UCT AI in Education Community of Practice

The AI in Education Community of Practice (CoP) brings together UCT staff who are exploring how artificial intelligence is shaping teaching, learning, and assessment. The CoP is a cross-institutional space for collaboration, experimentation, and shared learning.

Chaired by Sukaina Walji and supported by CILT, the CoP connects academics and professional staff from all faculties and departments, including UCT Libraries, ICTS, and the Institutional Planning Department. Together, members exchange ideas, test tools, and co-develop resources that promote responsible and creative uses of AI in higher education.

Our ongoing focus areas include:

• Building AI awareness and literacies;
• Facilitating workshops and learning opportunities;
• Exploring ethical and inclusive AI practices;
• Supporting assessment and academic integrity;
• Sharing innovations and research; and
• Developing frameworks and resources.

In 2026, the Community is expanding its work through new podcasts, collaborative resources, and themed workshops to help UCT staff navigate and shape the evolving AI landscape.

Please email Azraa Dawood to be added to the list of members. There's also a dedicated Teams channel on the UCT Teaching Community for the CoP where we will subsequently post information and events.

Upcoming AI in Education Community of Practice Session Dates

Participate in upcoming CoP sessions to engage with peers, explore practical use cases, and contribute to ongoing conversations about responsible and meaningful uses of AI at UCT.

• Monday, 23 February
• Monday, 23 March (12:30pm - 2pm / Venue: CILT Level 7)

Thursday, 30 April: The possibilities of using custom chatbots in teaching and learning 

Time: 12h30-14h00 (a light lunch will be available from 12h00) 
Venue: Hlanganani Junction, Level 5, Chancellor Oppenheimer Library, Upper Campus  

• Join us at the upcoming session of the AI in Education CoP to explore how customised AI tools can be designed and used to support learning and teaching practice.

  Three colleagues will share their experiences of conceptualising, building, and trialling customised AI tools in different educational contexts. Through these short case-based contributions, you will gain insight into the pedagogical motivations, design choices, challenges, and lessons learned when working with chatbots.

  You will have the opportunity to experiment and start creating a tool of your own during the session, supported by shared discussion about ethical considerations, appropriate use, and alignment with learning goals.

  Whether you are curious about what custom AI tools might offer or actively experimenting with these, this CoP session offers a collaborative space to learn with and from colleagues. 

  All staff involved in teaching and learning are warmly invited to join the conversation.
   
  This is an in-person event, with limited online observation possible via Teams.  
   
  If you have not received and accepted a calendar invitation for 30 April, please email Azraa Dawood. 

CoP session dates for 2026:

• Wednesday, 20 May
• Thursday, 18 June
• Thursday, 30 July
• Wednesday, 26 August
• Wednesday, 23 September
• Thursday, 8 October

All sessions are from 12pm - 2pm. Session themes and further details will be communicated closer to the time. 

Previous Sessions

Reflections from the AI and the future of the academic essay CoP - Monday, 23 March 2026

Three colleagues (teaching in different departments in the Humanities) shared an approach they have adopted to an essay writing assignment. A key thread throughout the session was a shift from asking whether the academic essay still “works”, to interrogating what it is for. Breakout group discussions about the three cases highlighted the importance of designing assessments that foreground process, critical engagement, and the student voice. Questions around authorship, academic literacy, and what it means to “write” in a human–AI landscape also surfaced as ongoing areas for exploration.

We appreciated the openness with which participants engaged, raising important questions and insights from across disciplines.

Session resources
You can revisit and continue engaging with the session through the following materials:

• Presentation slides
• Summary of the three cases discussed

Reflections from the AI Teaching Innovation Grants CoP - Monday, 23 March 2026

Our first CoP session for the year focused on AI Teaching Innovation Grants. This session featured colleagues who were awarded 2025 AI Teaching Innovation Grants and had not yet had the opportunity to present their projects to a wider audience. It offered an interactive space to learn about new AI tools, share emerging practices, reflect on lessons learned, and engage with peers interested in better understanding AI-enabled teaching innovation. Opportunities were presented to CoP members to ideate new topics or key questions for future CoP sessions.

View the Reflections from the CoP AI email

You can view more about the AI Teaching Innovation Grantees here.