AiM Higher 2025 has concluded — and it was incredible.
Save the Date!
We’re already planning for next year!
AiM Higher 2026 will take place June 9–11, 2026.
Mark your calendar!
This Wasn’t Just a Conference
It was a call to action
This is where ideas met execution, and where the future of AI in
higher education began to take shape..
ONE CONFERENCE. FOUR TRACKS.
Academic Research & Teaching Pedagogy
AI Changed the Way We Teach, Learn, and Research — Together, We Explored What’s Next
This track brought together educators and researchers to examine how AI can enhance personalized learning, support ethical research, and elevate teaching strategies.
Track Highlights:
✅ Engaging, discussion-based sessions
✅ Practical AI applications for teaching and research
✅ A collaborative space to define AI’s future in learning
Operational Excellence & Administrative Strategy
AI Is Reshaping Higher Ed—and We Tackled It Head-On
This track dove into real-world use cases of AI in student services, academic operations, and institutional planning, with a focus on responsible implementation and measurable outcomes.
Track Highlights:
✅ Practical, results-focused strategies
✅ Specialized, peer-led discussions
✅ Tools and insights to accelerate AI adoption
AI Makerspace
Innovation in Action
Participants rolled up their sleeves in this hands-on space where they collaborated with experts to design and build AI-powered tools tailored for higher ed. From concept to prototype, this track was all about creation and innovation.
Track Highlights:
✅ Hands-on development of AI prototypes
✅ Collaboration with leading AI practitioners
✅ Custom solutions for student success and campus innovation
Executive Leadership
Leading the AI Revolution
(Exclusive for Senior Leaders – i.e. Presidents, Provosts, CIOs, etc.)
Designed for senior executives, this exclusive track focused on high-level strategy, governance, and the ethical use of AI in leadership. Thought leaders from across institutions shaped roadmaps and exchanged critical insights for navigating change at the highest levels.
Track Highlights:
✅ Executive-only sessions on AI strategy and policy
✅ Creation of AI governance frameworks
✅ Forward-looking leadership insights
Institutions were encouraged to bring a four-part task force and connect with leading professionals
from across the East Coast. While participants registered with a primary track in mind,
they had the flexibility to explore sessions across all General Admission tracks throughout the day.
The Voices of AiM Higher!
Dr. Denise Turley
Keynote
Embracing the Uncharted: Navigating the Future of Education with Courage, Curiosity and Care
Dr. Denise Turley is an educator, author, and technology leader focused on equity, innovation, and the future of learning. She brings a unique blend of experience from both academic and industry spaces, where she leads the development of AI solutions at scale and helps organizations navigate digital transformation with purpose and clarity. Her work explores how technology can be used to close achievement gaps, empower underserved students, and foster inclusive, self-determined leadership—particularly for underrepresented communities. Known for translating complex ideas into meaningful action, Dr. Turley challenges educators and technologists alike to see AI not as a threat, but as a tool for building more human-centered systems that amplify learning and connection.
Dr. Jasper Roe, SFHEA
Keynote
Navigating AI in Academia: Cross-Cultural Responses to Assessment and Integrity
Dr. Jasper Roe is an Assistant Professor in Digital Literacies and Pedagogies at Durham University, UK. Jasper’s experience includes significant university leadership roles internationally, in both Vietnam and Singapore. His research has focused on the cultural dimensions of AI models, the early development of Automated Paraphrasing Tools, and the inefficiencies of AI Text Detection Technology. He is best known for his work as a co-creator of the AI Assessment Scale (AIAS), which is used worldwide and has been translated into 30 languages. Information on the AIAS is available at www.aiassessmentscale.com.
This virtual keynote features global perspectives on AI, academic integrity, and assessment practices, highlighting cross-cultural challenges and strategies. Mathieu Plourde, FSA ULaval (Canada), Dr. Hoda Mostafa, The American University in Cairo (Egypt), Dr. Jim Bradley, University of Limerick (Ireland). Tiffany L. Wright, PhD, Pepperdine University, Dr. Mike Perkins, SFHEA Associate Professor and Head, Centre for Research & Innovation, British University Vietnam BUV Co-Author, AIAS.
Rachel Lapp
Sustainable Learning Cohort Designer
Through a cohort experience session, conference attendees will have the opportunity to connect with peers and build a supportive community and gain actionable strategies to navigate AI challenges and promote continuous learning within their institutions.
Rachel Lapp is an instructional designer, educator, and learning strategist at the University of Delaware. She is passionate about creating course designs that spark curiosity, invite exploration, and promote deep learning. With a strong background in instructional design and education, Rachel focuses on developing engaging and effective learning experiences that cater to diverse learner needs.
Featured Speakers
Day 1
Dr. Wendy K. Smith
Executive Leadership
Wendy K. Smith, PhD, is a highly cited researcher and award-winning author recognized for her work on strategic paradoxes. She received the Web of Science Highly Cited Research Award five times and the Academy of Management Review Decade Award twice. Her book, Both/And Thinking, was a top management book of 2023. Wendy is the Dana J. Johnson Professor of Management and faculty director of the Women’s Leadership Initiative at the Lerner College of Business and Economics, University of Delaware.
Day 2
Dr. Thomas M. Powers
Operational Excellence & Administrative Strategy
Thomas M. Powers is associate professor and founding director of the Center for Science, Ethics & Public Policy. His research focuses on the ethics of information technology and on the philosophy of technology. He has published on machine ethics, computer agency, virtual worlds, the ethics of AI, trust in robotics, and on other philosophical issues involving emerging technologies.
Day 2
Andrew B. Jenks, PhD
Academic Research & Pedagogy
Andy Jenks is an educational assessment specialist at the University of Delaware’s Center for Teaching and Assessment of Learning and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Political Science and International Relations. Through consultations and programming, he supports a variety of teaching development programming at the individual instructor and course level up to program wide support. With subject matter expertise in Disability Politics, he has recently published book chapters and articles on the subject of equity and access in the classroom with a focus on questions of access in higher education as it confronts challenges and promises of AI.
Day 1-3
Jevonia Harris
AI Makerspace
Jevonia Harris, Team Lead of Educational Software Engineering in UDIT Academic Technology Services at the University of Delaware, is a lifelong Blue Hen with backgrounds in both computer science and computer engineering. Her expertise spans software development, faculty support, and project management, with a focus on AI technologies and oversight of the UD Capture suite. Passionate about AI ethics and bias, Jevonia contributes significantly to academic discourse and practical applications, helping shape AI software development in academia within UD and beyond.
FinTech Innovation Hub – STAR Campus
AiM Higher took place on the University of Delaware’s STAR campus. Many sessions were held in the FinTech Innovation Hub, the Lerner graduate hub offering both certificate programs and graduate programs in AI for Business.
Learn More about the FinTech building
STAR Tower – STAR Campus
AiM Higher took place on the University of Delaware’s STAR campus. The Keynote and other sessions were held in STAR Tower.