Prof. Dr. Doris Weßels

Doris Weßels is a business IT specialist and taught at HAW Kiel until February 28, 2025, with a focus on project management and natural language processing. You can still reach her at doris.wessels@haw-kiel.de.

Current projects and activities:

  • Since March 1, 2025: Scientific Director at the Schleswig-Holstein AI Application Center for the Generative AI Future Lab at the FuE-Zentrum FH Kiel GmbH
  • Since April 1, 2023: Initiator and Director of the AI funding project “AI2Entrepreneur – AI-Assisted Entrepreneurship Education and Development”
  • Since September 1, 2022: Co-founder and member of the core team of the Virtual Competence Center “Artificial Intelligence in Education, Science & the Workplace” (https://www.vkkiwa.de/)

Since 2018, her research has focused on developments in the field of natural language processing and their implications for Areas of Education.

On September 1, 2022, she founded the Virtual Competence Center for Artificial Intelligence and Academic Work (VK:KIWA) together with experts from across Germany.

As part of the Schleswig-Holstein AI Application Center, she initiated and established the Generative AI Future Lab at the R&D Research Center of HAW Kiel. Together with her team, she oversees a wide range of AI projects in business, science, and education.

In addition to her duties as a member of the supervisory board, she contributes her expertise to various national and international AI expert and advisory committees.

Overview of organizations and committees (as of July 2025):

  • Member of the AI-SKILLS Scientific Advisory Board at Humboldt University of Berlin starting in July 2023; link to the project website: https://ai-skills.hu-berlin.de/
  • Member of the Advisory Board of AI-Campus 2.0: 2023–2025
  • Member of the Schleswig-Holstein AI Expert Council starting in February 2024
  • Member of the City of Vienna’s AI Expert Council (AI Expert Pool) starting in fall 2024; see list of members: https://digitales.wien.gv.at/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2024/09/AI-Expert-Pool.pdf
  • Member of the “AI in Higher Education” Working Group of the German Science Council, starting in November 2024
  • Member of the “AI in Higher Education” task force within the Alliance for Future Skills as part of the Stifterverband’s “Future Mission: Education” initiative, starting in January 2025
  • Member of the Advisory Board on “Artificial Intelligence in Areas of Education” at Cornelsen Verlag GmbH, starting in March 2025
  • Member of the Expert Council for the “AI in Education” Trend Monitoring initiative of the Telekom Foundation: https://www.telekom-stiftung.de/aktivitaeten/trendmonitor-ki-der-bildung – starting in March 2025
  • Member of the Expert Advisory Board for the Digital and Innovation Hub at Euro HAW Hamburg – starting in March 2025
  • Juror for the 2025 NDR Nonfiction Book Award – starting in July 2025
  • Member of the advisory board for the EU-funded project “Teacher Academy: AI2PI – From Artificial Intelligence to Pedagogical Innovation,” led by Humboldt University of Berlin – starting April 2025
  • Member of the Sounding Board at VDI Wissensforum GmbH – starting April 2026
  • Member of the Board of Trustees at Euro-FH – starting May 4, 2026

Current Awards:

2024 and again in 2025: Recognized as one of the Top 10 Leaders in the Science category of the German-speaking education scene by the Bildung-Table editorial team:

Doris Weßels

Director of the Generative AI Future Lab in Schleswig-Holstein

"Hardly anyone can assess the impact of artificial intelligence on schools and universities as accurately as Doris Weßels. She recognized the potential and the transformative power of language models even before the ChatGPT hype and has since organized the first ‘Agentathon’ with the Kiel Future Lab for Generative AI (ZGKI)—an evolution of hackathons in the context of AI agents. The ZGKI is a research project of the state of Schleswig-Holstein aimed at promoting business and startup processes with the support of AI. Previously, Weßels worked at Kiel University of Applied Sciences for more than 16 years, most recently as a professor of Business IT. Her goal is to help shape the future of education in the AI era with a spirit of experimentation, a sense of responsibility, and courage."

Announcement link, Dec. 10, 2025: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/bildung-table_topofthetable25-wissenschaft-activity-7404433506405281792-J_Tj, Website: https://table.media/bildung/heads-category/die-100-10-entscheidenden-koepfe-der-bildungsszene-2025-wissenschaft, accessed: Dec. 11, 2025

Academic education: Diplom-Mathematikerin, Dr. rer. pol.

