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ARIA – A pilot project in digital innovation

Why ARIA was created

The University of Insubria created ARIA (Assistente di Ricerca con Intelligenza Artificiale, or AI Research Assistant) as a pilot project in digital innovation to explore how artificial intelligence can be used responsibly to help the University provide information and guidance.

The project was developed within the University’s Web Ecosystem coordination hub, whose main role is to coordinate editorial work and oversee the University’s official digital content.

As part of the University’s digital transition, ARIA uses technology to:

  • improve the quality and clarity of official University content;
  • keep information consistent across different sections of the website;
  • make the website easier to navigate and use.

The project aims to:

  • make official University information easier to access and understand;
  • help users find relevant services, procedures and information;
  • test new ways for users to interact with the University online while keeping the University in charge and accountable to the public.

ARIA was designed from the outset as a support tool that complements the University’s official channels and the teams responsible for its administrative services.

The project is part of the University’s broader digital transformation, which aims to make digital services more effective and improve how the University interacts with its users.
Find out more about the University’s digital transition

How ARIA improves website content and the user experience

ARIA serves as a virtual assistant and a tool for monitoring and continually improving the quality of information on the University’s website.

Interactions with users help the University:

  • identify content that is unclear or difficult to find;
  • see what information users regularly look for;
  • spot problems with how information is organised and how users navigate the website.

These insights help the University review and refine its web content and improve the overall user experience, in line with its goals for usable, transparent and accessible digital services.

A pilot project that continues to evolve

ARIA is a project that continues to evolve.
The pilot gives the University the opportunity to do the following.

  • test innovative technologies in a real-world setting
  • assess their benefits, limitations and impact on how the University works
  • improve the service over time based on evidence and feedback

Over time, the project may develop both its features and its underlying technology. Possible improvements include the following.

  • expanding and refining the sources of information
  • introducing technical features such as document indexing or caching
  • improving the quality and accuracy of responses

The University assesses each proposed change and ensures that it complies with applicable legislation.

Co-design with the General Student Council (CGS)
Aria's Logo

A defining feature of the ARIA project is that it was co-designed with the General Student Council (CGS), the University body that coordinates student representation, advises the University and makes proposals on matters affecting students. [CGS page]

The CGS helped shape practical aspects of the project and its public identity.
In particular, the name ‘ARIA’ and its logo were chosen through a competition organised by the CGS, giving students a direct role in the project’s design and communications.

This approach helped the University

  • incorporate students’ perspectives into the identity of the service
  • build a sense of ownership and make the project easier to recognise
  • test new ways for University leaders and student representatives to work together on digital innovation

ARIA began as a joint project that brought technological innovation together with student participation, feedback and dialogue with the University.

Responsible innovation and its impacts

The ARIA project is founded on the principles of responsible innovation. Its priorities include

  • being transparent about how the service works
  • making clear that ARIA’s responses are experimental
  • protecting personal data
  • keeping decision-making and administrative action outside the scope of the service

The University monitors the project on an ongoing basis and assesses

  • how useful it is to users
  • how well it supports the University’s institutional aims
  • its impact on the University’s organisation, information and technology
A testbed for the University

ARIA gives the University of Insubria an ongoing testbed for experimentation that brings together technological innovation, digital governance and participation from the academic community.

The project helps the University

  • strengthen its digital culture
  • develop in-house expertise in the informed use of artificial intelligence
  • promote an institutional approach to innovation in public administration based on critical assessment and responsibility