[Air-L] Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education: Balancing Equity, Access, and Innovation

[Mark Carrigan]

Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education: Balancing Equity, Access, and
Innovation



Dates: Tuesday 9th – Wednesday 10th June 2026

Venue: Online and in person at the Whitworth Art Gallery, University of
Manchester, Manchester, UK

Organiser: Manchester Institute of Education, The University of Manchester



Generative AI is rapidly changing higher education. Alongside excitement
about new possibilities for learning and research, there are growing
questions about who benefits and who might be left behind. This conference
explores how GenAI could be used to make higher education more equitable
and accessible, and how it might deepen existing divides.



Bringing together researchers, educators, students, technologists,
accessibility professionals and policymakers, we’ll consider the practical,
ethical, and policy challenges of using GenAI to support diverse learners
and learning processes. The event will mix keynotes from leading educators,
researchers, and policymakers, reflective discussions, lightning talks, a
workshop and research posters to create space to share ideas, surface
tensions, and imagine more inclusive futures with AI in higher education.



We are inviting submissions for both lightning talks and research posters. The
conference will be held in a hybrid format. The lightning talks will take
place in person, while research posters can be presented either online or
in person.



Additional information can be found below;



Call for in-person Lightning Talks



We invite proposals for 5–7 minute reflections on one of the following
themes:



1. Highlighting best practice. Examples of what’s working, what feels
promising, or what we can learn from early experimentation of using GenAI
in HE. This might involve teaching, research, design, policy, or support
work that uses generative AI to enhance participation, accessibility, or
inclusion.



2. Reflections on challenges. Honest accounts of difficulty, tension, or
uncertainty when using GenAI in HE. We’re particularly keen to hear about
things that haven’t gone to plan, or that raise wider questions about
equality and inclusion in the AI moment.



The lightning talks are about starting conversations, not delivering
finished answers. If you’ve been trying something out, or thinking
critically about what others are doing, we’d love to hear from you.



Call for in-person or online Research Posters



We’re also inviting submissions of proposals for research posters that
explore the relationship between AI, accessibility, and inclusion in higher
education. This could be based on empirical research, conceptual work, a
co-designed project, or an initiative still taking shape.



We will ask those successful to provide a printed hard copy (in A1) to be
displayed on the day, but also a digital copy so we can share it with
participants online. We envisage the poster session to be a space to
exchange ideas, connect across disciplines, and share work in progress as
well as completed studies.



We especially welcome posters that foreground student perspectives,
marginalized experiences or inclusive approaches to research and design.



Submission Information



Please complete the submission form below by December 20th with a title and
up to 150 words describing your proposed lightning talk or research poster.


https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/hjQYZjPtL2



We’ll notify contributors of outcomes by January 31st 2026.


Dr Mark Carrigan FRSA
Senior Lecturer in Education
Manchester Institute of Education
University of Manchester

www.markcarrigan.net



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*Latest book: *Platform & Agency - Becoming Who We Are
<https://www.routledge.com/Platform-and-Agency-Becoming-Who-We-Are/Carrigan/p/book/9781032895970>
*Latest paper*: Teacher agency and generative artificial intelligence
<https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17439884.2025.2575993>
*Latest chapter: *Generative AI and the next phase of the platform
university
<https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003442264-9/generative-ai-next-phase-platform-university-mark-carrigan-sylvia?context=ubx&refId=84a3cb31-7633-429e-9bf3-f8e07ab03c39>
*Latest guest blog: *A new academic year has begun, but UK universities are
still struggling to respond to AI
<https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2025/09/26/a-new-academic-year-has-begun-but-uk-universities-are-still-struggling-to-respond-to-ai/>