  • 07/1987: Diploma in Mathematics (Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster) with a minor in Business Administration and an Elective Module in Computer Science
  • 1987-1989: Research assistant at the Institute for Numerical and Instrumental Mathematics at the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster in the DFG research project "Pranumfrei"
  • Parallel to working as a research assistant at the WWU from 1988-1989: Lecturer in mathematics at the Department of Civil Engineering (Prof. Dr. R. Runge) at HAW Münster
  • 1989-1992: Research assistant at the Institute for Finance and Investment at the University of Oldenburg (Prof. Dr. P. Betge)
  • 05/1992: Obtained a doctorate in economics (Dr. rer. pol.) for the dissertation "Modeling concepts in the context of environmental protection-induced innovation management", University of Oldenburg

Further professional career:

  • 1992-2000: System consultant, project and product manager and sales representative at Norddeutsche Informations-Systeme GmbH
  • 2001-2003: Key Account and Business Development Manager at eMIS GmbH (Headquarters North Carolina USA) and Head of the Internal Customer Business Development Center at MobilCom Multimedia GmbH
  • 2004: Business Coordination - HSH Nordbank AG
  • 2004-2005: Professor for Business IT at the Berufsakademie/Wirtschaftsakademie Schleswig-Holstein GmbH
  • 2005-2008: Head of the Business IT program at the Berufsakademie/Wirtschaftsakademie Schleswig-Holstein GmbH

1.09.2008-28.02.2025: Professor of Business IT at the Department of Buisness at HAW Kiel

  1. since 1.03.2025: Scientific Director at the AI Application Center Schleswig-Holstein for the Future Lab Generative AI at FuE-Zentrum FH Kiel GmbH
  2. since 1.04.2023: Initiator and head of the AI funding project "AI2Entrepreneur - AI-Assisted Entrepreneurship Education and Development"
  3. since 1.09.2022: Co-founder and member of the core team of the Virtual Competence Center "Artificial Intelligence in Education, Science & the World of Work" (https://www.vkkiwa.de/)

Latest News in the Areas of Press/Interviews/Blog Posts/Podcasts/Guest Contributions and Publications (selected examples only, starting in January 2025):

Guest article in *Die ZEIT*, No. 03/2025, p. 31: “The Position: Put an End to Absurd AI Rules!”, link to *ZEIT-Online*: https://www.zeit.de/2025/03/kuenstliche-intelligenz-studium-hochschulen-regeln, accessed: Jan. 16, 2025, cited here: https://oneainews.com/kunstliche-intelligenz-im-studium-ending-absurd-ai-rules-in-german-universities/, accessed: Jan. 16, 2025

Guest column for F.A.Z. PRO Digital Economy <newsletter@nl.faz.net> dated January 22, 2025: “When Only AI Teaches,” link: https://www.faz.net/pro/digitalwirtschaft/kuenstliche-intelligenz/wenn-nur-ki-unterrichtet-110243394.html, accessed: January 22, 2025

Interview for the Wübben Foundation’s online magazine SCHUB on the use of AI in schools: https://www.schub-magazin.org/108-nachgefragt-ki-schulen-wessels-nrw-2025/, published and accessed on January 29, 2025

Interview on the topic “AI in Schools—What We Can Do to Ensure Artificial Intelligence Helps with Learning Rather Than Excluding Students,” German Children and Youth Foundation (DJKS), Link: https://www.dkjs.de/wir-brauchen-transparenz-offenheit-und-klare-spielregeln/, Published January 28, 2025, Accessed January 29, 2025

Interview for the article by Grünewald, I. (2025). Learning with and despite AI. c’t Special, (2), pp. 38–43

Radau, Jakob/Maibaum, Miriam/Weßels, Doris: “A Multiperspective Analysis of Problematic AI Course Materials at German Universities—The Students’ Perspective,” blog post for the Hochschulforum Digitalisierung, link: https://hochschulforumdigitalisierung.de/multiperspektivische-betrachtung-problematischer-ki-handreichungen/, Published: February 27, 2025, Accessed: February 27, 2025

Cited in: Universities Must Improve Their AI Readiness, online: https://www.forschung-und-lehre.de/schwerpunkt/kuenstliche-intelligenz, Published March 14, 2025, Accessed March 14, 2025

Blog post by HAW Kiel on April 2, 2025, on the topic: “Boosting the Startup Process with AI,” link to the post: https://www.haw-kiel.de/news/mit-ki-den-gruendungsprozess-boostern/

Interview for *Die Rheinpfalz*, link to the article: How German Universities Are Dealing with AI – Buisness – *DIE RHEINPFALZ*, published on April 10, 2025

Cited in the City of Vienna’s blog post on the AI expert pool with a 2024 retrospective: https://digitales.wien.gv.at/ai-expertinnen-pool-rueckblick-2024/, accessed April 16, 2025

Interview on the topic “Online Mandate? ‘Digital Only’ Despite Digitally Excluded Population Groups” for heise.de: https://www.heise.de/hintergrund/Interview-Digital-Only-koennte-insbesondere-aeltere-Frauen-unter-Druck-setzen-10358149.html, published on April 24, 2025

Cited in the Professional Briefing by Bildung.Table, #344 / June 4, 2025, on the topic “Mixed Reactions to Bavaria’s U-Turn: Tablets to Be Introduced Only Starting in 8th Grade After All”

Cited in the Professional Briefing by Bildung.Table, #345 / June 6, 2025, on the topic “North Rhine-Westphalia: Microsoft Provides Funding for AI Training for Teachers”

