Dublin City University has launched a new research centre to study how artificial intelligence and technology are changing education. The Centre for AI and Digital Futures in Education (AIDE), based at the DCU Institute of Education, brings together researchers from education, computer science, psychology, data science, and languages to examine the opportunities and risks that come with technological change.
The launch took place on 1 July 2026 at Belvedere House on DCU's St Patrick's campus. As AI tools and digital platforms quickly alter how students learn and how teachers assess progress, the centre aims to produce research that is rigorous, inclusive, and responsive to society's needs. It will look beyond simply measuring the impact of new tools to investigate how AI can be designed, implemented, and governed to support educators and improve educational outcomes.
What leaders said
Centre Director Dr Peter Tiernan said at the launch: "The Centre will establish DCU as a leader in research on AI and Digital Futures in Education by providing critical, multi-disciplinary, and trans-disciplinary perspectives, advocating pragmatism over hype, championing human, student, and teacher - centred design and implementation. It will also provide rich data to advance evidence-informed discussion and debate on issues that are of critical importance to education and society more broadly."
DCU President Professor Dáire Keogh added: "Artificial Intelligence technologies are radically reshaping the educational landscape and will continue to do so, in ways that we don't yet appreciate. For that reason, research conducted in this field, at the nexus of education and technology, is both essential and urgent. Taking a broadly interdisciplinary approach, AIDE will play an important role in identifying not just the challenges ahead but also the opportunities that AI presents for Teaching and Learning at all levels."
Research focus areas
Researchers at AIDE will concentrate on several key areas, including:
- AI Literacy and Pedagogy
- Digital Wellbeing and Inclusion
- Immersive and Simulation-Based Learning
- Policy, Ethics, and Governance
- Digital Learning Design and Open Education
- AI and Data Science for Education
Why this matters for education professionals
For teachers, school leaders, and education policymakers, AIDE's research agenda signals a move toward evidence-based, human-centred AI adoption. The centre's work on AI literacy and pedagogy will likely produce practical frameworks that educators can use to integrate AI tools responsibly. Its focus on digital wellbeing and inclusion addresses the real risks of inequity in tech-driven classrooms. By generating data and analysis, AIDE aims to ground policy debates in fact rather than speculation.
For more information, visit the AIDE website.
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