Professor Doff, what was the starting point for your project?

Unlock the Future started about three years ago with the goal of examining how schools in Bremen and Bremerhaven understand and implement educational equity. I was particularly interested in how successful schools are at doing this, despite the known challenges such as a lack of resources. Many schools have exciting, specific ideas that have not yet received much consideration. We wanted to make these ideas more visible – not by idealizing them, but by looking at their work in a positive and appreciative light.

You visited twelve schools in Bremen and Bremerhaven for this project. What parts of this collaboration were special for you?

The openness at the schools was impressive. Many were almost relieved to have someone come to ask how they are implementing things. We quickly realized that trust is built when we listen to schools and work with them, rather than talking about them. This enabled us to not just integrate the perspectives of teachers, but also those of children and youth in our conversations, photo shoots, and workshops. This has been quite rare in the past.

How did artificial intelligence come into play?

It developed over several steps. With the support of the photographer and science communicator Gesine Born from the Bilderinstitut Berlin, we gathered the schoolchildren’s ideas on what an educationally equitable school could look like. Then we worked with imaging AI to visualize these “dream schools.” A further step was to have the students create an image of themselves in 20 years – as doctors, teachers, or whatever they wanted. This was a revolutionary idea for many that up until then hadn’t been very accessible. AI helped to make abstract ideas about the future more tangible for all children, regardless of their background or individual circumstances.

What possibilities does AI present for promoting more educational equity?

We are currently developing an AI coach that will support schoolchildren in exploring questions of educational equity. Our goal is for each school to be able to start these processes, regardless of what equipment is at their disposal. But to do so, legal and technical requirements must be met, and the Bremen education authority is currently working on this. The key takeaway is that if AI is used responsibly in schools in Bremen and the surrounding area, it can promote participation and contribute to a more democratic society.

What do you wish for the future of education?

I hope that we can create education together with children and young people, rather than just managing it. When we talk about equity, we need to make it a reality in the classroom, in teaching plans, and in technology use. And we should begin to empower all young people from mainstream society to take on responsibility early on. That is the real long-term vision for Unlock the Future.

Event “Unlock mAI Future” – AI Meets Educational Equity

The University of Bremen invites you to participate in the “Unlock mAI Future” event on January 16, 2026 at Forum at Domshof. The event is centered around the use of artificial intelligence for promoting educational equity, and will include the introduction of an AI coach for schools as well as new approaches for involving schoolchildren. Participation is free, but registration is recommended. Further information can be found on the website Unlock mAI Future (in German only)

Exhibition “Unlock the Future”

What does a fair school look like? What is educational equity anyway—and why does it concern us all? The exhibition “Unlock the Future” provides answers to these questions. It brings research findings on educational equity in Bremen and Bremerhaven to life.