TRAI – Writing, Thinking, and AI in University Studies

The TRAI project examines how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming academic work, particularly when students write their Bachelor’s theses. Most students already use tools like ChatGPT, but universities often lack clear rules or support systems to help them navigate these tools effectively.

Writing a Bachelor’s thesis is a key part of and a requirement for almost all examination procedures in degree programs. This is often the first time students conduct independent research related to academic writing. It is also the moment when AI has the greatest impact on traditional ways of scholarly and scientific work.

TRAI examines the relationship between academic writing, critical thinking, and AI skills. Of particular interest are the changes in epistemic concepts that students and faculty undergo when confronted with AI.

The project employs several methods:

• An extensive survey of students and teachers
• Interviews with students and thesis supervisors
• A collection of genuine Bachelor’s theses in multiple languages

A free online course (MOOC) or similar online educational resource (OER) will also be created to instruct students and teachers on how to use AI effectively in thesis writing. Theses written before and after the course will be compared to explore the differences.

The goal is to understand how students construct knowledge, present their arguments, and utilize AI in their thinking and writing.

All findings, materials, and the course will be shared on a multilingual online platform available in Bulgarian, German, Romanian, and English.