“Receiving this award recognises our commitment to AI-powered learning to personalise and democratise education,” says Dr. Sven Schütt, CEO of IU International University of Applied Sciences. “Our goal is to provide every student with personalised support, real opportunities to grow, and the skills they need to succeed in a rapidly changing world.”

Syntea has evolved significantly since its launch in April 2022, which preceded the hype surrounding the ChatGPT release later that year. Today, Syntea is one of the most advanced AI-driven learning platforms and companions in the university space. Its latest advanced version recognises students’ work environments, preferences, and study objectives and guides the student in a multimodal, multi-agent setup through the learning experience towards successful course completion. In addition to personalising the learning experience, it supports students’ learning motivation. As a result, it increases both study retention and study progress and makes learning more relevant for every student.

“This honorable award shows that AI has the potential to significantly improve the learning experience by providing personalised support and empowering students to confidently navigate complex subjects,” says Mark Zakhvatkin, Director AI & Data, IU Group. “With Syntea, we offer students a reliable, adaptive learning companion that complements traditional teaching methods, promoting deeper understanding and demonstrably better preparation for exams,” adds Quintus Stierstorfer, Senior Director AI Product, IU Group.

About QS Reimagine Education Awards & Conference

The QS Reimagine Education Awards & Conference is a global forum for university leaders, EdTech innovators and educators to showcase pioneering approaches, improve learning outcomes, and prepare institutions for future challenges. See here for more information.

About Syntea

By combining adaptive learning, personalised tutoring, instant feedback, progress tracking, and an intuitive user experience, Syntea effectively supports the needs of modern, flexible study programmes. The AI-powered learning companion guides students through tailored learning paths, identifies knowledge gaps, provides actionable insights, and offers 24/7 guidance. This enables students in distance learning and part-time professional education to study efficiently alongside work and other commitments, promoting deeper understanding, improved exam preparation, and continuous skill development. See here for more information.

Overview: IU Syntea press releases

Erfurt, 26 June 2024: IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU), Germany's largest university with more than 130,000 students, has launched the IU Copilot School (IUCP) featuring Microsoft. IU and Microsoft collaborate to make education more accessible with the help of AI and to provide students with the necessary future skills for the new age of AI. With the IUCP, IU is creating a new, unique higher education model that is tailored to students' individual abilities and optimally supports them in their personal academic progress using AI.
 

"We are proud to have Microsoft on our side as a partner for the democratisation of education in the coming AI era. With the creation of the IU Copilot School, we are making a paradigm shift in education that enables continuous and integrated learning. By using Copilot for Microsoft 365, we are improving the learning experience of students as they study and we prepare them with the skills they need for a future, in which we all work together with AI", says Dr Sven Schütt, CEO of IU Group.

“IU International University of Applied Sciences is a leader in the application of AI for personalised learning and the teaching of AI skills across all disciplines. With its seamless integration of Copilot for Microsoft 365, IU Copilot School impressively demonstrates the understanding of forward-thinking education and empowers future employees through the use of AI", explains Alexander Britz, Public Sector Lead at Microsoft Germany. 

Integrated learning with Copilot for Microsoft 365 in more than 250 online courses 

The IU Copilot School will launch its first study programmes in the German market in October 2024. Candidates can apply now. With the launch of IUCP, students will have the opportunity to choose from existing IU online degree programmes, such as B.Sc. Applied Artificial Intelligence, with a focus on the use of the AI-supported productivity tool Copilot for Microsoft 365, including a license for Microsoft 365 and Copilot for Microsoft 365. IUCP prepares its future students for an integrated learning experience that equips them with useful skills in Copilot 's application throughout their studies. 

IU will successively integrate all suitable study programmes offered in distance learning into the IUCP. In the future, IUCP students will be able to choose from more than 250 bachelor's and master's programmes. 
 

IUCP combines formal learning and AI support 

Copilot for Microsoft 365 provides an innovative learning experience for IUCP students: It combines formal learning focused on an educational goal with hands-on learning supported by AI. In addition, with M365 Copilot, students have the opportunity to be among the first in Europe to extensively use an AI tool that will be widely adopted by companies worldwide in the future. 

Copilot for Microsoft 365 is directly integrated into the user interface of Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint. This allows IU Copilot School students to benefit from a variety of features in their everyday study life: The tool makes it easy to search and summarise information from various sources in the Microsoft ecosystem, for example in Teams channels or Outlook. In addition, Copilot for Microsoft 365 supports students in the creation, formatting and translation of Word documents, PowerPoint presentations and Excel spreadsheets. In this way, Copilot for Microsoft 365 not only serves as a source of inspiration and problem solving for students, but also promotes creativity in projects and tasks. 
 