Cited in: “Write Like a 15-Year-Old!”, *ZEIT* No. 25/2025, June 11, 2025

Cited in: Article in the Tagesspiegel https://www.tagesspiegel.de/wissen/computer-schreib-mir-meine-forschungsarbeit-wie-hilfreich-ki-sein-kann-und-wobei-sie-schadet-13885888.html, and the DER WIARDA blog on the topic “AI Is Already Changing the Way We Think,” online: https://www.jmwiarda.de/blog/2025/06/23/ki-veraendert-schon-jetzt-wie-wir-denken, published and accessed: June 23, 2025

Tooltip in the Handelsblatt AI Briefing <ki.briefing(at)redaktion.handelsblatt.com> from July 25, 2025, on Google’s NotebookLM

Article for TABLE.BRIEFINGS Table.Opinion | AI in Schools on the topic of AI detectors in Areas of Education: https://table.media/bildung/tablestandpunkt/verbietet-endlich-ki-detektoren-in-schulen-und-hochschulen, published on August 8, 2025

Interview for the Trend Monitor “AI in Education,” Deutsche Telekom Foundation, Link: https://www.telekom-stiftung.de/aktivitaeten/trendmonitor-ki-der-bildung, published and posted on September 11, 2025; see also the article https://www.news4teachers.de/2025/09/schools-must-not-fall-behind-experts-urge-decisive-ai-deployment-and-describe-enormous-opportunities/ dated September 15, 2025, accessed: September 16, 2025

Weßels, Doris: Academic Writing as an Educational Goal at Universities: A Victim of ChatGPT and Co.?. AKWI 2025. DOI: 10.18420/AKWI2025_20. Bonn: Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. PISSN: 2944-7682. pp. 185–192. Thesis Paper. Kiel, Germany. September 9–11, 2025

Expert statement for the meeting of Inquiry Commission IV “AI in the Classroom” of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia on September 11, 2025: https://www.landtag.nrw.de/portal/WWW/dokumentenarchiv/Dokument/MMST18-2788.pdf, submitted on August 29, 2025

Interview for SHZ article: Schools and New Technologies—A Learning Crisis with Artificial Intelligence? How AI Can Positively Transform Learning, by Gerd Schild, published on September 26, 2025, Link: https://www.shz.de/deutschland-welt/schleswig-holstein/artikel/bildung-und-ki-chancen-und-herausforderungen-fuer-schulalltag-49314179, accessed September 26, 2025

Interview for the NDR report: AI in Schools: Does ChatGPT Make Homework Obsolete? | ndr.de, online article, radio segment, and television segment on NDR Regional, published on October 1, 2025

Interview for the WDR 5 Quarks podcast—The Benefits and Limits of Copying, published on October 8, 2025, Link: SoundCloud https://on.soundcloud.com/N02Fga6Qm0NrB6WF4b

Aumüller, Ulrike/Meyer, Eike/Weßels, Doris: “The Role of AI Bots in Science Today and Tomorrow: From Assistant to (Uncontrollable) Dominator?”, in: Schäffer, B./Lieder, F. R. (eds.): Machines Like Us? How Artificial Intelligence Challenges Education, Buisness, and Society, pp. 191–209, Springer Nature 2025, eBook ISBN 978-3-658-48522-1, Print ISBN 978-3-658-48521-4, doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-48522-1_9

Weßels, Doris/Bils, Annabell/Budde, Jannica: “Academic Theses in the Age of AI. Disruption, Challenges, and New Assessment Approaches,” DISCUSSION PAPER NO. 38 / OCTOBER 2025, Higher Education Forum on Digitalization, published on October 21, 2025, Link: https://hochschulforumdigitalisierung.de/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/HFD_DP_38_wissenschaftliche_Abschlussarbeiten_im_KI-Zeitalter.pdf, accessed October 21, 2025

Interview for the Tagesspiegel, Title: Education researcher on teachers’ AI competence: “Two worlds are colliding,” Link: https://www.tagesspiegel.de/gesellschaft/bildungsforscherin-uber-die-ki-kompetenz-von-lehrern-wenn-ihr-euch-nicht-anstrengt-seid-ihr-raus-14581112.html, published on October 22, 2025, accessed on October 23, 2025

Weßels, Doris: “The New Era of Generative AI: Impulses and Challenges for University Teaching in the Field of German as a Foreign Language in Japan,” in: LeRuBri Journal for Educators in Japan ISSN 2758-2620, No. 62, October 2025, pp. 7–12, Link to the issue: https://lerubri.idl-japan.org/62, Accessed: November 22, 2025

Cited in: DIE ZEIT – Germany, November 27, 2025, page 38 / Knowledge, Higher Education, Rudi Novotny: “Clear, but Fair.”

