The CVEinAI consortium has completed the assessment of the pilot iteration of the course “Exploring AI from African and European Perspectives”, delivered from 2 March to 3 April 2026 to students in Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa.
The pilot attracted 531 eligible applicants aged 18-30. Structured across five weeks, each built around a 1.5-hour synchronous session and around 3.5 hours of autonomous work, the course engaged 265 participants on the learning platform, of whom 54 met the full certification criteria. 97 participants completed at least 75% of all course activities, meeting the target set in the project’s Quality and Evaluation Plan.
Participant feedback surveys reported a strong positive outcome. Among respondents, 88% reported a stronger critical approach to the ethical risks of AI, 90% reported gains in intercultural awareness, and 95% would like to see more cross-cultural Virtual Exchanges integrated into their university studies. Confidence in identifying bias in AI-generated content recorded the largest single gain, and respondents repeatedly named the intercultural dialogue itself and cross-continental discussions as the most valuable element of the experience.
The pilot was also an opportunity to stress-test everything the consortium had designed, including the module structure, the learning platform, the facilitation model and the supporting tools, all under real delivery conditions and across very different institutional contexts. The elements identified for improvement are now feeding directly into the fine-tuning of the CVEinAI modules and of the participant experience ahead of the next iteration.
The second iteration of the CVEinAI course will run from 19 October to 20 November 2026, and it is open to all eligible students aged 18-30 from any institution based in the project’s partner countries. Registration will be open from 7 to 30 September 2026.
Ahead of that, the 2nd CVEinAI Awareness Webinar on 9 September 2026 will present the results of the pilot and introduce Critical Virtual Exchange, what it is, and why it matters for higher education across Sub-Saharan Africa. The session will also include live testimonials of alumni participants of the pilot cohort, facilitators who guided the live sessions, and the project team. Stay tuned!