Anthropic Launches Higher Education Advisory Board and AI Fluency Courses
Anthropic has appointed a Higher Education Advisory Board and released three AI Fluency courses for educators and students under a Creative Commons license.
Quick answer
What did Anthropic announce for higher education?
Anthropic announced a Higher Education Advisory Board, chaired by former Yale president Rick Levin, to guide Claude's development for teaching, learning and research. It also released three AI Fluency courses for educators and students, co-created with academics and available under a Creative Commons license at anthropic.com/learn.
Key takeaways
- Anthropic has appointed a Higher Education Advisory Board to guide how Claude serves teaching, learning and research in higher education.
- The board is chaired by Rick Levin, former president of Yale University and former CEO of Coursera.
- Other board members hold leadership roles at Rice University, the University of Michigan, the University of Texas at Austin, Stanford University, and Complete College America.
- Anthropic released three new AI Fluency courses: AI Fluency for Educators, AI Fluency for Students, and Teaching AI Fluency.
- The courses were co-developed with Professor Rick Dakan of Ringling College of Art and Design and Professor Joseph Feller of University College Cork, and are available under a Creative Commons license.
Anthropic announced two initiatives aimed at how artificial intelligence is used in higher education: a Higher Education Advisory Board and three new AI Fluency courses for educators and students.
Advisory board
Anthropic said it has appointed a Higher Education Advisory Board made up of academic leaders who will help guide how Claude serves teaching, learning and research at universities. The company said the board draws on expertise in university leadership, educational technology and learning science.
The board is chaired by Rick Levin, who led Yale University from 1993 to 2013 and later spent a decade at Coursera, three years as CEO from 2014 to 2017 and seven years as senior adviser to his successor from 2017 to 2024.
"Anthropic is deeply committed to AI safety and responsibility in its products and every aspect of its business," Levin said. "With the help of its newly formed advisory board, it is striving to bring these values to higher education. Our role is to advise the company as it develops ethically sound policies and products that will enable learners, teachers, and administrators to benefit from AI's transformative potential while upholding the highest standards of academic integrity and protecting student privacy."
Other members named by Anthropic are:
- David Leebron, former president of Rice University
- James DeVaney, special adviser to the president and founding executive director of the Center for Academic Innovation at the University of Michigan
- Julie Schell, assistant vice provost of academic technology at the University of Texas at Austin
- Matthew Rascoff, vice provost for digital education at Stanford University
- Yolanda Watson Spiva, president of Complete College America
Anthropic said Leebron brings experience in university development and research expansion, DeVaney leads academic innovation and workforce development strategy, Schell leads educational technology transformation efforts, Rascoff leads digital learning initiatives, and Watson Spiva leads a national alliance of 53 states and systems focused on college completion and formed Complete College America's Council on AI.
AI Fluency courses
Anthropic also announced three new courses that build on its existing AI Fluency course, developed with the advisory board and educators, and co-developed with Professor Rick Dakan of Ringling College of Art and Design and Professor Joseph Feller of University College Cork. The company said all three are available now under a Creative Commons license so institutions can adapt them.
Anthropic said the courses and further information are available at anthropic.com/learn.
Source: Anthropic, "Anthropic launches higher education advisory board and AI Fluency courses," published August 21, 2025.
Frequently asked questions
- Who chairs Anthropic's Higher Education Advisory Board?
- Rick Levin, who led Yale University from 1993 to 2013 and later served as CEO and then senior adviser at Coursera, chairs the board.
- Who else is on the advisory board?
- The board includes David Leebron (former president of Rice University), James DeVaney (University of Michigan), Julie Schell (University of Texas at Austin), Matthew Rascoff (Stanford University), and Yolanda Watson Spiva (Complete College America).
- What are the new AI Fluency courses?
- Anthropic released AI Fluency for Educators, AI Fluency for Students, and Teaching AI Fluency, each aimed at building practical AI skills in academic settings.
- Are the courses free to use?
- Anthropic says the courses are available now under a Creative Commons license, allowing institutions to adapt them.