Cited in the F.A.Z. PRO Digital Economy Briefing series and on FAZ.NET regarding AI skills, November 2025, Part 1: AI Skills: What Really Matters on the Job, published on November 12, 2025, Link: https://www.faz.net/pro/digitalwirtschaft/zukunft-der-arbeit/ki-kompetenzen-worauf-es-im-job-wirklich-ankommt-accg-110768933.html, Part 2: AI Competencies: How Companies Need to Train Employees for the Future Now, published on November 21, 2025, Link: https://www.faz.net/pro/digitalwirtschaft/zukunft-der-arbeit/ki-kompetenz-wie-unternehmen-ihre-mitarbeiter-fuer-die-zukunft-schulen-accg-200237965.html Viewed on November 27, 2025

Interview on Deutschlandfunk Campus & Karriere, “Three Years of ChatGPT” in Schools: https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/drei-jahre-chatgpt-wie-ki-schule-veraendert-interview-prof-doris-wessels-100.html, December 1, 2025, follow-up to the interview from November 30, 2023: https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/ein-jahr-chatgpt-ist-ki-im-klassenzimmer-angekommen-int-prof-doris-wessels-dlf-70e89474-100.html

Cited in: Gerd Schild: “Artificial Intelligence in Schools—Are We Facing the End of Learning?”, PUBLIK-FORUM 23/2025, pp. 22–26, Publik-Forum Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, Link to the website: www.publik-forum.de/Publik-Forum-23-2025/stehen-wir-vor-dem-ende-des-lernens on the Publik-Forum website, accessed: Dec. 7, 2025

Cited in: Gerd Schild: “What Does AI Do to Learning?”, FORUM – The Weekly Magazine, online: https://www.magazin-forum.de/de/was-macht-die-ki-mit-dem-lernen, Published: January 2, 2026, Accessed: January 3, 2026

ME2BE Interview: “A Conversation with Prof. Dr. Doris Weßels: ‘At most, ten percent of us were women,’” Link: https://me2be.de/prof-dr-doris-wessels-im-podcast-wir-waren-hoechstens-zehn-prozent-frauen/, ME2BE MEDIEN GmbH Hamburg, accessed: January 6, 2026

FAZ AI Podcast on AI and Education/Higher Education “Teaching in Transition: ‘To compete with AI, we humans must evolve quickly’” with Prof. Dr. Holger Schmidt and Prof. Dr. Peter Buxmann, https://www.faz.net/pro/digitalwirtschaft/kuenstliche-intelligenz/ki-podcast-um-gegen-ki-zu-bestehen-muessen-wir-menschen-uns-schnell-weiterentwickeln-200412413.html, published on January 7, 2026

Weßels, Doris: “AI Leadership: The Key Competency for the Future in the Age of Agents,” blog post by GPM German Society for Project Management e.V., link: https://www.gpm-ipma.de/ueber-die-gpm/blog/ai-leadership-die-zentrale-zukunftskompetenz-im-agentischen-zeitalter, Published and accessed: January 14, 2026

University of Hildesheim: Report on my AI lecture “Between Cheating and Opportunities: Teaching and Testing Despite/With AI” on January 15, 2026, Link: https://www.uni-hildesheim.de/uniintern/artikel/kuenstliche-intelligenz-als-revolution-des-lernens-auch-fuer-lehrende/, accessed: January 16, 2026

Interview for the Frankfurter Rundschau on the topic of AI detectors and algorithmic discrimination against autistic people, article by Apetz, Andreas: “Frightening”: Developments in German Schools Place High-Achieving Students Under General Suspicion, Frankfurter Rundschau, January 22, 2026

Weßels, Doris/Maibaum, Miriam: “From Deskilling to Newskilling: The Blind Spot of Emerging Shifts in Competencies Due to GenAI,” Forschung & Lehre, 2/26, pp. 30–32, republished on the blog of the University Forum on Digitalization on March 16, 2026: https://hochschulforumdigitalisierung.de/newskilling-ki/

Interview for the Frankfurter Rundschau on the Austrian debate regarding the introduction of AI as a school subject; article by Apetz, Andreas: “Latin versus AI, AI Classes Instead of Latin: Teachers’ Association Warns Against School Reforms Like Those in Austria,” Frankfurter Rundschau, online: https://www.fr.de/panorama/ki-unterricht-statt-latein-lehrerverband-warnt-vor-schulreform-wie-in-oesterreich-zr-94178698.html February 20, 2026

Interview for Bildung.Table (Table.Briefings) on the topic of integrating AI into teacher education programs, article by Bennik, Torben: “How AI Can Be Better Integrated into Teacher Education Programs,” Bildung.Table, Professional Briefing, #422/ February 20, 2026

Pollmeier, Inga/Weßels, Doris/Wiebusch, Anja: Facts, Fakes, and Fiction: Between Deception and Insight, in: “Die neue Hochschule” (DNH) 1/2026, pp. 26–29, https://www.dnh-online.de/, Permalink: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18017053,
published on February 23, 2026

Doris Weßels in conversation with podcast host Karsten von Borstel on the question: “Are AI Agents the Beginning of a New Era?”, Kiel Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK) podcast, Episode 3, 2026, Link: https://www.ihk.de/schleswig-holstein/produktmarken/ihre-ihk/medien/kiel, published on March 19, 2026, accessed on March 28, 2026, video podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZNv9-k4ETg&t=72s, accessed on April 20, 2026

