MBZUAI Wins Google Award for AI Education Research

A team from Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) has been awarded a prestigious Google Academic Research Award to expand their work on educational foundation models and dialogue-based intelligent tutoring systems.

The award was presented to Ekaterina Kochmar, Assistant Professor of Natural Language Processing (NLP), and Kaushal Kumar Maurya, Postdoctoral Researcher specializing in NLP and large language models (LLMs) for education. The MBZUAI team was the only Middle Eastern recipient in the inaugural Google Academic Research Awards, recognized in the category “Making Education Equitable, Accessible, and Effective Using AI.”

The research project, titled “2σ-ITS: A Pedagogical Intelligent Tutoring System Grounded in Learning Science Principles,” aims to develop advanced educational models powered by generative AI. These intelligent tutoring systems are designed to assist students across various subjects, including STEM and language learning, providing personalized education and support.

“This award is a true honor,” said Kochmar. “We are excited to leverage NLP-driven technology to make education more accessible to students worldwide, particularly those who may not have access to traditional educational resources. Our goal is to create AI solutions that improve lives and provide new opportunities for students and teachers alike.”

Kochmar and Maurya emphasized that their system is designed to assist teachers rather than replace them. In scenarios where teachers may struggle to address every student individually, the system can offer personalized support through adaptive tablets that understand each student’s progress and provide tailored explanations.

“Our aim is to help teachers manage classrooms more efficiently, ensuring that every student receives the support they need, regardless of their learning pace,” said Kochmar. Maurya added, “Similar to how calculators and computers became integral to education, we envision AI-driven tutoring systems becoming a core part of educational environments, enhancing teaching effectiveness.”

The Google Academic Research Awards support researchers by providing funding and collaboration opportunities, fostering impactful research with real-world applications. The 2024 awards cover categories including climate change, AI in education, quantum computing, and more.

This recognition highlights the growing role of AI in transforming education and creating equitable learning opportunities worldwide.