Faculty research works to be made available through AI
The Central University of Tamil Nadu, Tiruvarur, has launched a programme to convert the research works of its faculty into multilingual podcasts using artificial intelligence.
According to a CUTN release, the AI-driven podcast was designed in a discussion format that captures the essence of the faculty's research work and aimed to bridge the gap between high-level scholarly work and the broader public, ushering in a new era of accessible, inclusive, and engaging educational content.
These podcasts, produced in Tamil, English, and Hindi, are available on CUTN's official website https://cutn.ac.in/podcast/. The podcast will also be available in other vernacular languages on request. Subsequently, within a short period, the materials will be available in CUTN library.
Each episode is curated to maintain the integrity of the original work while ensuring it is engaging and understandable to non-specialist audiences, including the local community, in the vernacular language, the release added.
Stating that this initiative was not just digitising research works, the institution said that by turning research work into dynamic, easily consumable audio formats, the evolving preferences of today's mobile-first, multitasking learners was also addressed.
Vice-Chancellor M. Krishnan said the institution's vision was to make academic research more inclusive, accessible, and dynamic. AI, when used ethically, becomes a powerful enabler of education. Professor Krishnan went on to add that each podcast episode undergoes rigorous human review, from script preparation to narration and final editing, human contributors play a central role in preserving the accuracy, tone, and context of the original research. This initiative encourages a shift from passive reading to active listening, ideal for today's mobile learners.
In a parallel move, CUTN is also leveraging AI to modernise its academic curricula. The university is using AI tools to analyse and upgrade syllabi developed by the Board of Studies (BoS) for each department. Differences identified through AI-assisted reviews are quantified and presented to the Board of Studies for approval.
At present, the Chemistry and Biotechnology departments are undergoing this AI-driven curriculum analysis. Upon BoS approval, the revised syllabi will be implemented in the upcoming academic year. CUTN plans to extend this process to all departments, ensuring continuous curricular enhancement aligned with current academic and industry standards, the release added.
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