The STAR project, financed by Xjenza Malta through the FUSION: R&I Research Excellence Programme, has successfully concluded, bringing new opportunities for students working on their final-year dissertations. The STAR prototype was presented to the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST) staff and students during an event held on 25 February at the MCAST’s Applied Research & Innovation Centre.

The MCAST research team, led by the MCAST Director of Information Systems Mr Gerard Said Pullicino, developed an AI-powered tool that helps students gather and organise research materials more efficiently. Students can use this smart system to automatically compile relevant information into a digital research scrapbook. By adapting to different learning styles, the tool makes it easier for students to connect research findings to their dissertation topics. During the event, the research team shared an experiment that was carried out using AI to assist students to develop a viable research proposal, and encouraging attendees to interact with the developed chatbot to explore solutions to different use cases.

The impact of the STAR project extends beyond the support given to students—it also helps their supervisors and the wider academic community. The system can suggest alternative learning resources, such as online webinars, making research more accessible to everyone. For supervisors, this AI tool provides insights into the materials students are using, helping them offer better guidance.

The STAR project further advances artificial intelligence research, demonstrating how AI can be used to support academic work and ensuring that students and educators have smarter tools to support their academic journey. The successful implementation of the application paves the way for further AI-driven innovations in academic research, fostering collaboration between educators and AI specialists to enhance learning experiences.