Learning in the Age of AI: Who Will Shape the University of Tomorrow?

Artificial intelligence enables rapid access to vast repositories of knowledge. It is changing the demands placed on future professionals and, consequently, on their education. Universities must increasingly ask themselves which skills they wish to foster beyond the mere imparting of knowledge. Critical thinking, creativity, empathy and the ability to make independent decisions are becoming increasingly important. What role do new teaching and learning formats play in this? And how can students themselves take responsibility for their own education? These questions will be addressed at the international conference ‘Agency & AI – Co-Creating the University of the Future’, taking place from 12 to 14 November 2026 at the University of Witten/Herdecke (UW/H). Students, lecturers and international experts aim to work together to develop new approaches to higher education that empower people to act in a self-determined manner.

How students can help shape their own education

UW/H is already demonstrating how this can be achieved with its ‘Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship’ (LIC) training model. The model, which is based on a programme at Harvard Medical School, breaks new ground in clinical education. Instead of progressing through individual medical disciplines one after the other, students accompany patients over an extended period and gain insight into different perspectives on their treatment. The focus is on long-term relationships, independent learning and practical experience.

The UW/H’s LIC is the first of its kind in Germany. A distinctive feature of the Witten pilot project is the active involvement of students in its further development. The exchange with Harvard Medical School provided important impetus, which students and teaching staff took up together to shape the training model at the UW/H.

Students bring international experts together

The organisation of the congress also follows the principle of co-creation. Behind the event are four groups from different areas of the UW/H: the student initiative ‘LIC – Rethinking the Clinic’, the Integrated Curriculum for Anthroposophic Medicine (IBAM), the Transformative Education Working Group of the Faculty of Management, Economics and Society, and the WittenLab. Zukunftslabor Studium fundamentale. A large part of the planning and organisation is in the hands of the students.

“I hope that my university will empower me to use AI sensibly and to make decisions independently. The fact that we have organised this congress ourselves is an expression of the participatory approach we want to see in our studies. It is a space in which we aim to get closer to the answers to the questions posed at the outset, together with experts,” says Annina Hinkel, a second-semester medical student at UW/H and co-organiser of the congress.

Renowned experts from Germany and abroad are coming to Witten for this academic exchange. They include Prof. David Hirsh from Harvard Medical School, who co-developed the LIC model, and Prof. Margaret S. Chisolm from Johns Hopkins University, who integrates the arts and humanities into medical education. Prof. Dr Timo Meynhardt, who is due to take up the presidency of UW/H in April 2027, will also deliver a keynote speech during the event. The focus will be on the interactive chatbot ‘Timotar’. Drawing on his initial experiences of ‘living alongside’ his digital counterpart, Prof. Meynhardt will explore the challenges and opportunities this presents for future teaching and learning contexts.

Alongside lectures and discussions, the programme includes interactive workshops and collaborative development sessions. Participants will work together across disciplines to develop concrete ideas for the university of the future. 

Further information:

The event is aimed at students, lecturers and anyone interested in helping to shape higher education, from the fields of medicine, business, society and other disciplines. 

Agency & AI – Co-Creating the University of the Future

Date: 12 to 14 November 2026

Venue: University of Witten/Herdecke, Alfred-Herrhausen-Straße 50, 58448 Witten

Organisers: LIC – Rethinking Clinical Practice, Integrated Curriculum for Anthroposophic Medicine (IBAM), Transformative Education Working Group of the Faculty of Management, Economics and Society, and WittenLab. Zukunftslabor Studium fundamentale

Registration and participation fees at https://cocreating-university.com/