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Project APEX: A Framework for AI in Senior Promotion at the University of Toronto

We are excited to announce Project APEX (AI for Promotion EXcellence), a collaborative initiative between Dr. Khosravani and Dr. Brian Wong aimed at developing a principled framework for the use of artificial intelligence in the senior academic promotion process at the University of Toronto. As AI tools become increasingly integrated into academic workflows, there is a growing need to establish clear, transparent, and equitable guidelines for how these technologies can be leveraged in the evaluation and advancement of faculty members.

The promotion process at a research-intensive institution like U of T is multifaceted, involving the assessment of research impact, teaching contributions, and service to the academic community. Project APEX seeks to explore how AI can assist in synthesizing and evaluating these complex portfolios in a way that is fair, consistent, and aligned with institutional values. Our goal is not to replace human judgment, but to augment the process with tools that can help reduce bias, improve efficiency, and ensure that candidates are evaluated holistically.

Together, we are working to build a framework that addresses key questions around transparency, accountability, and the responsible deployment of AI in high-stakes academic decisions. We believe that by proactively engaging with these challenges, the University of Toronto can lead the way in establishing best practices for AI-assisted academic governance. We look forward to sharing more about this work as it develops.

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