FCT launches IAedu: a new platform to democratize access to Artificial Intelligence in higher education and research

The Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), through its digital services unit FCCN, has launched IAedu, a pilot project that aims to democratize access to Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies in the context of higher education and scientific research in Portugal.

This new digital service was developed in partnership with Microsoft and presented at the FCCN Conference held from May 6 to 8 in Coimbra. It aims to promote the equitable, safe, and efficient use of Artificial Intelligence in higher education through centralized and free access to large-scale language models (LLM) in their Pro version, with federated authentication. Similar to other FCT digital services, such as b-on or Colibri, IAedu saves resources and time by providing a centrally funded service that can be applied to multiple academic and scientific contexts.

In addition to the web interface, IAedu also provides direct access to AI models through APIs, allowing national researchers and development teams to integrate LLMs into applications tailored to their scientific, educational, or institutional needs.

This pilot project is constantly evolving, allowing for the future integration of services provided by any commercial or open access service (e.g., new LLMs developed by the national scientific community).

The second edition of the platform, scheduled for release this summer, will include a feature for creating personalized virtual agents. Based on knowledge bases provided by the users themselves, it will also be possible to configure thematic assistants to support curricular units, academic or scientific services, among other applications. These agents can be made available to predefined user groups or to the community at large, creating new possibilities for customization and dissemination of knowledge.

IAedu is available for subscription by all entities in the RCTS (Science, Technology, and Society Network) network. Membership is free and subject to a responsible use policy. Data entered by users—including content submitted by researchers and students—will not be used to train or improve any AI model. FCT ensures the confidentiality and protection of information in accordance with best practices and applicable standards.

This new project is part of the FCT portfolio, which already offers more than 25 digital services dedicated to education, science, technology, and knowledge in Portugal. In the context of the FCT's strategy for Artificial Intelligence, IAedu represents a new area of activity in terms of its digital services, complementing other essential dimensions already underway. Noteworthy examples include the funding of individuals and projects in the field of AI, the free provision of high-performance computing infrastructure (namely Deucalion and MareNostrum5), the AI Factory project, and the promotion of the reuse of open scientific data through the National Open Research Data Program (e.g., see the Polen program).

Institutions interested in joining this pilot project can do so by filling out the registration form available on the IAedu platform.