TU Dublin Hosts AI and Deep Learning Workshop for Secondary School Students
Seventy-seven secondary school students from across Ireland took part in a hands-on introduction to artificial intelligence this week at TU Dublin, where the School of Enterprise Computing and Digital Transformation hosted an NVIDIA Deep Learning Institute (DLI) Fundamentals of Deep Learning workshop, giving students a taste of the technologies shaping the future.
Students and 13 teachers from seven schools; Belmayne, Rathfarnham, Portmarnock, Blackrock, Coolock, Monkstown and Bandon in Co Cork attended the event, which aimed to introduce second-level students to the core ideas behind AI and deep learning using industry standard NVIDIA technologies.
The students spent the day exploring how machines learn, working through real-world problems and experimenting with AI systems that recognise patterns and make decisions. Organisers said the level of engagement throughout the day was remarkable, with students posing thoughtful and technically curious questions that reflected a strong grasp of the concepts being introduced.
The workshop highlighted the growing importance of early exposure to digital skills, particularly as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in education, industry and everyday life. Teachers accompanying the students played a key role in supporting the sessions and helping to create a collaborative and inclusive learning environment.
The event was delivered with support from TU Dublin’s Faculty of Computing, Digital and Data, Computer Science Inclusive (CSINC), and the School of Enterprise Computing and Digital Transformation. Special thanks were extended to Keith Quille, Miriam Harte, William Clifford and Róisín Faherty, who coordinated and led the workshop
TU Dublin’s CSinc research centre received performance funding from the Higher Education Authority which helped make the initiative possible.
Organisers said the experience underlined both the appetite for AI education at second level and the depth of talent emerging from schools across the country, noting that the questions raised by students were among the most impressive aspects of the day.