The MUT library is preparing to pilot LeapSpace, an AI-powered research platform designed to transform how staff and students interact with academic literature. Developed by academic publishing giant Elsevier, the platform was officially introduced in late 2025 before being made available to institutions in 2026. The upcoming trial at MUT will run for one month, starting from 31 August until 30 September, accessible directly via the ScienceDirect link on the University library’s electronic resources portal.
The Library’s Indrani Naidoo said the decision to propose the tool stems from a push to evaluate emerging technologies capable of advancing teaching, learning, and research innovation across the University. “As artificial intelligence continues to reshape information discovery, LeapSpace provides the MUT community with an AI-assisted environment built specifically for rigorous scholarly work, rather than generic web browsing,” Naidoo said.
The platform offers significant benefits for both academic staff and postgraduate students: It allows researchers to quickly navigate vast collections of literature, synthesize complex topics, and uncover key themes without searching across dozens of separate databases. It also helps early-career researchers and postgraduate students overcome the steep learning curve of unfamiliar research topics or massive document sets, supporting thesis and dissertation work; and also assists academic staff with literature reviews, research proposal development, and identifying interdisciplinary connections. And lastly, it is built around peer-reviewed content, providing clear citations back to original sources so users can verify references.
Unlike standard search engines or open-ended generative AI, LeapSpace relies on verified academic publications. Elsevier confirmed that while the platform leverages data from ScienceDirect and Scopus, it is publisher-neutral by design, continuously expanding to incorporate literature from partner publishers.
Naidoo said the system moves beyond keyword matches by identifying underlying connections between concepts. To maintain academic rigour, the platform incorporates trust indicators to help researchers evaluate the reliability of harvested data and dive deeper into original texts.
In a professional assessment of the platform’s potential, the tool earns an 8/10 rating. Its core strengths include an innovative discovery framework, a focus on academic content, verifiable citations, and significant potential to streamline literature reviews. However, a full institutional assessment requires testing the tool within a live university setting to evaluate subject coverage, user adoption, and overall cost-effectiveness.
The upcoming trial will play a decisive role in determining whether MUT pursues a long-term subscription. Access is currently offered through institutional licensing rather than individual commercial purchases, with pricing negotiated directly between Elsevier and participating universities.
MUT staff and students are encouraged to test the platform during the September trial period to help inform the University’s future digital resource strategy.