In Partnership With
Watch this short video to learn more about the hackathon and how AI can transform collaborative learning
Review the guide for understanding all the deliverables and the resources you might use for the hackathon.
Collaboration is key to success in any environment. In learning sphere, collaborative learning can not only speed up the learning process but also give wings to innovation. With the rise of LLMs, AI has made significant strides in last few years. AI can assist significantly in collaborative learning sphere. While there may be two ways of broadly using AI for collaboration in teaching and learning, i.e., (i) Human in the AI-loop and (ii) Autonomous AI, we focus on the first one for the current Hackathon (and project).
Within Human in the AI-loop context, we want hackers to think: How can AI agents act either as a learning partner or as a smart support system to make learning more inclusive and effective?
Hackers may develop creative AI-artefacts in response to the grand challenges mentioned below. Each grand challenge is supported by a sample description. The sample descriptions for these grand challenges are developed by the students of IIT Delhi in a pre-Hackathon workshop organised in collaboration with Imperial College London and Microsoft Garage.
The Hackathon teams may select one of these grand challenges, and choose to either develop an AI-prototype in alignment with the sample description, or further adapt and modify the description as per your skills, context, and interests.
While developing the AI-artefacts, the hackers are required to think of the following, which may also reflect in the process and product of what your team comes up with:
If the AI-prototype that your team is developing were to be used in real classrooms for collaborative learning, which students' competencies and skills within STEM settings will it help building?
How will your AI-prototype help students recognise themselves as STEM learners while working collaboratively?
How will your AI-prototype meant to foster collaboration within students also help them gain recognition as a science person—this could be from their peers, teachers, collaborators, family, society, etc. It could be facilitated through welfare for society, ideas of nation-building, pursuing Science for the sake of advancing scientific research, obtaining fellowships for higher studies, network for industry placements, or simply a way to securing any government job.
How do the competencies developed (Q1) through using your AI-prototype help in students' gaining this recognition—self (Q2) or external (Q3)?
How does your AI prototype promote inclusivity for learners from traditionally underrepresented groups (such as women and gender-diverse learners, learners with disabilities, learners from rural or non-English-speaking backgrounds, low-income learners, and learners from historically marginalized social groups)?
How does your AI prototype navigate ethical decision-making by balancing what you consider ethically appropriate with existing institutional norms, policies, and constraints?
March 18 - May 5, 2026
March 18, 2026
Time:13:00
Teams link will be sent to all registrants
March 24, 2026
Time: 13:00 - 14:00
March 26, 2026
Time: 17:00
April 13 onwards
May 5, 2026
Time: 17:00
Week of May 18,2026 (TBC)
This hackathon is part of a wider research project exploring AI in collaborative learning
Research planning and framework development
CompletedWorkshop with IIT Delhi, Imperial College London, and Microsoft Garage
CompletedTeams develop AI-prototypes for collaborative learning challenges
March 18 - May 5, 2026 • Current PhaseDiscussion with the participating students to understand the dimensions of collaborative learning using AI tools during the hackathon.
UpcomingDocumentation and research analysis of hackathon outcomes
UpcomingBuild. Compete. Get noticed by Microsoft.
£100 Amazon voucher for each member of the winning team
Mentorship opportunities for the top team from each Grand Challenge
Recognition from industry and academic experts
All participants get co-branded certificates from
IIT Delhi
Imperial College London
Microsoft Garage