Bingham University recently hosted a capacity-building programme on the implementation of ethical Artificial Intelligence (AI) in academic research and writing. The event, jointly organized by the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, Bingham University and the Faculty of Philology, RUDN University, Russia, brought together members of the academic community and post graduate students to explore responsible and globally competitive approaches to research in the age of AI.

The Vice-Chancellor Prof. Haruna Kuje Ayuba Described the collaboration as a meaningful stride toward academic excellence and stronger international partnerships.Prof. Ayuba said the training reflects the University’s commitment to preparing its community for the realities of a rapidly evolving knowledge economy. He commended the leadership of both faculties, particularly the Dean of Communication and Media Studies, Associate Professor Desmond O. Okocha and their counterparts at RUDN University, for creating a platform that encourages knowledge exchange and responsible engagement with emerging technologies. 

While acknowledging the growing presence of AI in research, writing and digital pedagogy, the Vice-Chancellor cautioned that technological progress must not outpace moral responsibility. He stressed the need to minimize bias, prevent misuse, protect privacy and ensure accountability in the deployment of AI tools across academic spaces.

 Speaking earlier, the Dean of the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, Assoc. Prof. Desmond Okocha stated that the programme was designed to build the university’s capacity to function internationally. He highlighted the urgency of deeper conversations around artificial intelligence, noting that discussions often capture only a fraction of its full ecosystem. He described education as the backbone of every sector and said AI now plays a defining role in shaping its future. According to him, AI is not a single, uniform tool but a broad system that can support various stages of academic work from idea generation to dissertation writing. 

Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Mustapha Muhammed Jamiu of RUDN University examined the ethical use of AI in academic research and writing, as well as its integration into effective teaching and learning. He outlined practical applications of AI in thesis development while drawing attention to risks such as plagiarism, falsification and fabrication. He warned against overreliance on AI-generated content, particularly the phenomenon of “hallucinations” and encouraged scholars to retain intellectual control over their work. Through hands-on exercises, participants were asked to identify ethical and unethical uses of AI in research tasks.

 Dr. Muhammed also explored generative and assistive AI tools, data confidentiality, prompt design and the concept of AI as a “co-pilot” rather than a replacement for human expertise. He further touched on entrepreneurial journalism, describing it as a response to the financial challenges confronting traditional media models.

Also contributing virtually, Associate Professor Adisa Rasaq Muhammed of the University of Ilorin guided participants through practical strategies for conducting ethical research in the digital age. His session focused on the effective use of Google Scholar, AI-assisted literature reviews, data analysis and interpretation. He demonstrated how scholars can organize complex data sets, generate accurate in-text citations and synthesize related studies without compromising academic standards.

The training concluded with interactive sessions which provided participants with practical insights and opportunities for engagement, as they discussed challenges and best practices in adopting AI within their various fields of study.

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Directorate of Public Affairs 

Office of the Vice-Chancellor 

Bingham University