a pleasure to represent the INFINITE consortium at this international conference and contribute to the wider conversation about the future of AI in higher education. But this is only the beginning. The consortium continues to share its work and has already submitted new proposals to other international conferences. We look forward to continuing this important dialogue with colleagues and institutions across Europe and beyond.
As a result of our participation, the poster and abstract were included in the official Book of Abstracts of ESERA 2025.
