IIIT Hyderabad to Establish Centre for Educational Technology and Learning Sciences

The International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Hyderabad is set to inaugurate its new Centre for Educational Technology and Learning Sciences (CETLS) on September 5. This interdisciplinary initiative aims to bridge the gap between cognitive science, psychology, and advanced technology to reshape how individuals approach education in an era increasingly defined by artificial intelligence.

Rather than viewing AI as a challenge to traditional education, the centre intends to leverage the technology to enhance fundamental human capabilities. The core mission of CETLS is to foster deeper learning, curiosity, and critical thinking, ensuring that students and professionals alike remain adaptable lifelong learners. The centre will specifically investigate the transition from being a digital native to becoming an AI-native learner, focusing on how tools can support problem-solving and the mastery of complex concepts.

Strategic Focus Areas and Future Objectives

The scope of the new centre is broad, encompassing four distinct sectors: K-12 education, higher education, executive education, and third-age learning. In the K-12 space, the centre aims to shift the pedagogical focus away from rote memorization toward experiential and practical learning models. By utilizing AI, the researchers hope to encourage students to develop their own analytical skills rather than relying on the technology to provide immediate answers.

For higher education and executive training, CETLS plans to develop AI-based learning companions. These personalized tools are designed to identify individual knowledge gaps, assess personal strengths and weaknesses, and guide learners through deeper conceptual exploration. In the context of executive education, where the demand for continuous upskilling is high, these AI companions will prioritize active, task-based learning over passive instruction.

To achieve these goals, the centre will actively collaborate with a wide network of academic institutions, schools, edtech organizations, and international subject matter experts. The initiative will launch with two full-time founding faculty members, with a strategic roadmap in place to scale the core faculty to between five and ten members over the next three to four years.