Syntea and Copilot for Microsoft 365: the best of two AI worlds 

IU plans to fully integrate its self-developed Syntea into Copilot for Microsoft 365 by the end of the year. This will allow IUCP students to seamlessly access all Syntea functions within the MS Office interface. With the help of the AI-powered learning companion Syntea, they will have direct support in the tool. Through interactive and personal conversations, Syntea will assist students to reach their individual learning objectives any time of the day. 

At the same time, IUCP students can profit from all the advantages of Copilot for Microsoft 365 and thus benefit from powerful language models such as the Microsoft Azure Open AI Service. 

Thanks to the close co-operation with Microsoft, the AI learning buddy Syntea will always make optimal use of the most advanced AI technology to personalise learning. IUCP will also adapt its learning offerings to the latest trends and skills of the AI era. 

Further information on the IU Copilot School featuring Microsoft at: 
https://www.iu-copilot.org/en/lp/lp-copilot/

Information on the benefits and functions of the AI learning companion Syntea at: 
https://www.iu-copilot.org/en/studies/syntea/

All previously published press releases from IU International University of Applied Sciences about Syntea at: 
https://www.iu.de/news/en/?h=1&t=Syntea 

ABOUT MICROSOFT  

Microsoft Deutschland GmbH, established in 1983 as a subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation (Redmond, U.S.A.), employs over 3,000 employees in Germany across seven locations: Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Cologne, Munich, Stuttgart, and Walldorf. Together with our 30,000 partners in Germany, we support businesses with innovative solutions for the intelligent cloud and the Intelligent Edge, enabling them to thrive in the digital transformation and the era of artificial intelligence. Microsoft is also a global leader in areas such as productive AI-driven software solutions, IT security, innovative hardware, and development platforms based on open-source technology. Through our career network LinkedIn, we connect more than 950 million people worldwide, and with Xbox and Game Pass, we provide a cross-platform gaming experience. Microsoft invests in expanding AI infrastructure, cloud capacity, and the qualification of professionals in Germany. Collaborating with politics, economy, and academia, we participate in diverse initiatives and projects, ensuring that everyone can partake in the progress of the digital society.
 

ABOUT IU INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES

With over 130,000 students, IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU) is the largest university in Germany. The private, state-recognised educational institution with its headquarters in Erfurt began operations in 2000 and is now represented in more than 35 German cities. Students from over 190 nations design their studies according to their needs: whether practice-integrated dual studies, flexible distance learning or individual “myStudium”, which combines online self-study and campus life. IU wants to give people worldwide access to personalised education for a fulfilled and self-determined life. In more than 250 bachelor's, master's and MBA programmes, including over 50 in English, IU teaches students key skills relevant to the future. A digitally supported learning environment and the use of AI solutions help students to achieve optimal learning results and experiences. IU is one of the first universities in the world to have developed and deployed its own AI-supported learning buddy. IU cooperates with over 15,000 companies and supports them in the academic training of professionals. Partners include Motel One, Vodafone, AWO and Deutsche Bahn. Further information at: iu.org

The AI-supported learning buddy "Syntea" is now available as a public demo version in the ChatGPT store at the following link: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-P5olqoCPc-syntea 

• The AI learning buddy supports students individually in their learning - around the clock, at their personal pace. 
• State-of-the-art technology: Syntea - like ChatGPT - works generatively, refining its ability to answer complex questions comprehensively in an academic context. 
• Syntea has been developed by LIBF’s sister university, IU International University of Applied Sciences in Germany, and has been tried and tested across 1,000 online courses in the degree progammes that use Syntea. 
• LIBF students will benefit from Syntea in all online degree courses. 
• In addition, LIBF now offers its students elective courses in artificial intelligence in almost all degree programmes, as an essential key competence for tomorrow's job market. 

London, 29, May 2024. LIBF is pioneering the use of fully integrated AI-supported learning on a large scale for its degree students – a first for higher education in the UK – with the launch of Syntea for its online degree programmes. 

Syntea, which was specially developed by IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU) in Germany – LIBF’s sister university – was introduced for the first time in Germany in November 2022 and has been used successfully by thousands of students at IU. Complementing the academic teaching with more than 35 faculty and study advisors, Syntea presents itself as a truly innovative and valuable learning tool for students. 

The integration of Syntea in its online degree programmes means LIBF is not only leading personalised, digital education in the UK – but is able to better prepare students with the necessary technical skills for the future as well as supporting improved outcomes for students during their studies.

