Flanders presents first AI degree

Flanders will offer its first-ever academic bachelor’s degree in Artificial Intelligence. The three-year programme will be offered by the Free University of Brussels (Vrije Universiteit Brussel) starting next academic year (2022-2023). The VUB has been investing in this field for some time and can offer students an AI Lab and an AI Experience Centre.

There is an increasing need for well-trained AI specialists in companies, research centres and government institutions, but until now, there was no university training to train such people. Currently, around 25% of companies are already regularly using machine intelligence, however, more than three-quarters of Flemish businesses (76.8%) do not use AI yet, and the majority (63.4%) have no plans to do so.

“AI is here to stay,” said Flemish Minister of Education Ben Weyts. “Flanders is a knowledge economy: we cannot afford to miss this train. In the high-tech labour market of tomorrow, we will need real AI specialists.”

As part of the VUB course, aimed at a diverse group of students, a broad technical basis will be taught, with attention to the cognitive and ethical aspects of AI.
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(HC)

Humanoid robot with artificial intelligence during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas © AFP/ BELGA PHOTO Patrick T. FALLON