Pinkwart, N., Buck, I., Bandtel, M., Jochim, J., Paaßen, B., Zeaiter, L., Baum, S., De Witt, C., Fresemann, A., Göllner, S., Gostmann, I., Martin, A., Persike, P., Rampelt, F., Rybicka, R., Schmid, U., Weßels, D., & Wölwer, S. (2026). AI Master Plan 2030. AI in Higher Education: Scenarios for the Development of Universities in the AI Transformation. Stifterverband. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18924078

Weßels, Doris/Maibaum, Miriam: “Leadership for AI Agents,” guest column in the FAZ, April 8, 2026, p. 4

ZWM Column “Innovations in Science Management” on the topic of research agent systems “AI Agent Systems in Research—Beloved or Threatening ‘Sorcerer’s Apprentices’?”, Center for Science Management e.V. (ZWM), also published in: DUZ Wissenschaft & Management 01|2026, p. 22ff., online: https://www.zwm-speyer.de/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/seite22-23-duz-wm1-2026-wessels.pdf, published on April 10, 2026

Interview for Kieler Nachrichten: “Expert Warns of AI Agents: Is the End of Online Tests Nearing? Artificial intelligence facilitates cheating—distance learning courses and exams in all fields are affected,” Kieler Nachrichten, April 11, 2026, p. 1, online: https://www.kn-online.de/schleswig-holstein/kieler-ki-expertin-warnt-ki-agenten-entwerten-online-tests-VUBM6TJT35AL7JGX3SJ54HHYDY.html, Accessed: April 11, 2026

Weßels, Doris/Meyer, Eike J: “Future Skills Driven by AI—University Faculty in the AI Revolution,” in: Ehlert, Holger/Falkenhain, Lucas/Hupp, Geraldine/Kerkenberg, Lara (eds.): Future Skills for Studies and Careers: Potential and Perspectives, Walter de Gruyter GmbH, 2026, ISBN 311078467X, 9783110784671, published on April 13, 2026

Interview for Golem.de: “The Goal Isn’t to Think Less,” published on April 16, 2026, Link: https://www.golem.de/news/ki-kompetenz-es-ist-nicht-das-ziel-weniger-zu-denken-2604-207634.html, accessed April 17, 2026

Interview for Der Spiegel “Online test? My AI agent will handle it,” Link: https://www.spiegel.de/start/kuenstliche-intelligenz-im-studium-wie-ki-agenten-pruefungen-fuer-studierende-bestehen-koennen-a-ea1a22ee-ede5-44d7-9b5f-dd27a2abb339, available before the paywall until June 9, 2026: https://www.spiegel.de/start/kuenstliche-intelligenz-im-studium-wie-ki-agenten-pruefungen-fuer-studierende-bestehen-koennen-a-ea1a22ee-ede5-44d7-9b5f-dd27a2abb339?giftToken=e7ad45c3-37c7-40b9-ae95-2d749d4f2d80, Publication and call for submissions: May 9, 2026

Weßels, Doris/Maibaum, Miriam: “With a Single Click” – Why Agent-Based AI Systems Are Ushering in the End of Traditional Online Tests, in: Forschung & Lehre, 5/26, p. 42 ff., subsequent online publication: https://www.forschung-und-lehre.de/forschung/warum-ki-agenten-das-ende-klassischer-onlinetests-einleiten-7715, published and accessed on May 28, 2026, secondary publication: www.wissenschaftsmanagement-online.de/beitrag/warum-ki-agenten-das-ende-klassischer-onlinetests-einleiten-18528, published and accessed on June 18, 2026; secondary publication on the Hochschulforum Digitalisierung website: https://hochschulforumdigitalisierung.de/ki-agenten-in-onlinetests/, published and accessed on June 25, 2026

Weßels, Doris: “AI Agents on a Secret Mission Require a New Understanding of AI in Schools and Universities,” guest article for Experts.Table.Briefings, link: https://table.media/bildung/tablestandpunkt/ki-agenten-in-geheimer-mission-erfordern-ein-neues-ki-verstaendnis-an-schulen-und-hochschulen, published on May 19, 2026, accessed on May 20, 2026

Cited in: “Children Are Being Sorted Out”: Teacher Criticizes Gap in German School Curricula, Frankfurter Rundschau, Link: https://www.fr.de/panorama/kinder-werden-aussortiert-lehrerin-kritisiert-luecke-in-lehrplaenen-an-deutschen-schulen-zr-94325170.html, published on May 27, 2026, accessed on May 29, 2026

Interview for the Frankfurter Rundschau: https://www.fr.de/panorama/solange-ich-mein-abi-schaffe-ist-mir-alles-egal-abiturient-kann-nichts-ausser-ki-zr-94327059.html, published and accessed on May 29, 2026

Cited in: “Vocational Schools: Stakeholders Develop Joint Recommendations for Action on AI,” report on the PAKT conference in Hamburg on June 11, 2026, Table.Briefings, June 12, 2026

Cited in: “Between CAP Tug-of-War and AI Opportunities,” in Bauernblatt, Issue 24, p. 12, June 13, 2026

