Learning About Responsible AI Use This Summer

With no fewer than eighty participants, sixty of whom were international students, this year’s edition of The Hague Summer School once again proved to be a resounding success. This year also saw the introduction of a completely new theme: Responsible AI for Society. The course was developed with guest lecturers from Germany, Spain and Italy. 

The Hague Summer School offers a short, intensive programme in which participants earn four ECTS credits. “Students often use these two weeks to make up a shortfall in the credits required for their elective space,” explains Casper Verschoor, Head of the Global Office. “But it offers much more than just credits. Students from The Hague work intensively with peers from all over the world, without having to travel.” 

Modules with Impact 

The programme starts with a general module focused on intercultural communication. Working in multidisciplinary teams, students learn how to collaborate effectively with people from diverse cultural backgrounds. They then choose a specialised elective module. One option was Peace, Justice, Human Rights and European Union Cooperation, which included visits to the Peace Palace and the International Criminal Court. 

In the other elective, Sustainable Entrepreneurship, students developed their own sustainable business ideas under the guidance of the Entrepreneurship & Retail Management programme. Outside the classroom, activities such as a beach barbecue and a trip to Amsterdam provided opportunities for relaxation and cultural exchange. 

UNINOVIS 

The Responsible AI for Society course was developed through our collaboration with our UNINOVIS partners. Casper explains: “The lecturers jointly developed the course and explored AI through different lenses. Our Italian colleague focused on data, while the Spanish professor approached the subject from a philosophical perspective.” 

Twenty-five students from five different partner institutions, including participants from France, Finland and Lithuania, explored the ethics of AI together. It was a great success and clearly demonstrated the added value of the UNINOVIS collaboration. 

Affordable International Education 

Although the Faculty of Business, Finance & Marketing organises the programme, it is open to students from across the university of applied sciences. Internationalisation Mobility Officer Liselotte van der Vaart adds: “We offer a reduced rate for students from The Hague. They only pay for the social programme, saving on tuition and accommodation costs. This makes it an incredibly accessible way to gain an international experience.”