New educational development funding also for distinguished university teachers

A call for proposals for project funding amounting to SEK 2 million was issued earlier this year by the Vice-Chancellor to stimulate and support programme renewal and educational development efforts at Uppsala University, with a special focus on ‘adapting education to AI’.

This year’s call resulted in 26 applications (eleven from the HumSam disciplinary domain, eight from MedFarm, and thirteen from TekNat) of which eleven concerned AI. Projects awarded funding are distributed across all the disciplinary domains: four at HumSam, three at MedFarm and five at TekNat. Six projects concerning AI have been awarded funding.

Strengthening peer educational development locally and utilising skills

The PUMA funds of SEK 1 million for distinguished university teachers are a new initiative with a focus on strengthening peer educational development at the departments and utilising the skills of distinguished university teachers. Unlike the other PUMA funding, which all teaching staff at the University can apply for, the purpose of this funding is joint development at the local level.

Ten applications were received: four from HumSam, two from MedFarm and four from TekNat. Projects awarded funding are distributed across all the disciplinary domains: two at HumSam, one at MedFarm and one at TekNat. Four of the projects are planned to start in autumn 2025.

Distinguished university teachers who are awarded project funding are expected to share their experiences at a symposium for distinguished university teachers at Uppsala University in early 2027.

All recipients of PUMA funding are expected to contribute the results and their experiences from the development projects at University-wide seminars, at Uppsala University’s Learning and Teaching Conference, and at the request of colleagues at other departments and faculties.

Allocation of project funding for educational development (PUMA) 2025

• Thinking, speaking and writing about science: Development of skills in providing feedback and academic argumentation in science and technology studies. Project leader: Maja Elmgren, Department of Chemistry. Total: SEK 240,000.
• Building Academic Foundations: Reading, Thinking, and Writing with AI as a Learning Tool. Project leader: Erika Forsberg, Department of Peace and Conflict Research. Total: SEK 85,000.
• Immersive metaverse for active, creative and exploratory learning modules. Project leader: Erik Hultman, Department of Electrical Engineering. Total: SEK 155,000.
• Using AI in systematic reviews. Project leader: Maria Melinder, Department of Pharmacy. Total: SEK 75,000.
• Educating Machine Design with Extended Reality. Project leader: Mahmoud Mousavi, Department of Materials Science and Engineering. Total: SEK 238,000.
• Development of multidisciplinary human rights clinic. Project leader: Elena Namli, Department of Theology. Total: SEK 175,000.
• Findability? A peer learning project involving a VFU case. Project leader: Anne-Christine Norlén, Department of ABM. Total: SEK 182,000.
• Responsible AI: Metacognitive Skill Development through Generative AI in Higher Education. Project leader: Simon Okwir, Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering. Total: SEK 220,000.
• Gender didactics methods in the AI era! Strengthening students’ capacities for acquiring, evaluating, utilising and writing from knowledge. Project leader: Cecilia Rodéhn, Centre for Gender Research. Total: SEK 190,000.
• AI as a study partner: chatbot support for personalised learning and data-driven instruction. Project leader: Jonas Rydfjord, Department of Medicinal Chemistry. Total: SEK 235,000.
• AI apps and avatars to support better conversations with patients. Project leader: Karin Svensberg, Department of Pharmacy. Total: SEK 205,000.

Allocation of project funding for educational development (PUMA distinguished university teachers) 2025

• Enhancing peer pedagogical skills in geography: Professional learning communities and peer observations of teaching. Project leader: Micheline van Riemsdijk, Department of Human Geography. Total: SEK 325,000.
• With a little help from colleagues: Ethics and sustainability through peer cooperation. Project leader: Andreas Lindblad, Department of Physics and Astronomy. Total: SEK 215,000.
• Interprofessional skills development during work-integrated education (VFU). Project leader: Caisa Öster, Department of Medical Sciences. Total: SEK 230,000.
• Making reading meaningful in higher education. Project leader: Julie Hansen, Department of Modern languages. Total: SEK 230,000.
  

Johan Ahlenius