'AI Awareness' is an initiative that originated from the Responsibly Applied Artificial Intelligence (RAAIT) research programme, which forms part of the Creating 010 Research Centre. The programme brings together universities of applied sciences, companies and social partners to develop responsible AI solutions. Research commissioned by the Province of South Holland and the Municipality of Rotterdam indicates that SMEs, in particular, require practical AI knowledge. As part of its Lifelong Development programme, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences is therefore offering this course. On 8 December, the first group of entrepreneurs received their certificates. Read this article to find out how they plan to use AI in their businesses.
The necessity of AI for SMEs
The course was developed by Tamara Huibrechtse (course developer at the School of Communication, Media and Information Technology) and Kimberly Stolk-Hill (project leader at Creating 010) on behalf of Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences. “Small organisations often recognise the opportunities, but don't know how to use AI,” says Kimberly. “There was no practical course on responsible AI for SMEs before. The courses that are available are often too theoretical or technical. With AI Aware, we focus on clear language and practical tools.”
AI is no longer a thing of the future; it is part of our daily lives. Large companies are investing heavily in it. They benefit from increased efficiency, smarter solutions, and new revenue models. For SMEs, however, this step is usually more challenging, according to Tamara. “Entrepreneurs often have limited resources and little knowledge of AI, not to mention uncertainty about ethical and legal frameworks. The risk is that they will fall behind and lose market share. With the AI Awareness course, we help entrepreneurs understand AI. Not by blindly automating, but by making informed decisions. In this way, we contribute to the social challenge of creating a Smart & Social City.”
Many different learning questions
Course participants work at all kinds of companies and organisations. For example, a glazing company, a car dealership and a catering business. The questions they have about learning vary, too. For example, how can AI be used for customer contact and content creation without losing authenticity? How can privacy be protected? What can we learn from other organisations? Each day of the course combines inspiring examples with practical assignments. Participants go home with checklists, templates, and an action plan.
“AI is here to stay. We have to deal with it. I am particularly interested in its ethical implications for my organisation's vision,” says Heidi Bakker, a user trainer and programmer at NL Adviseurs. “AI can also help with marketing and sales, as well as report writing.”
Quincylino Rigters already uses AI for his company, Freddy's Comfort Food, and he sees plenty of opportunities for further development. “I think it will help me further streamline processes. Currently, I can't do anything with certain data about my company, but AI may be able to make that data relevant. For example, what kind of behaviour does someone who eats a kimchi burger exhibit unconsciously? And how can I respond to that?”
The smart use of data is central to the course. For instance, AI can analyse historical weather data to advise entrepreneurs on how many staff members a beach club should employ on a sunny day. It can also advise on how many weeks of delay a contractor can incur due to frost. For a new ice cream parlour opening next to a retirement home, it could advise on which flavours are most popular with the elderly. In this way, AI assists entrepreneurs with practical, everyday decisions.
For and by entrepreneurs
The AI Aware programme consists of four in-person meetings, each with its own theme. The trainers are business professionals and are supported by experts from Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences. Entrepreneurs work directly with the trainers on their personal issues," says Kimberly. 'We try to respond as effectively as possible to the needs of entrepreneurs. That's why we take a practical approach to the opportunities and possibilities that exist for each type of business.'
One of the trainers is Charida Dorder, who is also an entrepreneur. Her area of expertise is AI in marketing. She has written a book on the subject and set up an online platform, as well as organising an annual conference. Marije Brom, programme manager at RAAIT (Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences), told participants more about generative AI tools. Maarten Reijgersberg, founder of communications agency RAAUWcc, then demonstrated how he uses these tools for his own agency. The remaining two days of the course focused on privacy and process optimisation.
Lifelong Development
Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences is offering an increasing number of short learning programmes for working adults. These programmes form part of the Lifelong Development ambition set out in the Strategic Agenda. By providing retraining and further education, we are addressing labour market shortages and societal issues. Our courses are demand-driven. We develop them in response to specific requests from industry. The AI course is an example of this.
To gather these specific questions and translate them into educational programmes, each institute has a Lifelong Development Coordinator. Nadine Vreugdenhil (CMI) tells us more about her involvement in the AI Awareness programme, “My role is to better understand the questions raised by SMEs in order to guide the LLD offerings. With the experience gained from the AI Awareness programme, we can further develop our courses. It is also interesting to be able to present new research findings in an accessible way. We have now adopted the ‘by entrepreneurs, for entrepreneurs’ principle, with Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences acting as the knowledge partner. Judging by the initial reactions, this approach seems to be resonating with the target group.”
Moving forward together with AI
On 8 December, the first participants received their certificates. Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences hopes to run the four-day course again in 2026. Would you like to know more about the responsible use of AI? Take a look at the RAAIT website and keep an eye on the calendar. If you would like more information about the AI Awareness course, please contact Kimberly Stolk-Hill at k.e.a.stolk-hill@hr.nl.