AI in Academia: Supercharging Next-Gen Teaching Skills

Ben Lenk-Ostendorf is an expert in the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in education and teaching. In 2024, he headed the AI Tutors Bavaria program, in which he supervised 50 tandems of teachers and students who jointly developed and tested innovative approaches to the use of AI in teaching. He also held workshops and lectures throughout Germany – from meetings with university presidents and government departments to mass events with over 500 teachers. In doing so, he addressed the question of how AI can be used meaningfully, sustainably and in a resource-efficient manner in higher education. His academic journey began with a degree in psychology, followed by a stint as head of research and development at MEDISinn, a B2B start-up, from 2018 to 2020. His doctoral thesis focuses on AI in sustainability education. He also pursues these areas of expertise in an advisory capacity in projects such as the Berlin 2030 climate-neutral referendum and the Climate Time Machine serious game. Since 2022, Ben Lenk-Ostendorf has been a research associate at ProLehre | Media and Didactics at the TU Munich, with a focus on educational technology. His work combines artificial intelligence, psychological experiments and sustainability in education.