Interview for the Kieler Nachrichten: “We Urgently Need to Join Forces—Kiel-Based AI Expert Doris Weßels on the Anthropic Shock and the Fear of Selling Out Our Expertise,” p. 11, Schleswig-Holstein edition, online edition: https://www.kn-online.de/schleswig-holstein/anthropic-ai-expert-wessels-from-kiel-on-europe’s-dependence-on-the-usa-LU35KRROGRGIZP63GC74YTRQU4.html, published on June 18, 2026

Cited in: “Parents Have Let Their Children Down”: Teachers Describe the Crisis of Generation Alpha, Frankfurter Rundschau, June 20, 2026, Link: https://www.fr.de/panorama/eltern-haben-ihre-kinder-im-stich-gelassen-lehrkraefte-beschreiben-krise-der-gen-alpha-zr-94360313.html, accessed: June 20, 2026

Cited in: Raoul Spada, Co-Section Head at taz, on the topic of AI detection software, “The Limits of Detectors,” Link: https://taz.de/KI-Erkennungssoftware/!6185273/, published on June 20, 2026, accessed on June 30, 2026

Cited in: “It’s Lost Its Sense of Humor”: High School Teacher Sees Important Tradition in Jeopardy,” Frankfurter Rundschau, Link: https://www.fr.de/panorama/witzlos-geworden-lehrerin-sieht-alte-tradition-an-deutschen-schulen-in-gefahr-zr-94382889.html, published on July 5, 2026, accessed on July 6, 2026, and again the following day: https://www.fr.de/panorama/witzlos-geworden-lehrerin-sieht-uralte-tradition-an-deutschen-schulen-in-gefahr-zr-94382889.html, published and accessed on July 7, 2026

Weßels, Doris/Maibaum, Miriam: “AI Leadership: The Key Leadership Competency for Schools in the Age of AI Agents,” guest article for the online magazine Plan BD, Forum Bildung Digitalisierung e. V., link: https://www.forumbd.de/magazin/ai-leadership-die-zentrale-fuehrungskompetenz-fuer-schulen-im-zeitalter-von-ki-agenten/, published and accessed on July 6, 2026

Participation in the Science Council’s working group “AI in Higher Education” and publication of the final report on July 6, 2026: Science Council (2026): Intellectual Sovereignty: Recommendations for Higher Education in the Age of Generative AI; Cologne. doi.org/10.57674/1evx-t906

Selection of selected lectures/workshops/panel discussions starting in fall 2025:

