About This Course
This free introductory course is designed for Master’s and PhD students who have little or no prior experience with Generative AI (GenAI). You will gain a practical, ethical, and research-focused introduction to AI tools, including ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Copilot, and other academic AI applications.
The course aligns with UNESCO’s human-centered approach to AI in education and research, emphasizing responsible, ethical, and effective use of AI to support — not replace — human judgment and academic integrity.
What You Will Learn
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Explain what Generative AI is and how it works
- Identify appropriate GenAI tools for postgraduate study
- Use AI ethically and responsibly in academic work
- Create effective prompts for research and learning tasks
- Use AI to support literature reviews and research design
- Use AI to improve academic writing while maintaining integrity
- Recognize the limitations and risks of AI-generated content
- Apply UNESCO and OECD principles for responsible AI in research
Course Details
| Â | Â |
|---|---|
| Duration | 4 Weeks (Self-Paced) |
| Estimated Time | 12–16 Hours |
| Level | Beginner — No prior AI experience required |
| Target Audience | Master’s students, PhD students, Early-career researchers, Research assistants |
| Prerequisites | None |
| Certificate | Yes (on completion) |
Delivery Format
- Video lectures
- Reading materials
- Guided demonstrations
- Hands-on exercises
- Practical assignments
- Discussion activities
Assessment Breakdown
| Assessment | Weight |
|---|---|
| Module Activities | 30% |
| Prompt Portfolio | 20% |
| Reflection Exercises | 20% |
| Final Project | 30% |
Recommended Free Tools
General AI ChatGPT · Google Gemini · Claude · Microsoft Copilot
Academic AI Elicit · Consensus · Research Rabbit · Connected Papers
Course Features
- Lectures 15
- Quizzes 4
- Duration 12-16 Hours
- Skill level Beginner
- Language English
- Students 98
- Assessments Yes
- 5 Sections
- 15 Lessons
- 4 Weeks
Expand all sectionsCollapse all sections
- Understanding Generative AIExplore what Generative AI is, how large language models work, and what the opportunities and risks are for postgraduate researchers.5
- Prompt Engineering for ResearchersLearn how to write effective AI prompts that produce high-quality, research-relevant outputs using the R-C-T-F framework.4
- GenAI for Research and Academic WritingApply AI tools responsibly to literature reviews, academic writing, and research design with clear ethical boundaries throughout.5
- Responsible and Ethical Use of AIApply UNESCO principles, understand academic integrity policies, and learn to critically evaluate AI outputs before using them in your research.4
- FINAL PROJECTFinal Project AI-Assisted Research Toolkit1
