Built by Students for Students: New Global Collaboration Advances Agentic AI in Learning

TEMPE, Ariz., Oct. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In a novel global collaboration, Cintana Education, Arizona State University (ASU), and Amazon Web Services (AWS) team up to develop agentic artificial intelligence-powered solutions to reshape how AI can advance higher education worldwide.

The collaboration focuses on developing open-source agentic AI tools that expand access, improve student support, and help universities innovate at scale. Together, the three organizations will harness AWS cloud technologies, academic expertise, and a global university network to co-create solutions that directly serve students.

Together, the initiative will tap into the ASU-Cintana Alliance of 33 partner universities across 28 countries serving more than 330,000 students to pilot and scale these innovations at an international level.

Built for Students by Students

Students are at the center of this project, with student developers working under the guidance of cloud experts from AWS and ASU's AI Cloud Innovation Center (AI CIC). These paid student workers are designing, building, and testing open-source tools that make higher education more accessible, personalized, and impactful for learners around the world, giving them real-world experience solving real-world problems.

The first solution in development is an agentic AI-powered support agent that engages prospective students during their admission journey, enhancing efficiency in student recruitment and support.

"As a student myself, I've felt very connected to this project from the start," said Shristi Pathak, an ASU graduate student and student worker with the AI CIC. "We're designing the AI system to walk alongside students through their application process."

This collaboration will also explore autonomous tutoring agents that provide on-demand, curriculum-aligned personalized academic support to students in their native languages.

These pilots are expected to enhance efficiency in recruitment and student engagement, while laying the groundwork for scalable applications across diverse institutions. ASU-Cintana Alliance partners in the Philippines and Ecuador will be the first to pilot these tools.

A Global Testbed for Innovation

Through a new AI-powered sandbox environment, universities across the ASU-Cintana Alliance will be able to co-develop and test solutions in real time. This setup enables knowledge-sharing across borders and allows institutions in emerging markets to access cutting-edge tools that might otherwise be out of reach.

"One of the most powerful assets in this collaboration is our ability to test and refine AI solutions across a truly global learning ecosystem," said Emiliano Diez, CTO at Cintana Education. "Few in higher education have access to such diversity of institutions, student populations, and local challenges. This live, multinational testbed allows us to accelerate learning cycles, adapt tools for real-world use, and ensure that innovation is not just scalable—but inclusive and relevant across geographies."

The long-term vision is to reduce barriers to quality education by combining technological innovation with localized expertise.

"At AWS, we're committed to transforming education through innovative technology solutions, and this collaboration with Cintana Education and Arizona State University represents a step forward in leveraging AI-powered tools to enhance student success," said Valerie Singer, General Manager of Global Education at AWS. "By developing agentic AI solutions for higher education with student technologists, we're helping institutions worldwide create more personalized and engaging learning environments for quality education through technology."

Responsible and Scalable AI

Beyond individual solutions, the initiative positions Cintana Education, ASU, and AWS as leaders in the ethical application of AI in higher education. The partners plan to host collaborative innovation sprints and publish open-source resources, inviting universities, policymakers, and technology leaders to join in shaping the next generation of learning tools.

With more than 330,000 students already enrolled at ASU-Cintana Alliance partner universities, the potential for impact is significant. The organizations describe this as the beginning of a long-term journey to reimagine how agentic AI can expand opportunity and success for learners worldwide.

"Artificial intelligence has unlocked a new era of rapid innovation in higher education—one where access to advanced tools is no longer a privilege of the few," said Diez. "By deploying practical, AI-powered solutions at scale, we are helping our university partners leapfrog traditional barriers, improve student outcomes, and expand access to quality education globally. This is not just about adopting new technologies; it's about reimagining what is possible for learners everywhere."

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SOURCE Cintana Education