The European AI-Based Personal Language Learning Assistant (EU-ABPLA)

Project period: October 2025 – September 2028
Coordinator: Vestegnens Sprog- og Kompetencecenter (Denmark)
DTU partner: DTU Engineering Technology
Funding: Erasmus+ KA220-ADU, 400,000 EUR

About the project

The EU-ABPLA project develops an AI-based personal learning assistant designed to enhance second language learning for adult learners across Europe. By combining Natural Language Processing (NLP), speech recognition, and adaptive learning algorithms, the project aims to create a digital tutor capable of providing personalized, real-time feedback on pronunciation, grammar, and fluency.

The initiative addresses key challenges in adult education, including limited access to individualized feedback, varying digital literacy levels, and the need for flexible, self-paced learning among migrants, refugees, and working adults.

DTU’s contribution

DTU Engineering Technology leads the technical development (Work Package 3), ensuring that the AI tutor is technologically robust, pedagogically grounded, and user-friendly. The department’s research integrates AI model interpretability, on-device optimization, and human–computer interaction to build a scalable and efficient digital learning system.

DTU’s team brings together expertise in machine learning, computational linguistics, and user experience design, ensuring that the tutor adapts dynamically to each learner’s progress. Beyond software development, DTU contributes to teacher training, evaluation, and system integration, bridging the gap between research and practical implementation in adult learning environments.

Interdisciplinary and collaborative framework

The project is highly interdisciplinary, combining expertise from technology, linguistics, and pedagogy. The consortium consists of:

• Vestegnens Sprog- og Kompetencecenter (Denmark) – project coordination and quality assurance
• DTU Engineering Technology (Denmark) – AI and system development
• Katholiek Onderwijs Vlaanderen (Belgium) – educator training and capacity building
• Vages-grow (Slovakia) – needs analysis and user testing
• Kurzy Zebra (Czech Republic) – dissemination and sustainability

This partnership ensures that the AI tutor is co-created with educators and learners, aligning digital innovation with real pedagogical needs. The collaboration also supports AI literacy among teachers and promotes sustainable digital transformation within adult education across Europe.

Technological implementation and impact

Through iterative design and pilot testing, the AI tutor will be integrated into existing learning platforms and evaluated in real educational settings. The goal is to deliver a scalable, open-access tool that enhances both teaching efficiency and learner autonomy.

Expected outcomes include:

• An operational AI tutor prototype for second language learning
• A best-practice framework for AI-assisted instruction
• A training model enabling educators to integrate AI tools effectively
• Increased digital readiness among adult education institutions

Broader significance

EU-ABPLA exemplifies DTU Engineering Technology’s mission to connect applied research with educational innovation. By advancing AI-supported learning for smaller linguistic communities, the project contributes to inclusive digital transformation in European education and strengthens Europe’s capacity for ethical and effective AI implementation in lifelong learning.