  • AI keynote presentation and discussion on the topic: “What Does the Future of Theses Look Like in the Age of AI?”, Helmut Schmidt University – University of the Federal Armed Forces Hamburg, October 24, 2025
  • AI keynote presentation “The Transformative Power of AI in Areas of Education” and discussion for school administration teams as part of the “Leadership in the Digital Age” module series (Module II), Ministry of General and Vocational Education, Science, Research, and Culture of Schleswig-Holstein, Rendsburg, October 16, 2025
  • AI lecture on the topic: “(Multi-)AI Agent Systems in Educational Processes: Toward Team Teaching 2.0” and intensive workshop, TU Dortmund, Department of English and American Studies, Dortmund, October 14, 2025
  • Keynote on the topic “Academic Writing as an Educational Goal at Universities: A Victim of ChatGPT and Co.?”, workshop “AI Writing Workshop,” 38th Annual Conference of the Working Group on Business IT at Universities of Applied Sciences (AKWI), Kiel University of Applied Sciences, September 10, 2025, Website: https://www.haw-kiel.de/fachbereiche/wirtschaft/akwi-jahrestagung-2025/
  • Featured presentation on “AI & Project Management—From Hype to Practice,” 34th IPMA World Congress 2025 “Shaping the Future with Project Management,” Berlin, September 18, 2025, Link: www.worldcongress-ipma.com
  • ZEIT für [BILDUNG]: The Future of Knowledge: How Is AI Changing Higher Education?, https://zeitfuerx.de/events/zeit-fuer-bildung-2025/, November 20, 2025, Berlin – World Café Moderator: “AI and Careers: How Are Universities Preparing Students for the AI-Driven Workplace?”
  • AI Lecture: “Strong Roots, New Paths: Shaping the Future of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses in Schleswig-Holstein with Artificial Intelligence,” for the SME Forum of the Sparkassen- und Giroverband SH, Holstenhalle Neumünster, September 24, 2025
  • Keynote on the topic “From Today to Tomorrow: AI Technologies as Game-Changers in Healthcare?”, AGDT Annual Conference, Fulda University of Applied Sciences, September 27, 2025
  • AI presentation (online) on the topic: “AI as a New Team Member? Modernizing Administration with AI Competency Models and Agent Systems” for the general meeting of the Studieninstitute NRW and the Sparkassenakademie NRW, September 30, 2025
  • Keynote (online) on the topic: “From Disruption to Innovation—Teaching and Learning in the Age of Omnipresent AI,” university course “AI in IT Instruction for Vocational Education” at the Tyrolean University of Education, Innsbruck, October 1, 2025
  • AI workshop for school administration teams as part of the “Leadership in the Digital Age” module series (Module IV), Ministry of General and Vocational Education, Science, Research, and Culture of Schleswig-Holstein, Anscharcampus Kiel, October 2, 2025
  • AI Lecture (online) on the Use of AI in Teaching, Hagen Institute for Municipal Administration, October 7, 2025
  • AI Lecture on the topic “AI – Skills – Careers: Schools in Transition for Tomorrow’s Workforce,” SCHULEWIRTSCHAFT SH Annual Conference, Tannenfelde Education Center, October 10, 2025
  • AI Lecture on the topic: “(Multi-)AI Agent Systems in Educational Processes: Toward Team Teaching 2.0” and Intensive Workshop, TU Dortmund, Department of English and American Studies, Dortmund, October 14, 2025
  • AI Keynote Lecture and Discussion on the topic: “What Does the Future of Theses Look Like in the Age of AI?”, Helmut Schmidt University – University of the Federal Armed Forces, Hamburg, October 24, 2025
  • AI Lecture on the topic “From Disruption to Innovation—School Education in the Age of Omnipresent AI,” DABel Symposium (a joint event organized by the City of Kassel, the University of Kassel, and the Hessian Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs), October 29, 2025, Kassel
  • Keynote on the topic “AI Takes Hold in Schools: Today, Tomorrow, and the Day After Tomorrow"
    AI Summit – App Camps and fobizz, Berlin, November 7, 2025, link to the keynote recording: https://appcamps.de/ki-summit-fuer-lehrkraefte-2025/
  • Keynote presentation at the 1st Open Agentathon of the Generative AI Future Lab, November 17, 2025; see link to the announcement: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/zgki_ki-generativeai-aiagents-activity-7388539578305028096-OFiA
  • Dinner talk with Rudolf Novotny on the topic of AI in higher education and moderation of the World Café session: “AI and Careers: How Do Universities Prepare Students for the AI-Driven Workplace?”, ZEIT für [BILDUNG] Higher Education Conference: The Future of Knowledge: How Is AI Changing Higher Education?, zeitfuerx.de/events/zeit-fuer-bildung-2025/, November 20, 2025, Berlin
  • Keynote presentation on “Between Cheating and Opportunities: Teaching and Testing Despite/With AI,” AI Day at the University of Hildesheim, January 15, 2026
  • Presentation (online) on the topic: “Between Vision and Responsibility: How AI Is Changing K-12 Education,” as part of “Vision Schule,” Lower Saxony State Institute for School Quality Development on behalf of the Lower Saxony Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs, February 18, 2026
  • Keynote presentation (online) on the topic “AI Literacy for Students,” Newly Appointed Faculty at Hessian Universities, Technical University of Central Hesse, Giessen – Center for Cooperative Teaching and Learning (ZekoLL), February 19, 2026
  • AI keynote presentation on “The Transformative Power of AI in Areas of Education” and discussion for school administration teams as part of the “Leadership in the Digital Age” module series, Ministry of General and Vocational Education, Science, Research, and Culture of Schleswig-Holstein, February 25, 2026
  • Keynote address on “I’m Building My Own New AI Learning World: Just a Dream or Already a Reality Today?” and workshop on “Academic Work in Schools: Opportunities and Challenges in the Age of AI” (working title) for School Media Day 2026, Lower Saxony State Institute for School Quality Development (NLQ), Celle, March 4, 2026
  • Keynote (online) on the topic “Next Level Teaching and Learning: How Generative AI Is Shaping the Future of Education,” Pedagogical Institute – Center for Municipal Education Management (PIZKB), Media Education, City of Munich, March 5, 2026
