Gila Kurtz, Ph.D.
Dean of the Faculty of Instructional Technologies
Holon Institute of Technology (HIT)
Holon, Israel
Dr. Gila Kurtz’s Talk (Joint Session with Dr. Eran Gal)
What the Future Holds for GenAI in Higher Education
Generative AI (GenAI) is fundamentally reshaping the landscape of higher education (HE). This presentation explores the trajectory of these powerful tools, moving beyond current applications to examine their transformative potential. We will discuss emerging opportunities in personalized learning pathways and accelerated research paradigms. Concurrently, we will address the critical challenges, including evolving definitions of learning and teaching, with the need for robust ethical frameworks. This session aims to foster a forward-looking dialogue on how HE institutions can strategically navigate and harness the future of GenAI.
Dr. Gila Kurtz will present this as a joint session with Dr. Eran Gal.
About Dr. Gila Kurtz
Dr. Kurtz is the Dean of the Faculty of Instructional Technologies at the Holon Institute of Technology (HIT) in Israel. She has a wealth of experience, having served as the Academic Vice President at a company specializing in e-learning solutions for the corporate sector for several years.
Before joining HIT, she developed and managed an ICT and a Learning M.A. program at the College for Academic Studies in Israel. Dr. Kurtz has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) Graduate School in the Master of Distance Education and E-learning Program, where she co-developed and co-taught online courses.
Dr. Kurtz's other positions were head of interactive television satellite-based unit at the Open University of Israel (OUI) and director of an e-learning center at Bar-Ilan University in Israel. She was also the academic vice president of a company that provided e-learning solutions for the corporate industry. She served as a director and the secretary of The International Board of Standards for Training, Performance, and Instruction, (IBSTPI) where she was a co-author of a book titled "Online Learner Competencies: Attitudes, Knowledge, and Skills for Successful Learning."
For several years, Dr. Kurtz was a member of the Steering Committee of the European Distance and E-Learning Network (EDEN). She serves as a member on the Peer Review Board of The Journal of Educators Online and The European Journal of Open and Distance Learning. For several years, Dr. Kurtz was the Editor-in-Chief of The Interdisciplinary Journal of E-Skills and Lifelong Learning (IJELL). She has been a visiting scholar at several academic institutions, including the University of California, Berkeley's School of Education and at Syracuse University.