The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence technologies has created an unprecedented demand for professionals who can bridge the gap between AI research and industrial applications. While German companies increasingly recognize AI as a key technology for their future competitiveness, they struggle to implement AI solutions due to a significant shortage of qualified personnel. A comprehensive analysis conducted in 2021 revealed that no German university or university of applied sciences offered a degree program explicitly designed to train students as experts in industrial AI systems and services. This keynote presents the development and implementation of the bachelor's degree program "AI Engineering – Artificial Intelligence in Engineering" at Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg as a best practice example for addressing this educational gap.

The AI Engineering program was developed within a four-year project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research with 5 million euros, involving a consortium of Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg and four universities of applied sciences across the federal state of Saxony-Anhalt. The curriculum development followed a systematic approach that began with problem identification and needs analysis, proceeded through competency profiling and module matrix design, and culminated in the implementation of teaching and assessment concepts. A distinctive feature of this process was the active involvement of seven industrial partners from various sectors across Germany, who contributed both to defining the required competencies and to evaluating how well the final curriculum meets professional requirements.

The resulting competency profile encompasses the full lifecycle of industrial AI systems: graduates learn to analyze problems, define requirements, evaluate AI deployment potential, plan and manage AI projects, design and implement industrial AI systems, and assess these systems according to ethical, economic, and safety criteria. The curriculum synthesizes AI and computer science fundamentals with engineering disciplines, embedding practical project work in every semester. The program structure divides into a foundational phase at Otto von Guericke University during the first four semesters and a specialization phase at one of the partner institutions during semesters five through seven. Students can choose from five distinct specialization tracks offered by the different partner universities: Manufacturing, Production and Logistics; Biomechanics and Smart Health Technologies; Mobile Systems and Telematics; Agricultural Engineering; and Green Engineering.

A key innovation is the Cooperative Integrative Synergetic Study Model, which enables students to be enrolled simultaneously at all five participating institutions under a joint study and examination regulation. This model pools resources across institutions, strengthens interdisciplinary collaboration beyond traditional university boundaries, and creates synergies through shared development work and unbureaucratic exchange of teaching services. The technical infrastructure supporting this collaboration includes a centralized learning management system and the development of Open Educational Resources that can be shared across institutions and beyond. The program commenced in winter semester 2023/2024 and has demonstrated steady growth, with enrollment increasing by 41 percent within two years. The project has directly led to the establishment of new AI professorships, contributing to the sustainable expansion of AI teaching capacity in the region. This keynote shares lessons learned, discusses ongoing challenges including student retention and cross-institutional process harmonization, and outlines future developments such as international mobility options and a bilingual study track.