Artificial intelligence (AI) is shaping society as a whole - and thus also academia. A cross-university concept proposal to establish an innovative and interdisciplinary AI research group at the University of Oldenburg, Bielefeld and Northern Business School Hamburg was finally selected for funding for up to eight years by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) in spring 2025. In the first funding phase (2025-2029), the KIWIT doctoral and research college will receive around two million euros for its work. This was preceded by a call for proposals and application process in the BMBF funding programme Science and university research.

The research group is investigating the socio-technical diffusion of AI specifically in the science system: in a first profile in the area of research operations, in a second profile with regard to university organisation and management. A third profile is dedicated to the organisation of studies and teaching. In the KI-Kolleg KIWIT, social, organisational and information scientists work closely together, do their doctorates and discuss - as developers and empiricists, theorists and users. At the Oldenburg site, the focus of two sub-projects will be on the practical use of AI in research and the usage behaviour of students.

However, the KIWIT project not only views AI as an object of research, but also uses the technology itself as a tool to evaluate large databases as part of comprehensive big data analyses. In doing so, the group will deal with knowledge-intensive organisational and work structures beyond the scientific community. Transfer is a particular focus. Among other things, a project website, blog, podcast and various publication formats will be used to facilitate the broad dissemination of information and public science. A scientific advisory board with experienced, recognised personalities from the academic world will critically and closely monitor the work.

The project leaders are Prof. Dr. Heinke Röbken (Education Management, Chair), Prof. Dr. Stefan Kühl (Sociology), Prof. Dr. Marcel Schütz (Organisation) and Prof. Ernst Reinking (Computing Science). The scientific advisory board includes Prof. Dr Elena Esposito (Algorithmic Prediction), Prof. Dr Anke Hanft (Continuing Education Research), Prof. Dr Klaus Mainzer (Philosophy, Physics) and Prof. Dr Rudolf Stichweh (Social Theory).

Further information:

• Press release from the University of Oldenburg
• Press release in the Science Information Service (idw)
• Press release of the co-operation partner NBS
• Logo/word/image trademark KIWIT.