Research directors’ forum: What role for AI in international studies research?
We are holding another session of the Research Directors’ Forum - a space dedicated to supporting departmental research leads in navigating emerging challenges and opportunities in the field.
Generative AI is reshaping how we design studies, collect and analyse data, and produce publications. This 90-minute forum brings Research Directors together to move beyond the hype and share pragmatic, responsible approaches to AI across the research lifecycle. We’ll open with a 20-minute spotlight talk on one department’s AI strategy, followed by an interactive discussion.
Discussion themes
- Beyond the hype: working definitions of AI (from LLMs to smaller task-specific models) and what they realistically offer IR research.
- Designing AI-aware projects: where AI adds value across the research process; when not to use it.
- Data collection and analysis: LLM-assisted transcription/coding.
- Research integrity & ethics: consent, bias, hallucinations, provenance, data protection/GDPR, and human oversight.
- Guardrails for supervision: transparent disclosure, allowed vs. prohibited uses, assessment design, and viva/panel expectations.
- Department-level training: core competencies for staff/PGRs.
- Editorial perspectives: journal and book-series policies; acceptable/ unacceptable use in submissions; reviewer guidance.
- Good practice cases: examples of AI meaningfully enhancing quality, efficiency, or inclusion.
Outputs will include curated shared resources and a series of follow-up blog posts capturing key takeaways, and exemplars.
This event, which will be chaired by Professor Helena Farrand Carrapico (Northumbria University, Secretary of BISA) provides a valuable opportunity to share best practice, exchange experiences, and strengthen our collective capacity to navigate AI from a research perspective. If you have any questions you would like to send in advance, please feel free to do so to Helena.farrandcarrapico@northumbria.ac.uk.
Registration will close two hours before the event begins.