IWM Director chairs jury for AI School Award

On 16 January, the winners of the nationwide AI School Award were honoured at the Heilbronn Education Campus. The Leibniz Institute für Wissensmedien (IWM) was prominently represented: Prof. Dr Ulrike Cress, Director of the IWM, chaired the jury and oversaw the selection process.

A total of 191 schools from across Germany applied for the award. The jury recognised concepts that do not treat artificial intelligence as a stand-alone technology, but embed it in long-term school development – for example in teaching, school organisation, or teacher training.

Particular emphasis was placed on clear responsibility structures, coordinated technical infrastructures, and systematic processes for testing, evaluating, and sharing experiences. In her laudatory speech, Prof. Cress highlighted that successful AI integration occurs where schools pursue a coherent approach and actively shape development over time.

The AI School Award is initiated by Deutschland – Land der Ideen and supported by the Deutsche Telekom Stiftung and the Dieter Schwarz Stiftung. The competition aims to highlight examples of good practice and provide impetus for the continued development of AI-supported education in schools.