As part of the interdisciplinary course “AI: Challenges and Opportunities,” students at UNamur presented a series of posters focusing on the uses of artificial intelligence in their fields of study. This highlight showcased the diversity of AI applications, as well as the University of Namur’s commitment to training students to use it critically, fairly, and thoughtfully.
Organized as part of the evaluation of the course “AI: Challenges and Opportunities,” the poster session invited students, working in pairs, to explore a concrete example of AI application within their academic discipline. Objectives? To assess the relevance, limitations, risks, quality of the results produced, and implications for professional, academic, or societal practices.
“The posters presented this year demonstrated the wealth of diverse perspectives on artificial intelligence,” notes Benoît Frenay, a professor in the School of Computer Science, AI project lead, and chair of the UNamur AI Council. “The topics covered ranged, for example, from physics applied to artificial neurons to recommendation systems on YouTube, from AI in education to its use in public administration, as well as soccer, higher education, cancer detection using medical images, and intellectual property issues in the music industry.”
Open to senior undergraduate students from various faculties, the course “AI: Challenges and Opportunities” has been offered at UNamur for two years and is attracting growing interest. After a first edition that attracted around fifty registrants, the number of students doubled in the second year. “This growth confirms the need for interdisciplinary training on a subject that now cuts across all sectors of society,” notes Benoît Frenay.
The course’s goal is clear: to provide students with a solid foundation for understanding artificial intelligence in both its technical and human dimensions. It encourages them to develop a scientific and nuanced perspective on AI, to understand both its benefits and risks, and to adopt a reflective and responsible approach.
The course structure combines theoretical reflection with practical application. The poster session is fully in line with this approach: it allows students to present their analyses, compare their perspectives, and demonstrate how AI can be examined from a variety of different disciplines. This assessment focuses on a case study from the student’s field of study, through a critical analysis of a practical case based on the concepts covered in the course.
UNamur has established itself as a key player in the field of artificial intelligence by integrating this topic into its teaching, research, and community service missions. Its institutional approach to AI is based on a comprehensive strategy: fostering critical, responsible, and ethical use of these technologies, driving innovation through interdisciplinary research projects, and supporting society’s stakeholders as they navigate the transformations these technologies bring.
This ambition is reflected in several concrete initiatives. In addition to the course “AI: Challenges and Opportunities,” the University offers specialized programs in data science, resources to demystify generative AI for educators, and a short university course on artificial intelligence designed for non-specialists, including professionals. UNamur has also established an AI Council and guidelines to support members of its community in the thoughtful use of these tools. Numerous research projects are also dedicated to AI and contribute to UNamur’s unique transdisciplinary expertise in digital technology.