FUNDED PROJECTS
GenAI-SWE
The primary goal of the project is to empower students with the competencies to navigate GenAI tools responsibly.
Category: Incubator Grant
University:
Comenius University Bratislava, University of Galway, University of Göttingen, University of Groningen
Period:
2025-2027
Generative AI for Software Engineering is a new topic area that is attracting significant attention. It is essential that universities implement carefully-designed syllabi, as a matter of urgency. There are no well-defined syllabi available, and local practices differ.
The primary goal of the project is to empower students with the competencies to navigate GenAI tools responsibly. The activities are organised into 4 work packages:
- WP1: Course Development (Nov 2025 – Aug 2026), which will include development of a detailed curriculum, lecture materials and sample assessment materials
- WP2: Pilot Delivery in All Four Partner Universities (Sept 2026 – Apr 2027), which will lead to reports on the pilots including student numbers and outcomes
- WP3: Evaluation, Review and Updates (Dec 2026 – Apr 2027): after evaluation of the pilot and its outcomes, learning materials will be reviewed and updated
- WP4: Dissemination and Embedding (Mar 2027 – Jun 2027), which will include publications and a plan for embedding the findings in and beyond the ENLIGHT alliance, fostering an Open Science culture.
By coming together as a team, the Enlight partner universities will share emerging practices, learn from each other, and deliver an openly-shared syllabus and learning materials that will benefit universities across Europe and beyond.
"There is a lot of hype about the use of generative AI tools for software development, with some people promoting high-risk practices such as “vibe coding”. Meanwhile, students are using AI in an informal and clandestine manner in software courses that are not designed to incorporate it, to the detriment of their learning experiences
I am pleased that we are able to bring together expertise from multiple Enlight universities to design and deliver a high-quality course on this topic. As software development jobs evolve, our initiative teaches students to safely and critically harness AI tools for efficiency and responsible application."
Participants and Stakeholders
- Coordinator: Prof. Michael Madden, School of Computer Science, University of Galway
- Other Partner Institutions:
- Comenius University Bratislava (SK)
- University of Göttingen (DE)
- University of Groningen (NL)
- Team Composition:
- University of Galway (IRL), School of Computer Science: Prof. Michael Madden, Dr John McCrae, Dr James McDermott, Dr Ihsan Ullah
- Comenius University Bratislava (SK), Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Department of Applied Informatics: Assoc. Prof. Martin Takac, Assoc. Prof. Ivan Polasek
- University of Göttingen (DE), Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, Institute of Computer Science: Prof. Dr. Jens Grabowski, Dr. Philip Makedonski
- University of Groningen (NL), Faculty of Science and Engineering: Dr. Matthia Sabatelli, Dr. Marleen Schippers, Dr. Andrea Capiluppi, Dr. Juan Diego Cardenas-Cartagena
Note: all partners will contribute together to the design of the syllabus, development of materials, and delivery in their own institutions.
Objectives
This project offers an innovative joint educational initiative providing a new paradigm for software engineering, embracing the responsible use of AI, directly impacting team-based software development by streamlining collaborative efforts and optimizing problem-solving approaches. This innovation directly addresses societal transition by equipping students with future-proof skills and global competences. As software development jobs evolve with GenAI integration, our initiative teaches students to safely and critically harness AI tools for efficiency and responsible application. This approach ensures junior developers stand out, enhancing the quality of education and strengthening the connection between academia and industry, thereby delivering significant added value for students.
Students will explore strategic GenAI tool deployment across the software development lifecycle, grasp inherent risks and limitations, and cultivate critical evaluation skills for GenAI-generated content and ethical-legal dilemmas concerning fairness, intellectual property, and data utilization. This initiative will develop innovative educational materials to embed GenAI competencies within new and existing 5-10 ECTS courses. We will evaluate different delivery modes in the 4 pilots, and will provide recommendations for future delivery.
Contact
Prof. Michael Madden, University of Galway: