Thursday, 12 March 2026
Computer Science students from the University of Nottingham have delivered after school clubs in Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help young people understand and use it more effectively.
School pupils in years 7 to 10 took part in 10 weeks of the ‘Demystifying AI – Clubs’ to enhance their knowledge of AI through fun, interactive problem-solving activities. Their achievements were celebrated at an event held on campus.
The project is part of the University’s widening participation programme to encourage underrepresented groups to engage with higher education and take part in STEM subjects.
The pupils from Park Vale Academy and NUAST attended sessions with undergraduate students and covered a range of topics around AI and included tasks for the pupils.
AI is a fast-moving area of computer science that is part of all our lives – whether we realise it or not. It is also a growth area for jobs and higher education, so we were keen to share our expertise with young people outside of the curriculum to help them understand how AI is developed and used.
Marjahan continues: “The University students put together an excellent programme of informative and fun content to engage the pupils and get them thinking about AI and maybe even interest them in exploring the subject further beyond school.”
At the hour-long sessions pupils covered a range of topics including; how to spot AI generated content, how AI is trained using machine learning, the tricks AI uses to get users to do certain things and how patterns are embedded in apps. They also took part in fun activities like creating their own secret ‘cipher’ wheel to demonstrate how messages can be encoded and using Microbits to programme an AI pet.
Undergraduate students - Hana Ahmed-Mahmoud, Minahil Fansur, Eva Regalado, Saphia Ahmed, Abishah Vickneswaran and PhD students Victoria Hann and Mahfuzah Fariha worked together to design the content for the clubs and deliver the sessions.
Minahil Fansur, a year 3 undergraduate student delivered sessions at Park Vale Academy, she said: “Being part of this initiative has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my degree. Designing and delivering these sessions to students helped me think carefully about how to make the ideas accessible and engaging. Watching students who had not originally considered themselves "technical" light up when they grasped a concept or proudly explain their programs reminded me why this kind of outreach matters so much."
I think the club reached students at the right time in their academic careers, especially since this was the kind of content they wouldn't have been exposed to in school. What struck me most was how quickly their confidence grew. By the end, many of them believed they could have a career in computing, and that shift in how they see themselves is, to me, the most meaningful outcome possible.
During the celebration event pupils visited the University’s Cobot Maker Space where researchers explore human-robot collaboration across a wide range of domains from assistive technologies to manufacturing, to creative performance. The pupils got to see the robots in action and talked to some of the experts.
Scrappy the robot dog showing his skills to school pupils
Pupils will also had the chance to expand their understanding with a debate on the pros and cons of AI with students from Nottingham Girls High School.
The project was funded by EPSRC.
Story credits
More information is available from Dr Marjahan Begum on marjahan.begum@nottingham.ac.uk
Notes to editors:
About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 97 in the world and 17th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the third most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2024 report by High Fliers Research. Alongside Nottingham Trent University, we lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home. More news…