GCI-Education

In June, more than 225 educators, higher education partners, industry experts, and students gathered at George Mason University’s Science and Technology Campus in Manassas for the fifth annual Virginia Data Science Teacher Professional Learning Institute. The 2026 theme, “Data Science, Computational Thinking, and Modeling in the Age of AI,” reflected growing demand for data literacy and analytical thinking across industries.

George Mason University has launched the Ambassadors of Teaching in the Age of AI (ATAA) program, a new professional learning initiative designed to help educators develop the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the growing role of artificial intelligence in education and society.

At George Mason's College of Public Health, faculty are integrating AI into teaching and learning to prepare students for an evolving workforce.

As the university’s Grand Challenge Initiative (GCI) enters its second year, George Mason University today announced funding for seven catalyst research projects and the launch of the Grand Challenge Research Exchange—quarterly convenings for all GCI-related research to accelerate solutions to the grand challenge of our time.

In its first year, George Mason University’s Accelerated College and Employability Skills (ACCESS) Academy is already demonstrating strong indicators of demand, academic rigor, and early student achievement. Interest in the program has grown rapidly. For the 2026-27 admissions cycle, ACCESS received 387 applications from ninth graders, nearly double the 193 applications submitted the previous year.

Colleges and universities face significant demographic, financial, technological, and political changes that affect enrollment, tuition and financial aid, athletics programs, and career outcomes. The institutions that will succeed in the future are the ones today transforming their operational models and establishing robust alliances across sectors. 

Ingrid Guerra-López, dean of the College of Education and Human Development, joins President Gregory Washington to discuss the future of education in a rapidly changing world.

The College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) at George Mason University is kicking off Future Ready Teachers, a new initiative designed to strengthen Virginia’s educator workforce by removing financial barriers, innovating and elevating teacher preparation, and supporting teachers from entry through their early years in the classroom.

George Mason University’s leadership in advancing 21st-century education took another leap forward this month when several university researchers were named to a statewide project exploring the impact of generative artificial intelligence (AI) on teaching and learning in higher education classrooms.

Through the Educational Research Alliance of Northern Virginia, a research and practice partnership that connects George Mason faculty with K–12 and state leaders, the College of Education and Human Development is convening some of the region’s most forward-thinking voices to define what readiness for AI in education truly means.