Paid research internship opportunity
Teacher–Student Trust in Higher Education in the Context of Generative AI
May–July 2026
The International Education and Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of St Andrews invites applications for a paid, short-term research internship linked to a Community for Evidence-led Practice in Education (CELPiE)-funded research project exploring teacher–student trust in the humanities in higher education amid the widespread availability of generative AI tools.
We are seeking an undergraduate, taught or research postgraduate student intern to undertake a focused structured literature review examining existing research on teacher–student trust and the impact of AI on pedagogical relationships in higher education.
About the Project
Generative AI tools are rapidly reshaping teaching, learning, and assessment in higher education, raising important questions about trust between students and academic staff. This project investigates how trust is conceptualised and experienced in Arts and Humanities undergraduate education at the University of St Andrews, with the aim of informing teaching practice and institutional guidance around AI use.
The internship forms a key preparatory stage of the wider research project and will provide the evidence base for subsequent qualitative data collection and analysis.
Internship Responsibilities
The intern will work closely with the project team and will be responsible for:
- Conducting a structured literature search on teacher–student trust and AI in higher education
- Screening and organising sources using agreed inclusion criteria
- Producing an annotated bibliography of key literature
- Synthesising findings into a concise summary report highlighting key themes, debates, and gaps
- Contributing to a practitioner‑facing summary for the CELPiE Inspiration Centre
Please note: the intern will work exclusively with published and secondary sources and will not be involved in human‑participant research or data collection.
What the Internship Offers
- Paid internship funded through the CELPiE Project Fund
- Approximately 23 hours of paid work (flexibly scheduled)
- Close academic mentoring and guidance
- Hands‑on experience of education research and literature review methodologies
- Insight into current debates on AI, trust, and higher education pedagogy
- Opportunity to contribute to a University‑wide teaching and learning resource
Who Can Apply
Applications are welcomed from students who:
- Are enrolled at the University of St Andrews (undergraduate or taught/research postgraduate), and live in the UK
- Have an interest in education, pedagogy, AI in higher education, or educational research
- Are comfortable working with academic literature
- Have strong organisational and written communication skills
- Are able to work independently and meet agreed deadlines
Previous experience with literature reviews or educational research is desirable but not essential.
Timeline and Pay
- Internship period: May–July 2026 (flexible within this window)
- Pay rate: £17.02 per hour
- Total hours: 23 hours
How to Apply
To apply, please submit:
- A short statement of interest (maximum 300 words) outlining your interest in the project and what you hope to gain from the internship
- A short CV (maximum two pages)
Please send applications to Dr Lenia Kouneni (gk8) with the subject line:
Research Internship Application – Trust and AI in Higher Education
Closing Date: Friday 8 May
Informal enquiries about the internship are welcome and can be directed to Dr Lenia Kouneni (gk8).
Inspiration Centre – CELPiE: Community for Evidence-Led Practice in Education
A post from Margaret Adamson on CELPiE: Community for Evidence-Led Practice in Education provided by: https://celpie.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk