Three academics from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya - Prof. Saman Nanayakkara, Prof. Indu Nanayakkara, and Dr. Senani Samarasinghe participated in a five-day international workshop titled "Designing the Future of Education with AI: Tools, Simulation, and Research", held from 28 September to 2 October 2026 at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), USA.

The programme was conducted by resource persons from UIC Medical Education, including Brian Gin, Ahreum Lim, Lauren Maggio,Kuan Xing, Prof Yoon Soo Park and Prof Ara Teiken.

The workshop provided an immersive learning experience exploring artificial intelligence in health professions education, particularly its applications in educational research, virtual patient simulation, student assessment, AI governance, and responsible implementation. Interactive discussions, practical AI studios, and collaborative project development offered valuable insights into emerging educational technologies.

The participation was made possible through the generous philanthropic support of Sivananthan Laboratories Inc., USA, which enabled the participants to engage fully in the workshop and benefit from this valuable learning experience.

The programme provided an excellent opportunity to develop international academic collaborations, strengthen institutional capacity, and explore innovative AI-driven approaches to undergraduate medical education and research.

The knowledge and experience gained are expected to contribute significantly to future educational innovations and AI-related initiatives at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya.