Touro University Launches Faculty Innovation Grant Program to Advance Integration of AI into Teaching and Learning
A new Faculty Innovation Grant Program at Touro University is supporting faculty members as they develop AI-enhanced curricula for Fall 2025. The program is part of the institution's AI@Touro initiative, a broader effort to "transform the university into a fully AI-enabled institution by training faculty, staff and students in the use of AI."
This summer, one hundred faculty members across a wide range of disciplines have been developing AI projects that will be piloted in classrooms this fall, the university said. Projects focus on real-world applications, ethical use of AI, and student engagement. Examples include:
- AI-powered exercises in contracts and criminal law to enhance legal reasoning;
- AI-generated patient simulations and health literacy tools for health science training;
- Lesson planning and classroom simulations using AI to prepare future educators;
- Simulated therapy sessions and clinical mental health training using AI;
- Learning to use AI to create advertising campaigns;
- Creating AI-powered study guides, chatbots, and assessments to support infectious disease education; and
- Simulating patient interactions to enhance medical training.
"This initiative reflects Touro's commitment to preparing students for a future where AI will be central to nearly every profession," said Dr. Alan Kadish, president of Touro University, in a statement.
"By empowering our faculty to thoughtfully integrate AI into the classroom, we're ensuring our students are not just learning about AI — they're having the opportunity to try it out and see how it will work in the real world," commented Dr. Patricia Salkin, Touro's senior vice president, Academic Affairs, and provost, Graduate and Professional Divisions.
"This is about more than just using new tools. It's about helping students think critically about how AI is shaping their fields and how they can use it responsibly and effectively," noted Dr. Shlomo Argamon, associate provost for AI at the university.
Program outcomes will be assessed at the end of the academic year. Touro plans to expand successful models and share best practices across the university system.
About the Author
Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].