New graduate school will strengthen understanding about AI’s impact on teachers’ working environment

Mats Daniels, you are project leader for the LärA-AI graduate school, why is this initiative important right now?

- AI is being introduced rapidly in schools, often without sufficient understanding of its consequences for teaching, assessment, and the working environment. This creates a need for more research that can shed light on how the technology affects the teaching profession. The research school aims to build long-term research competence on AI in education, with a particular focus on how AI technologies influence teachers’ work, professional judgment, and classroom practice.

What will take place, and who is the intended target group?

- Right now, the focus is on recruiting the doctoral candidates. Five positions will be based at the Department of Information Technology here in Uppsala, three at the University of Gävle, and one at KTH. A key element of the programme is maintaining close contact with teacher education, practising teachers and education providers to create a constructive environment in which the doctoral candidates can deepen their understanding of teachers’ working conditions and how AI affects them. It is also important for us to ensure that research results are communicated back into practice.

When will you start, and how long will the project run?

- The project officially began on 1 December 2025 and will run for five years. In practice, it will extend beyond that, as the doctoral candidates are expected to take five years to complete their PhDs, and they have not yet been appointed

"The research findings will contribute to more sustainable digitalisation in schools and strengthen the scientific foundations of education."

What activities will you carry out?

- The graduate school will offer five courses and two summer schools. The doctoral candidates will also have access to an expert reference group consisting of international researchers and representatives from educational organisations. Research findings will be presented at conferences and shared in various formats in collaboration with teacher education programmes and practising teachers. The doctoral candidates will be based in Uppsala, Gävle and Stockholm, and will also spend time with education providers

What are you looking forward to with the graduate school? What do you hope to achieve?

- What we look forward to most is working closely with engaged doctoral candidates and colleagues on issues that truly matter in teachers’ everyday work.

We are also excited to follow the doctoral candidates’ development over time and, together, contribute to a more thoughtful and sustainable use of AI in schools.