"This fully integrated AI-based learning buddy is a step change for higher education in the UK. It allows us to think about learning in a completely new way: students can now ask their individual questions online and receive an answer immediately – no matter where they are and when they are learning. This brings us a big step closer to providing truly personalized learning and helping to better prepare students with the necessary skills for a competitive job market," says Alex Fraser, CEO of LIBF. 

Syntea acts as a sophisticated, personalised AI learning assistant that responds to learners' needs and preferences. Syntea provides answers to individually posed questions about the learning material in a matter of seconds, and those answers are checked by teachers within a short period of time. As it proceeds, the AI learning buddy factors in the learning speed of the individual student and adapts to their learning rhythm. In addition, Syntea records the learning progress of the students through questions, enabling them to identify and close their knowledge gaps in a more targeted manner. 

"Syntea is one of the first solutions in the world to offer AI-based teaching at a high level and across many degree programmes. This concerns both the underlying generative AI technology and the dialogue-based, natural interaction with Syntea. As a personal learning buddy, Syntea accompanies our students efficiently through their studies and takes their needs into account," says Quintus Stierstorfer, Director Synthetic Teaching at IU, who is largely responsible for the development of Syntea. 

In the current Syntea version, the following three functions are available to students at LIBF: Question-Answering (Q&A), Pre-Assessment and Deep Dialogue Learning. More details below: 
 

Q&A: Around-the-clock answers to academic questions 

Question-Answering (Q&A) provides students with verified answers to their questions about academic content around the clock in an anonymous and private learning environment, allowing them to learn whenever and wherever they want. In its answers, Syntea provides a link to the corresponding chapter in the online script. Students can thus immediately dive deeper into the topic. In addition, teachers can add further relevant content, for example further links, to the checked answers. Syntea immediately recognises questions from fellow students that have already been asked in a similar way and can directly provide suitable and already verified answers. The AI learning buddy uses natural language processing (NLP) in its answers to understand and use words as humans do. 
 

Pre-assessment: assessing learning progress with video avatar 

With pre-assessment, an AI-based assessment mechanism, students can test their level of knowledge at any time and on any topic by answering multiple-choice questions posed by Syntea. Syntea guides students through the questions and answers in the form of a talking avatar. After completing several questions, students can see which ones they answered correctly and which ones they answered incorrectly. 
 

Deep Dialogue Learning: training your understanding and communication skills 

The Deep Dialogue Learning Feature gives students the chance to study using the Socratic teaching method . This means that Syntea leads you through the material with open questions and encourages you to critically review your knowledge. Based on your answers, Syntea helps you break down complex information bit by bit. If necessary, Syntea clarifies certain points so that you can discover and correct misconceptions independently. This way, you train both your understanding of the material and your communicative skills. 

The next steps for Syntea include rolling out a training feature for exams, which will offer students the ability to systematically prepare for exam questions. They choose which unit they want to practice and Syntea will ask them questions graded ‘easy’, ‘medium’, and ‘hard’. Once they have answered three questions in a row correctly, they progress to the next level. If they answer a question incorrectly, Syntea will explain to them why it was wrong. 

In the long term, Syntea is to be developed into a continuous learning support companion – a personalised learning buddy – that actively encourages and motivates students to pursue their learning goals. 
 

LIBF's leading role in digital and AI-enhanced learning 

LIBF has been actively leading the way in the use of digital learning tools in its teaching for years. For example, students of its professional qualifications can study online through LIBF’s learning platform, on demand, and take assessments and exams remotely. The inclusion of Syntea in its online degree programmes is another step forward in LIBF’s continuing development of digital learning tools that truly support students’ different learning needs and styles. 
LIBF will also offer elective courses in artificial intelligence in almost all degree programmes moving forward. Students will have the opportunity to acquire new, essential skills in order to be prepared for the demands of the future labour market . 

Further information on Syntea with clear explanatory videos at: https://www.libf.ac.uk/degrees/studying-with-us/student-support/ai-study-assistant-syntea/
 

ABOUT LIBF 

Since its foundation in 1879, LIBF has been at the forefront of providing world-class education and training. Today, our qualifications equip students round the world with the skills they need for successful careers. It is one of only a few professional bodies in the world to have Taught Degree Awarding Powers and is an innovator in distance learning and online degrees. With a focus on vocational training, LIBF delivers a broad range of qualifications and programmes to support individuals at each stage of their careers – from entry-level to advanced professional qualifications. Further information at: www.libf.ac.uk 
 

Press Contact 

LIBF 
John Roman, International PR Manager 
press@libf.ac.uk

Erfurt, 23 February 2024. Time plays a crucial role in higher education learning and influences learning progress and the achievement of academic goals. Shortening learning time through AI-supported, personalised approaches can help to reduce drop-out rates and increase enrolment rates. With its research paper, "Revolutionising Distance Learning: A Comparative Study of Learning Progress with AI-Driven Tutoring", IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU) shows for the first time at scale the positive effect of generative AI in higher education within a large and diverse treatment group (n = ca. 1000 IU students). Results show that generative AI can help to accelerate learning progress. 

