Artificial Intelligence: A Groundbreaking Agreement to Raise Awareness and Educate Schoolchildren
On Monday, November 6, 2023, Sophie Béjean, rector of the Occitanie academic region; Marc Sztulman, regional councilor and representative of the Occitanie / Pyrénées-Méditerranée Region; Claudine Vassas-Mejri, vice-president of the Hérault Departmental Council; Michaël Delafosse, mayor of Montpellier; and Philippe Augé, president of the University of Montpellier, signed a collective commitment agreement to raise awareness and provide training on artificial intelligence (AI) for school students. This joint commitment, bringing together representatives of the State, the University, and all local authorities, as well as associations and volunteer companies, is a testament to the very strong collective momentum in Montpellier to advance AI-related initiatives.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has recently made a particularly strong and visible impact across all fields with the advent of Generative Artificial Intelligence. Set to transform a wide range of practices and professions, it requires an informed perspective on each of these transformations. Convinced that this understanding must be fostered from an early age to prevent any misuse, and that it must be grounded in scientifically established knowledge that is widely disseminated through appropriate educational methods, the signatories mutually commit to taking action to explain, illustrate, and discuss these issues.
An agreement that is fully in line with the UM's overall AI strategy
This agreement is part of the response to the France 2030 call for expressions of interest titled “AI Cluster: World-Class Research and Training Hubs in Artificial Intelligence,” for which the UM’s “vIA-UM” proposal was shortlisted last July. At a time marked by significant risks of misinformation and declining motivation among young people to pursue scientific studies and careers, it is important for the University of Montpellier to commit to the Occitanie academic region to help ensure that every teacher and every student has all the knowledge necessary to inform their understanding of new artificial intelligence methods. This agreement will lead to concrete actions.
While it plans to conduct cutting-edge research in artificial intelligence and create the conditions for the widespread adoption of AI in an ethical, sovereign, and responsible manner, it also aims to raise awareness and educate the general public about the challenges and impacts of artificial intelligence.
This agreement is part of the third phase of the vIA-UM project. Its aim is to build on the initiatives already undertaken by the University of Montpellier to train and raise awareness among teachers and students in three key areas:
- To raise awareness and foster discussion about the challenges posed by artificial intelligence, with a particular focus on combating all forms of discrimination and misinformation, as well as raising awareness of the environmental and societal impact of digital technology in general and AI in particular;
- Provide training on the applications and use of AI, using concrete examples, sharing testimonials, and showcasing real-world projects;
- Provide training in the scientific, technical, regulatory, and ethical foundations of AI, with a particular focus on initiatives to encourage girls to participate.
The University of Montpellier, building on its excellence in research and education in artificial intelligence—which lies at the heart of both mathematical and computational methods, as well as AI that has a significant impact on societal challenges such as “Feeding, Healing, and Protecting”—is now committed to continuing and strengthening its ties with partners to promote a culture of artificial intelligence.
Partners' Commitments and Involvement
The City of Montpellier and the department are committed to continuing their efforts to provide the facilities and equipment needed to carry out these activities.
The Occitanie Region is committed, on the one hand, to continuing its efforts to provide the resources needed to promote these initiatives, including digital work environments and computer equipment. Furthermore, through regular calls for projects or in conjunction with its dedicated centers, the Region is committed to continuing to develop awareness-raising and training initiatives in citizen science, as well as promoting the appeal of the jobs of the future, particularly in the field of AI.
These initiatives can be used for both school and after-school programs, as well as to support organizations in connection with recognized projects, such as the Digital Education Network in the Hérault (TNE34).
The academic region is committed to promoting artificial intelligence training initiatives for education professionals (IA-DASEN, school inspectors, school principals, and teachers) and students. In addition, it will provide schools with information about initiatives designed to raise awareness and provide training for teachers and students.