Generative AI and ELM Training Courses

Discover our wide range of free-to-attend training courses designed to help staff and students make the most of Generative AI tools and the University's ELM service.

Course summary:
This introductory-level course is tailored for all University staff, granting you free access to ELM (Edinburgh (access to) Language Models). Managed by EDINA within The University of Edinburgh's Information Services Group, ELM provides a secure gateway to Generative AI technologies. This course is designed to familiarise you with the basics of responsibly using Generative AI through ELM. It comprehensively covers the essential concepts and ethical considerations of Generative AI, along with practical hands-on experience with ELM.

Audience:
Staff

Completions since December 2024:
978

Further information and booking:
Staff booking in People & Money

Course summary:
This interactive course is designed to introduce all University students to the responsible use of Generative AI via ELM. ELM provides a free of charge, safer and more private access to Generative AI. Managed by the University of Edinburgh's Information Services Group, this course will help you understand the current Generative AI guidance for students, explore the specific functions of ELM, address the ethical and privacy concerns associated with Generative AI use, and provide hands-on experience with ELM.

Audience:
Students

Completions since March 2025:
231

Further information and booking:
Student booking in Event Booking

Course summary:
This introductory-level drop-in session is open to all staff at the University. ELM (Edinburgh (access to) Language Models), managed by EDINA within the University of Edinburgh’s Information Services Group, provides safer, complimentary access to Generative AI technologies. Designed to provide practical, hands-on experience with multiple use cases of ELM, the drop-in features themed sessions that maintain a flexible format to encourage interactive discussions. You are encouraged to bring questions and be ready to engage actively, discussing the practical applications of ELM and exchanging ideas with peers. AI experts will be present to support and address any queries you might have.

Audience:
Staff

Completions since March 2025:
23

Further information and booking:
Staff booking in People & Money

Course summary:
This interactive webinar on Prompt Engineering with ELM provides a foundational framework for effectively developing prompts within the context of generative AI. Participants will learn how to create prompts that align with their specific tasks by understanding essential components such as context, task, format, and constraints. The session will involve practical examples and guided exercises, allowing
attendees to gradually build their skills and confidence in prompt writing. By working through real-life scenarios, you will discover how to make prompts more effective and tailored to your needs.

Audience:
Staff

Completions since December 2025:
57

Further information and booking:
Staff booking in People & Money

Course summary:
This interactive course is designed to provide an in-depth showcase of all ELM’s features and capabilities. It also provides many practical examples of how ELM can support your work in a responsible way. ELM provides a central, private, secure and more environmentally friendly gateway to Generative AI for all students and staff members. It was developed and is managed by EDINA, which is a part of The University of Edinburgh.

Audience:
Staff

Completions since December 2025:
227

Further information and booking:
Staff booking in People & Money

Course summary:
This interactive training session, designed specifically for students, provides a solid foundation in the art of prompt engineering. Attendees will gain valuable insights into crafting effective prompts to harness the full potential of generative AI models.

Audience:
Students

Completions since June 2024:
89

Further information and booking:
Student booking in Event Booking

Course summary:
This session introduces how you can use ELM responsibly and effectively when working with existing Python code, using Noteable as a practical environment. Rather than focusing on writing programs from scratch, you will explore how ELM can support understanding, reasoning about, debugging, and improving code.

You will work through realistic coding scenarios to identify where ELM is helpful (such as explanation, sense-making, and reasoning) and where your own judgement remains essential. The session also introduces how to use ELM via an API within Noteable, helping you understand how these approaches can transfer to other development environments.

This session is designed as a short, accessible introduction and provides a foundation for more advanced programming workflows using ELM.

Audience:
Students

Completions since May 2025:
0

Further information and booking:
Student booking in Event Booking

Course summary:
Generative AI tools are increasingly being used by students during the job application process. However, using AI effectively requires understanding both its opportunities and its limitations. In this practical session delivered by the Careers Service and the Digital Skills Team, you will explore how AI can support different stages of the application process while maintaining authenticity and responsible use.

You will learn about employers’ perspectives on AI in applications, what practices are helpful, and what approaches may harm your chances. The session will also include hands-on activities where you will use ELM and CareerSet to explore job roles, generate ideas for skills and experience, and practice tailoring application materials. Please bring a laptop or tablet to participate in the activities. If you have not used ELM before, please log in and familiarise yourself with the platform before the session.

Audience:
Students

Completions since March 2026:
4

Further information and booking:
Student booking in Event Booking

Course summary:
Join us for an interactive, discussion-based session exploring what impact Generative AI has on teaching, learning, assessment, and research across the University of Edinburgh.

This 2-hour session is designed for academic and teaching staff who are curious about the role of generative AI in education and would like to see practical examples of how ELM (our institutional point of access to Generative AI) is being used in the classroom, as well as exploring the ethical implications & risks of Generative AI use.

We will begin with a brief overview of ELM and its capabilities, discuss a selection of ethical risks and mitigation strategies, followed by an introduction to effective prompt engineering approaches. We’ll then look at real examples of how ELM is already being introduced into teaching practice at the University, and open the floor to discussion around opportunities, challenges, and discipline-specific use cases

Audience:
Staff

Completions since November 2025:
12

Further information and booking:
Staff booking in People & Money

Course summary:
This introductory session is designed to familiarise you with the basics of using generative AI (GenAI) tools to enhance your literature search efforts. You will learn how these advanced tools can help recommend relevant databases and journals, as well as assist in developing effective search terms and queries. The session will discuss both the benefits and limitations of using GenAI for academic research and will emphasise responsible and ethical usage of these tools.