Produced by: By Brian K. Harte, Ph.D., Associate Dean of External Affairs and Graduate Studies, The Lesley H. and William L. Collins College of Professional Studies, and Professor, Criminal Justice and Homeland Security
March 20, 2026
During the Fall 2025 semester, I implemented a Global Online Learning Exchange (GOLE) program with Oleksandr Zyma, Ph.D., and Olha Tsvihunenko of National University—Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic, Poltava, Ukraine. This collaborative partnership was made possible with assistance from Zoe Petropoulou, Ph.D., Senior Director for Global Engagement and Associate Professor of French at St. John’s.
The collaboration occurred pairing my St. John’s asynchronous graduate Artificial Intelligence in Homeland Security course with a Ukrainian undergraduate Human Security face-to-face course. The course project afforded select US and Ukrainian students opportunities to examine real-world artificial intelligence (AI) technology uses in the field of Homeland Security and the discipline of Human Security.
Specifically, students performed group case analyses of the following AI technologies and their applications for homeland security: US Customs and Border Protection’s use of facial recognition technology at ports of entry; the European Union’s iBorderCtrl AI border screening system; the United Kingdom’s use of the National Data Analytics Solution for counterterrorism and predictive policing; Five Eyes Alliance AI-enabled intelligence sharing and surveillance platforms; and NATO’s AI-based systems for detecting cyberattacks and hybrid threats.
Through a case analysis approach, US and Ukrainian student groups, consisting of eight to 10 students, worked together to provide a case analysis of the AI technology they selected. The focus of the analysis was on the AI system’s effectiveness in addressing homeland security threats, its governance and compliance with legal frameworks, ethical considerations, and its broader societal implications. The assignment aimed to develop critical research and analytical skills while preparing students for leadership roles in homeland security.
This project aligned well with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #9: “Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.” Additionally, this project was rooted in SDG #16, “Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all....” Moreover, the crux of this project aligned well with this SDG’s goal to “build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels.”
The project afforded opportunities for student professional growth, teamwork building, intercultural competency and communication skills building. Moreover, the project enabled learning through examining diverse perspectives. Thus, the project assisted students in their career readiness through examining impactful solutions for global security issues.
This collaborative project is the subject of an upcoming book chapter article tentatively titled, “Preparing Learners for Applications of AI in Homeland Security through Virtual Exchange: A Collaboration between Ukraine and the US,” featuring myself as well as Dr. Petropoulou, Dr. Zyma, and Tsvihunenko.