TUMO’s AI Curriculum Finalist for $1 Million WISE Prize in Global Education

TUMO’s AI curriculum project has been selected as one of six finalists for the 2024-2025 WISE Prize for Education. This year’s competition, organized by the World Innovation Summit for Education and focused on innovative solutions to global education challenges, received 427 applications.

A committee of international experts carefully evaluated the submissions to identify the six most promising solutions, each standing out for its ability to address the competition’s key areas, including challenges in artificial intelligence.

The WISE Prize attracted a wide array of applications, showcasing the breadth and innovation of education solutions globally. Organizations from government, nonprofit, and private sectors, with strong representation from countries across the world. The competition attracted submissions addressing inclusive learning, AI-powered tools, voice-generated learning, tailored approaches for neurodivergent learners, and teacher development.

“TUMO’s Generative AI Learning Program combines self-learning, hands-on workshops, and deeptech skills. Using AI to create their own personalized learning paths, the program empowers teenagers, notably those coming from underserved communities, to act autonomously in their learning journey. What is particularly compelling about TUMO is the program’s accessibility, being free of charge and available in multiple countries, underscoring its commitment to democratizing advanced technology education. This is particularly important given the unprecedented rise in generative AI content, further exacerbating the digital divide,” said Niamh Whelan, Program Lead of the WISE Prize for Education.

“We’re thrilled to be a WISE Prize finalist, as it will accelerate the development of AI curriculum at TUMO,” said Vahakn Papazian, TUMO’s Director of Product Engineering. “It’s essential to empower young people to take part in innovation ecosystems and engage with AI on their own terms.”

Over the next 12 months, WISE and its chosen program partner, Dalberg Advisors, will offer a range of capacity-building opportunities and personalized mentorship to the chosen finalists. In addition, WISE offers a conditional grant of $125,000 USD to each team to support the development of their MVP during this year-long commitment. The winning solution, chosen by an external jury of international education experts, will be awarded the $1 million WISE Prize for Education at the WISE12 Summit in 2025, where the winner will be announced live.