  • Keynote presentation (online) on the topic “From Co-Creation to Co-Teaching: Generative AI as a Catalyst for Future-Oriented Higher Education,” IHF Talk Series, Bavarian State Institute for Higher Education Research and Planning, March 16, 2026
  • Keynote presentation (online) on the topic: “How Chatti, Telli, and Co. Are Changing School Education,” Club of Rome School Network, March 17, 2026
  • Workshop on the topic “Written Student Research Projects in the AI Stress Test: New Insights for Assignment Design in AI-Integrated Higher Education” and panel discussion, AI Day at Münster University of Applied Sciences, March 19, 2026
  • Presentation on the topic “How AI Is Changing School Education: From Today to Tomorrow” at the 2026 SH Parents’ Conference “New Beginnings—and Plenty of Them: How Parents Can Support Their Children in Times of Change,” Katharineum in Lübeck, March 21, 2026
  • Online keynote on AI and educational research, title: “Generative AI in Higher Education—An Overview,” Center for Teacher Education and Educational Research (ZLB UR), University of Rostock, March 23, 2026
  • Online presentation on “The Use of Artificial Intelligence in Foreign Language Instruction with Regard to Opportunities and Risks in Teaching Intercultural (Communicative) Competence,” Center for School Quality and Teacher Education, Karlsruhe Regional Office, Baden-Württemberg, March 24, 2026
  • Keynote (online) on the topic: “AI Is Revolutionizing School Education—Are We Ready for Tomorrow?”, Symposium “AI in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania—Schools, Instruction, and Leadership 2026,” Ministry of Education and Child Day Care of the State of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Institute for Quality Development (IQ M-V), University of Rostock, March 24, 2026
  • Keynote on the topic “The New Era of Education: How Generative AI Is Truly Changing Things for Teachers and Learners,” Bildungshub Kärnten, Klagenfurt, April 13, 2026
  • Keynote: “AI—Between Driver and Enabler: What Matters, What Endures, and What’s Next for Competency Development at Universities?”, Teaching Day, Carinthia University of Applied Sciences in Villach, April 14, 2026
  • Presentation: “When Your AI Research Agent Turns You into a Turbo-Researcher: From the Status Quo to the Future of Agent-Based Research Support,” presentation for the AI-Profs-SH Network, Kiel Science Center, April 16, 2026, see the following coverage: https://kuenstliche-intelligenz.sh/de/4-ki-profs-netzwerktreffen-generative-ki-in-wissenschaft-und-forschung, accessed April 30, 2026
  • Keynote on the topic: “AI Agents at the Doorstep: Higher Education Under the AI Stress Test” and participation in a panel discussion at the university-wide event on AI in Studies and Teaching (KI:SL) at the University of Göttingen, April 21, 2026
  • Meetup at re:publica 2026 together with Claudia Jahnke: “Goodbye to Project Management? How AI Systems Are Changing Project Management. The Experiment,” Berlin, May 19, 2026
  • Keynote presentation (online) on the topic “From Chatbots to AI Agents: Education in Transition”
    for the City of Vienna’s digital education strategy in my capacity as a member of the City of Vienna’s AI Expert Pool, Vienna, May 28, 2026
  • Presentation on the topic “Who’s Leading Whom Here? – The Essential New Skills for Working with AI” for the lecture series “Science and Alternative Facts XVIII,” Prof. Dr. Bonitz, CAU Kiel, May 28, 2026
  • Keynote on the topic: “Generative AI as a Driver of Transformation: New Skilling for Future-Oriented Higher Education,” HAW Hamburg, Faculty of Management, Governance, and Media, June 10, 2026
  • Keynote on the topic: “Vocational Education in the Age of AI. What Skills Do Learners and Vocational Schools Need Now?”, plus a panel discussion at the symposium “Rethinking Vocational Education—Together. Digital. With AI” – PAKT2026, Hamburg, June 11, 2026
  • Online keynote on the topic: “The Arrival of AI Agents: Benefit or Threat to Educational Processes?”, VK:KIWA Barcamp, June 12, 2026
  • Online keynote on the topic “Tradition Meets Transformation: Higher Education Under the AI Stress Test” for the “Practical Forum on Learning & Teaching in the Age of AI,” Bochum University of Applied Sciences, June 16, 2026
  • Online keynote on the topic “Trained and Done? AI Agents as Catalysts for Tomorrow’s Higher Education,” Teaching Day at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences, June 16, 2026
  • Online presentation on “AI Agents and the Leadership Role of the Future: AI Leadership and New Skilling in Higher Education,” AI Week at the University of Duisburg-Essen, June 18, 2026
  • Session at the Waterkant Festival 2026: Weßels, Doris / Hutchinson, Philip (appliedAI Initiative GmbH) / Meyer, Eike J. (Project Manager, Generative AI Future Lab, F&E GmbH Kiel, KI.SH) / Schanze, Martin (Project Associate, Generative AI Future Lab, F&E GmbH Kiel, KI.SH): “Lobster Attack: OpenClaw and the Development of Agent-Based Economies,” Kiel, June 19, 2026
  • Keynote presentation on the future of the digital economy as part of the presentation of the DiWiSH industry study, Kiel, June 15, 2026
  • Session at the UFF University:Future Festival 2026 – Under Pressure: “Academic Theses in the Age of Artificial Intelligence” with Annabell Bils and Jannica Budde, June 22, 2026
  • Podcast and interview for ANKER #5, June 2026, Kiel Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK), website link: https://anker.kiel.ihk.de/de/5/im-gespraech-doris-wessels, broadcast date: June 29, 2026, Link to the referenced podcast “Are AI Agents the Beginning of a New Era?”: https://www.ihk.de/schleswig-holstein/product-brands/your-ihk/media/kiel/anker-are-ai-agents-the-beginning-of-a-new-era--7006386, published on March 19, 2026

Research Focuses, Projects, and Activities:

  1. About Research Focuses: You can find general information about my publications on the ORCID research platform
  2. Current and Completed Projects and Activities:
  • Establishment of the Virtual AI Competence Center on September 1, 2022: https://www.vkkiwa.de/ - ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND ACADEMIC WORK - TEACHING AND LEARNING TO WRITE WITH AI – TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES FOR EDUCATION AND SCIENCE, renamed in November 2025: "Virtual Center of Excellence: Artificial Intelligence in Education, Science, and the Workplace" (VK:KIWA)

Completed Projects/Activities: