“Educational institute must decide for itself which AI it allows”

Fontys ICT has developed an AI platform that gives students and staff access to powerful AI models within a secure, transparent, and affordable framework. The University of Applied Sciences in Eindhoven and Tilburg tested the platform for six months with more than 300 users and concluded in a white paper that educational institutions with their own AI gateway can maintain control over privacy, costs, and teaching methods.

With this platform, Fontys aims to address the growing fragmentation of AI tools in education. Students were increasingly using commercial services such as ChatGPT and Claude, often via personal accounts. This led to differences in data quality and access and created uncertainty about where data were stored and which models were used for assignments.

Own AI environment with complete control

The new AI platform is based on a so-called ‘gateway architecture’. Users consciously choose from different AI models via their own interface. They can immediately see where the model is hosted, what it costs approximately, and what restrictions apply. This makes privacy, budget, and didactic use fully controllable. “Educational institutions must retain their autonomy in a world where developments in the field of AI are accelerating,” says Koen Suilen, lecturer and AI expert at Fontys ICT. “With our gateway, we can decide for ourselves which models we offer, under what conditions, and for which users. This is essential for the safe and fair application of AI in education.”

During the pilot period, the platform worked stably and securely, according to the initiators, with no privacy incidents. Both students and staff indicated that the transparency and user-friendliness of the system helped them to apply AI in a more conscious and targeted manner. The platform also proved to be cost-efficient: Fontys retained central control over budgets and model use and offered an alternative to individual subscriptions. The system also ensured that the majority of AI requests were processed automatically via European data centers, which is important for compliance with the GDPR and the AI Act. “We have seen that technology alone is not enough; you need a governance structure that fits your values as an educational institution,” says Ruud Huijts, lecturer and co-author of the white paper. “AI is no longer a support tool, like traditional ICT. AI is strategy. If you take that seriously, you have to take control of the systems you use.”

Call for AI leadership

An important conclusion of the white paper is that educational institutions need a new role to manage AI sustainably and responsibly: the AI Officer. This person or team must oversee model selection, data use, risk management, budgeting, and integration within the curriculum. Huijts emphasizes: "Without a clear person in charge, AI governance becomes fragmented. With the AI Officer, institutions can ensure continuity, quality, and safety. This role also combines expertise that is rarely found in one person: technical depth, knowledge of laws and regulations, and an understanding of education, combined with the authority to make strategic choices based on that mix."