AI Literacy Workshop: Copilot Agents for Academics
Jun 15, 2026 — 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Artificial intelligence continues to transform higher education at the University of Ottawa. Discover how Copilot agents can enhance teaching, research, and academic work in practical and meaningful ways.
Join us for the Microsoft Learn Copilot Agents for Academics Bootcamp, a full-day, hands-on workshop designed for educators who want to move beyond basic AI prompting. This session offers a unique opportunity to learn from peers and explore how Microsoft 365 Copilot agents can be used to accelerate academic work.
Participants will explore Copilot agents Researcher and Analyst, and be guided through designing, configuring, and using their own agents to support work in real academic contexts.
Brought to you by Information Technology, Microsoft and INNOVA.
Event details
Who should attend
Move beyond basic AI use and learn how to build tools that support your real work. This workshop focuses on practical, transferable skills that you can apply immediately in your teaching and daily activities.
This event is designed for members of the University of Ottawa community, including:
- Faculty members and Instructors
- Academic researchers
- Educators with prior experience using Copilot and prompting (recommended, not required)
- Members of the University of Ottawa community involved in teaching, research, or academic support work
Why attend?
Participants will learn how to design their own agents and gain the skills on how to accelerate teaching and research with M365 Copilot agents. By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:
- Explain what Copilot Agents are and when to use them in academic contexts
- Differentiate between Copilot Researcher and Analyst to choose the right tool for the right task
- Use the Purpose–Guidelines–Skills framework to write effective agent instructions
- Build their own agent using real course or academic materials
- Configure knowledge sources, instructions, and skills for specific use cases
- Test, debug, and improve agent outputs through iterative prompting
- Critically evaluate outputs and apply responsible AI practices
- Design an agent plan for at least one recurring workflow in their teaching or research.
Agenda overview
Foundations: Getting started with agents: Introduction to Copilot Agents, their capabilities, and how they differ from Copilot Chat in academic settings.
Pre-built agents: Hands-on exploration of ready-to-use agents designed for higher education, including teaching and productivity tools.
Building your agent in Copilot Agent Builder: Step-by-step guidance on creating an agent, including writing instructions, configuring knowledge sources, and testing outputs.
Applying agents to academic workflows: Design and build an agent tailored to a real teaching, research, or operational need.
8:45 A.M. : 9:00 A.M. : 9:45 A.M. : 10:30 A.M. : 11:15 A.M. : 12:15 P.M. : 1:30 P.M. : 2:15 P.M. : 3:00 P.M. : 15:45 P.M. : | Registration and coffee Opening remarks Microsoft workshop starts Booths open for visits Microsoft workshop (continuation) Lunch and Booths Microsoft workshop (continuation) Booths open for visits Microsoft workshop (continuation) Closing remarks |
Workshop information
- Delivery mode: Hybrid - attend in person at Innova space (CRX) or online
- Language: The sessions will be offered in English and French
- Limited seats available — register early.
Lunch is not provided; however, refreshments will be available.
Alexandrea Arnold, PhD
AI Integration Strategist - Black Dog Black Cat
Alexandrea Arnold is a climate scientist, educator, and trainer for Black Dog Black Cat. She empowers educators to integrate generative AI into their teaching, drawing on more than a decade of experience in paleoclimate research, university teaching, and science communication to make complex concepts accessible and meaningful in the classroom.
Outside of her work, she enjoys hiking, exploring inspiring landscapes, and experimenting with new recipes.
Rob “Bear” Ulrich, PhD
AI Integration Strategist and Professor - Black Dog Black Cat
Rob Ulrich is a scientist, educator, and storyteller, and a trainer and content creator for Black Dog Black Cat. He helps community college faculty integrate generative AI into teaching, bridging science, technology, and real‑world learning to prepare students for an evolving job market.
With over a decade of experience in research, teaching, and science communication, Rob brings complex ideas to life through engaging trainings, curriculum design, and creative outreach.
Basile Mbasha
Trainer - Microsoft
Basile Mbasha is a cloud security advisor, web application security researcher, and Microsoft Certified Trainer who specializes in Azure, AI, Cybersecurity, and DevOps technologies.
He brings extensive hands-on experience as both an instructor and an everyday practitioner, helping learners not only understand Microsoft technologies but also apply them effectively in their own classrooms and organizations.