Jul 17, 2026
Focus on AI-Supported Teaching: Presentation of Our Teaching Concept at the “Lessons Learned VIII” Conference
Dr. Marchini will present at the Lessons conference
How can students be better prepared for the challenges of engineering practice? Our presentation at Lessons Learned VIII—the conference on current issues in higher education, which took place in early July at TU Dresden—addressed this question.
Our presentation focused on an AI-supported teaching concept that helps students develop a key engineering competency: defining problems in collaboration with a client.
The case study involves assessing the feasibility of CO₂ capture at an existing waste-to-energy plant. Instead of receiving a fully formulated assignment, students first engage in a conversation with an AI agent that assumes the role of an industrial client. By asking questions in a targeted manner, they must determine boundary conditions, identify missing information, and ultimately select a suitable carbon capture technology for the specific application.
The AI agent is based on ChatGPT and has been equipped with project-specific expertise, plant data, and a client profile. This creates a realistic simulation of an initial meeting with a client, similar to those engineers regularly conduct in their daily work. Afterward, students receive formative feedback on their conversation skills and the information they gathered.
Initial experiences from its use in the “Reactor Modeling and Design” course show that the approach was very well received by students and can make a valuable contribution to practical engineering education.
We would like to thank the organizers of Lessons Learned VIII for the successful conference and the inspiring exchange on the future of higher education in the age of artificial intelligence.