Enhancing Learning in Évora through the HQA® Program
One of Portugal’s distinguished institutions of higher learning aims to raise the bar on personalized learning through a…
One of Portugal’s distinguished institutions of higher learning aims to raise the bar on personalized learning through a collaborative project with an accomplished international entrepreneur. Researchers at the University of Évora have partnered with an American founder on a research endeavour that seeks to employ Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies to create personalized learning paths for students. The project is the latest in a steady stream of innovative research initiatives to be launched at the University of Évora over the past six years through Empowered Startups’ HQA® Program.
Everyone is Benefiting from the HQA® Program
“We’ve built an excellent relationship with the University of Évora and its local partners, all of which have been very supportive of the HQA® Program since its inception,” smiled Paulo Martins, Empowered Startups’ Portugal Incubation Manager. “The lived experience our founders bring to the academic environment creates a very beneficial partnership; professors and students have learned a great deal about international entrepreneurship and how to direct a combination of applied research into market with great success.”
“At the same time, our entrepreneurs have been very impressed with the research capabilities and the level of expertise they’ve encountered in the Portuguese university environment.”
“But the impact is even greater than that. Not only are the people directly involved with these projects benefitting from the HQA® Program, but Portugal itself is beginning to realize the advantages of introducing global talent to its innovation ecosystem. People meet people, and now the motivation to build a new innovation path in Portugal is scaling with our entrepreneurs and the overall Portuguese ecosystem.”
Improving Learning and Teaching Outcomes
The most recent project announced in Évora aims to harness the power of AI to tailor the learning process to the individual needs of each student. By developing an AI-driven learning management system in partnership with an Educational Technology company, researchers will create a platform that uses machine learning algorithms to analyze student performance data, learning habits, and preferences from various sources including assessments, class participation, and homework submissions.
Combining this analysis with qualitative data from teachers regarding classroom behavior and engagement, the AI-powered system will create customized learning paths for each student with recommendations from tailored resources, adaptive quizzes, and suggested study schedules. Teachers gain insights into student performance trends and areas needing attention while students receive instant feedback on their progress, allowing for immediate adjustments to their diverse learning styles and paces.
Empowering Projects Throughout Portugal
The University of Évora is one of 15 universities and polytechnics in Empowered Startups’ network of partner institutions throughout Portugal, many of which will be making HQA® project announcements of their own over the next few weeks. The months of June and July will see 25 HQA® projects launched at 10 different Portuguese research universities, signaling a marked increase in the country’s ability to attract global talent through this innovative program. Empowered Startups is the only government-endorsed delivery partner of the HQA® Program and is a certified member of RNi, a network of Portuguese incubators officially designated by Startup Portugal.
