AI academy
Overview
Build your AI skills
Your expertise, multiplied.
We are delighted to announce the launch of the AI Academy – an exciting new initiative in partnership with Multiverse – offering colleagues the opportunity to build critical AI skills and enhance their professional development.
The Academy represents a strategic investment in our people, designed to harness AI for the benefit of our University community and student experience.
"AI is likely to change the way the world works and our place in it...Improving our collective understanding of AI is crucial, not only for personal development, but also for the future of the university." - Nigel Alcock - Chief Financial and Operating Officer (CFOO)
The AI academy pilot
Why now?
In the context of growing pressures across higher education, we’re actively looking at ways to support our staff. The AI Academy is designed to empower colleagues — leveraging technology to reduce manual workload and enhance our ways of working.
This initiative presents a significant opportunity for professional development and directly supports the University's Talent Strategy and HR and Finance Transformation Project. By adopting advanced technologies, we can drive efficiency and innovation across the University.
This is an exciting step in investing in our staff community, achieving our digital aspirations and enriching the experiences of both staff and students.
Scope
Applications for the AI Academy pilot are now closed
The AI Academy pilot is available to Professional Support Staff (Grades 3–7) working 28+ hours per week in the following areas: Central Administration, SEE, Finance, HR, IT, and Administration and Student Services Teams within Faculty Operations. These areas have been identified as strategic priorities for AI application.
It is the University's long-term objective to broaden the initiative to encompass further areas and extend the opportunity to academic and part-time staff working 20+ hours per week.
Due to off-the-job training requirements and programme content involved with AI Academy apprenticeships, the University will not be able to include staff contracted less than 20 hours per week.
Tyrrell Basson, Director of IT Services.
"AI is rapidly evolving, with new capabilities and applications emerging daily that showcase its potential as a powerful assistant. Now is the ideal time to learn how to leverage this technology safely and productively. Our new AI Academy offers an exciting opportunity to explore various AI technologies and maximise [our] use of Gemini."
Vikki Goddard, Chief Academic Support Officer (CASO).
"Launching our University of York AI Academy gives us a great opportunity to integrate and harness AI in the work that we do. [It's] a fabulous way of bringing people together, supporting a group approach to [the] development of our staff and enabling us to make things better for our staff and student experience right across the university."
Nigel Alcock, Chief Financial and Operating Officer (CFOO).
"Looking to the future, I don't need to tell you how much AI is likely to change the way the world works and our place in it...Improving our collective understanding of AI is crucial, not only for personal development, but also for the future of the university...I would encourage you to take the time to make the most of this opportunity and to see how much of it you can bring back into your day-to-day work."