The research tested whether the use of the AI-supported learning assistant Syntea, which was made available in almost all IU online courses in October 2023, influences the learning progress of distance learning students. 

Analysis by the IU research team shows that by using Syntea, the average time taken by IU distance learners to complete a course reduced by 27 per cent compared to baseline. This means that for a three-year bachelor programme students will be able to save almost 10 months of their study time. This is based on the assumption that this effect will be extrapolated on the total study time. 

Dr Sven Schütt, CEO, of IU International University of Applied Sciences, emphasises the importance of the study results:

“This landmark study underscores the revolutionary impact our AI learning companion Syntea is having on higher education. And as we continue to innovate, that impact will only increase. The findings suggest that education is on the brink of unprecedented improvement, paving the way for possibilities we couldn't have imagined just a year ago. Extrapolating this finding to the 15-year educational journey of the average bachelor student implies the potential to accelerate in average 4 years of education, opening up completely new opportunities to reshape our education system.” 

The research focused on the new Syntea feature, “Exam Trainer” which was released for several IU courses (around 40) in October 2023, continuing the history of the LLM (large language models) enabled innovation Syntea started in early 2022. In the future, it is planned that the trainer function will be available for half of IU’s courses. The trainer feature prepares students for the exam giving them the next exam-like question, thus providing personal feedback in the same style as you would have in the exam. By doing so, IU students receive a lot more feedback compared to students at other universities, which helps them progress faster.

(Source: D. Fabietti, M. Möller, S. Schütt, H. Sommerfeldt, Q. Stierstorfer, M. Zakhvatkin (2024). ”Revolutionising Distance Learning: A Comparative Study of Learning Progress with AI-Driven Tutoring”, IU International University of Applied Sciences) 

The research paper “Revolutionising Distance Learning: A Comparative Study of Learning Progress with AI-Driven Tutoring” can be downloaded here. 
 

Press release on the Syntea rollout in October 2023.

 

ABOUT SYNTEA 

Syntea, the AI learning buddy developed by the IU, is designed for the students. Linked to the IU Learn app and available in almost all courses, Syntea offers an innovative learning experience. As a sophisticated, personalised AI learning assistant, Syntea responds to learners' needs and preferences. The AI learning buddy adapts to students' learning pace and rhythm, tracks their progress and helps them to identify and close knowledge learning gaps. 

Syntea comes with four main functions: Pre-Assessment to identify strengths and weaknesses, Question-Answering for immediate exam-relevant answers (after prior review by human teachers), Exam Trainer for personalised exam preparation and Deep Dialogue Learning for interactive dialogues to deepen understanding. 

The AI-supported learning buddy Syntea is now available as a public demo version in the ChatGPT store at the following link: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-P5olqoCPc-syntea

Further information on Syntea can be found at: https://www.iu.org/how-online-studies-work/syntea/ 

ABOUT IU INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES (part of IU Group)

 With over 130,000 students, IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU) is the largest university in Germany. The private, state-recognised educational institution with its headquarters in Erfurt began operations in 2000 and is now represented in more than 35 German cities. Students from over 190 nations design their studies according to their needs: whether practice-integrated dual studies, flexible distance learning or individual “myStudium”, which combines online self-study and campus life. IU wants to give people worldwide access to personalised education for a fulfilled and self-determined life. In more than 250 bachelor's, master's and MBA programmes, including over 50 in English, IU teaches students key skills relevant to the future. A digitally supported learning environment and the use of AI solutions help students to achieve optimal learning results and experiences. IU is one of the first universities in the world to have developed and deployed its own AI-supported learning buddy. IU cooperates with over 15,000 companies and supports them in the academic training of professionals. Partners include Motel One, Vodafone, AWO and Deutsche Bahn. Further information at: iu.org

SYNTEA Question-Answering: Revolutionising Student Interaction

The QA (Question-Answering) tool, one of Syntea's core capabilities, is designed to transform the way students interact with course content and professors. By allowing students to ask questions about their course materials 24/7, the QA tool not only helps them clarify questions from the course book, but also unlocks full study flexibility. The answers provided by Syntea are approved by human tutors within 24 hours, so they can be used in exams. This guarantees each individual student success in their learning. 

