Germany's Educational Foundation Freiburg prepares students for the future with generative AI

In Germany, a group of high school students is getting a one-of-a-kind education in AI. They converse with AI experts and tour industry-leading companies, getting behind-the-scenes insights into the brands shaping the country’s use of technology. They contribute to research papers and are preparing to draft an AI resolution to submit to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). And they incorporate AI into their studies, learning side-by-side with teachers and professionals alike. 

These students are part of a new initiative by the Educational Foundation of the Archdiocese of Freiburg, aimed at transforming education in today’s technological era. When generative AI burst onto the scene, the foundation engaged with the powerful technology in alignment with its values. “Gen AI has changed the educational landscape. We have a major responsibility to guide our students and empower our teachers with AI,” says Dr. Michael Jülich, Director of Digital Transformation at the Educational Foundation Freiburg and Researcher with aihorizon R&D.

To advance an innovative, safe, and ethical approach to interacting with AI, Dr. Jülich and Volker Leitzgen, CTO of Microsoft Tech for Social Impact, led the creation of aihorizon R&D—an all-volunteer team comprising former students, university partners, Microsoft Tech for Social Impact staff, and more. The group developed Horizon, a web app and learning space that empowers students and teachers to creatively use AI, investigate the ethical implications of the technology, and prepare for the future. Built within Microsoft Azure, it leverages Azure AI Foundry services like Azure OpenAI Service while ensuring data sovereignty.

“With Horizon as a vital tool, students are gaining both knowledge and hands-on experience to thrive in today’s digital age,” Dr. Jülich says. “We are not using AI to replace the educational system, but to enhance it.”

Prioritizing responsible AI use

The Educational Foundation began its AI journey with an Azure landing zone, establishing a secure and compliant infrastructure for their initiative. Rather than relying on an out-of-the-box AI product, the aihorizon R&D team developed a custom application within the Azure AI Foundry ecosystem. By leveraging a range of Azure AI Content Safety Services including content filters, groundedness detection, and prompt shields, the team prioritizes the responsible use of their technology. “This approach gave us control, allowing us to explore the technology in depth and make the right decisions for our organization,” Dr. Jülich explains.

Horizon’s models are deployed within EU data boundaries, complying with regulations. The app also provides data sovereignty to the Educational Foundation, ensuring that student data remains within the solution’s closed environment and preventing it from being used to train external models. “This infrastructure helps us uphold the highest standards both technologically and ethically,” Dr. Jülich says.

Learning by engaging with generative AI

Young people in Germany routinely use AI tools but do not always consider deeper questions underlying the technology. “Much like the black box effect, students and teachers initially saw AI as a kind of miracle. They didn’t understand how it worked and assumed they needed deep computer engineering knowledge to make sense of it," says Leon Kollofrath, a volunteer computer engineer with aihorizon R&D. The Horizon platform is helping to demystify generative AI.

In year-long Educational Foundation courses on the ethical use of AI, 200 high schoolers and 25 teachers are engaging with Horizon. In the app, users ask questions, generate summaries, analyze texts, create images with DALL-E, and more. Teachers integrate Horizon into their seminar courses, directing students to research and write term papers on the ethical use of AI. Using Azure Cognitive Search, the platform indexes documents and allows students to explore resources such as UNESCO's Guidance on Generative AI and other responsible AI literature. Students can instruct the app to examine these texts, generate insights, and support their academic work. “By integrating Horizon into our courses, we’re equipping students with the tools to navigate AI responsibly—developing both technical skills and ethical awareness,” says Gloria Zwach, a teacher at the Educational Foundation Freiburg.

Horizon educates users about generative AI by allowing them to adjust and control how the app works. They can select which models to run, compare results, and choose the options best suited to their intent.

“Students are not only learning about AI by using it. They are also helping design and improve the application,” says Marc Loewer, a volunteer designer with aihorizon R&D. Users offer feedback and suggest new features, such as AI tutors or a translation tool. Some students even volunteer their programming or design skills on the development team. 

This project provides opportunities for self-directed learning, boosts critical thinking, and strengthens ethical reflection. “We’re offering a safe playground where students and teachers can engage with the principles of AI, responsibly,” Loewer says. 

To further support the AI Horizon project, the Educational Foundation provided new Microsoft Surface Copilot+ PCs—AI-enhanced devices using Snapdragon processors—for their seminar courses. Devices run pre-installed, approved apps, browsers, and solutions. The convenience encourages students to avoid unapproved tools, such as generative AI solutions that may keep and use student data. “These devices maximize accessibility for students, reducing barriers to the tools they need,” Kollofrath says.

Students engaging with Horizon appreciate the chance to thoughtfully engage with technology in a supportive environment. One student says, “AI will shape our lives, and this project offers a space to engage, experiment, and learn how to navigate it.” 

Planning to scale innovatively 

While Horizon is currently limited to about 200 students, the Educational Foundation hopes to expand its use to more secondary students within its 31 schools or even additional educational institutions. This potential makes it even more important to develop the app with safety, security, and scalability. 

Microsoft’s Tech for Social Impact and aihorizon R&D will continue to support the Educational Foundation. The team recently released a new version of Horizon, introducing features such as a CO2 tracker, which helps users understand the environmental impact of different AI applications. In collaboration with Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, the CO2 tracker and other features will undergo empirical testing, with findings contributing to scientific publications. 

Other new Horizon features further support students’ progress. AI tutors adapt to each student’s learning journey. The Responsible AI Coach allows users to ask questions about Horizon’s features, best practices, and the technology’s limitations. This interactive coach encourages critical thinking by enabling users to engage with aihorizon R&D’s Responsible AI Framework in a conversational and accessible way. 

“The latest Horizon release marks another step forward. Rest assured, there’s much more to come,” emphasizes Moritz Goeke, volunteer AI Engineer with aihorizon R&D. The team is now collaborating with Microsoft's AI Factory not only to push the boundaries of security and compliance but also to fine-tune domain-specific models.

As the aihorizon R&D team iterates on the app, the Educational Foundation plans to expand its use. By incorporating its values of equity, trust, inclusion, and human-centered learning into a responsible AI solution, the Educational Foundation aims to serve as a role model to other educational institutions. “With AI Horizon, we’re fostering critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity,” Dr. Jülich says. “We’re preparing students for a digital future.”

Discover more about the Educational Foundation Freiburg on LinkedIn.

Discover more about aihorizon R&D on LinkedIn.