Along with the answers, Syntea also sends links to the relevant materials from the vast virtual library of IU course materials. This helps students to dive deep quickly and easily into the topics and set their own learning focus.  

Syntea can also be seamlessly integrated into a wide range of channels such as web-applications, chat-clients and mobile devices. Due to its conversational interface, students can interact with Syntea in a very natural and intuitive way.  

Let Syntea introduce itself

Get to know Syntea by starting the video.

Leveraging the power of state-of-the-art NLP models, the QA tool currently utilises GPT version 3.5 and is set to receive a significant upgrade with the introduction of GPT4. Currently, we observe overly positive feedback with 85% of answers being rated as helpful by our users. Additionally, we ensure correctness and exam-relevance through human tutor verification of Syntea´s answers. In 65% of cases the original answer is approved and in the remaining cases tutors improve the answers or enrich them with additional details and examples. 

While the system already works great on the latest ChatGPT model, the introduction of GPT4 enhances the tool's capabilities and effectiveness in boosting accuracy of answers even further. We see increasing numbers of questions coming in from students compared to our classical channels, which demonstrates its wide adoption and positive impact on student learning experiences. 

3,500+ questions in 180 courses in the past 3 months via Syntea QA (March 2023)

Syntea Exam Trainer: Enhancing Preparation & Confidence

The Trainer tool, another valuable component of Syntea focuses on improving exam preparation for students. In providing students with exam-like questions and offering personalised feedback on their responses throughout the course, Trainer is a powerful tool to support learners' study progress. By simulating real exam conditions, Trainer helps students develop a deeper understanding of the subject matter and refine their problem-solving skills. Additionally, students gain a clearer understanding of areas they should concentrate their learning efforts on and when they are well prepared to take the final exam, providing them with greater confidence and success in their education journey.  

Trainer has been initially rolled out in selected courses. The tool has shown great promise, and plans for expanding it across more courses are underway.  

The Future of Learning: Socratic Teaching and Future Skills Training

IU’s commitment to advancing online education extends to further innovative features with successful proof of concepts, specifically Socratic Teaching and Future Skills training. These components aim to revolutionise the learning experience by fostering student engagement, critical thinking, and preparation for their professional career. 

Socratic Teaching, inspired by the methods of the philosopher Socrates, uses a dialogue to impart knowledge and encourage students to think critically. By adopting this approach, Syntea's Socratic Teaching feature will create more engaging and interactive learning experiences, challenging students to reflect on their understanding of course material.  

The Future Skills Training component of Syntea supports students preparing for rapidly evolving demands in the job landscape. As AI tools become increasingly prevalent it is crucial to equip students with the skills necessary to navigate future challenges. Instead of merely memorizing content, students need to internalise competencies such as engaging in win-win negotiations or fostering creativity. The Future Skills Training addresses these needs by providing immersive, real-life-like training experiences, enabling students to develop the essential skills required to excel in their future careers. 

Both Socratic Teaching and Future Skills Training are currently in test phase, with promising feedback and potential impact on student learning. As these features are further developed and integrated into the Syntea platform, IU International University of Applied Sciences will continue to lead the way providing innovative teaching solutions to offer the most personalised and flexible education for our students.  

IU International University of Applied Sciences is pioneering online education by integrating AI-powered solutions like Syntea. By leveraging cutting-edge NLP technologies like GPT models, we create a more personalised, engaging, and effective learning environment. 

Syntea's diverse capabilities, including the QA tool, Exam Trainer, Socratic Teaching, and Future Skills Training, demonstrate our commitment to fostering critical thinking and adaptability among our students. As we refine these innovative tools, we empower learners globally with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in an ever-evolving workforce. 

At IU, we are proud to be at the forefront of the AI-enhanced learning revolution. By continually pushing the boundaries of what is possible with AI technology in higher education, we remain dedicated to providing our students with the best possible learning experience, ensuring their success now and in the future. 

ABOUT IU INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES (PART OF IU GROUP)

With more than 130,000 students, IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU) is the largest university in Germany. The private, state-approved educational institution with its main campus in Erfurt brings together more than 250 bachelor's and master's programmes under one roof, which are offered in German or English. Students can choose between dual studies, distance learning and myStudies, which combines online and face-to-face events, and design their studies independently with the help of a digitally supported learning environment. In addition, IU enables further training and promotes the idea of lifelong learning. The aim of the university is to give as many people as possible worldwide access to personalised education. IU started operations in 2000 and is now represented in more than 35 German cities. It cooperates with over 15,000 companies and actively supports them in the development of their employees. The partners include Motel One, VW Financial Services and Deutsche Bahn. Further information at:  www.iu.org.