Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education: Hundreds of participants from over 10 countries at the webinar series organized by DeL UPT through Accelerate Future HEI
Politehnica University of Timișoara (UPT), through the Department of ID/IFR and Digital Education (DeL), successfully organized a series of two free international webinars dedicated to the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education and research. The events took place within the framework of the European project Accelerate Future HEI – "Entrepreneurial & Innovative Universities Acceleration Programme"„ and brought together hundreds of participants from over 10 countries.
Both sessions were supported by Dr. Eng. Diana Andone, Director of DeL, an internationally recognized expert with over 30 years of experience in the field of digital technologies and online learning. The initiative provided a global platform for debate on the transformations brought by AI in the academic environment to teachers, researchers, PhD candidates and students from the international academic community.
Workshop 1: AI in Education – Innovation and best practices in teaching
The first session, held on Thursday, June 4, 2026, attracted over 70 participants from countries such as Romania, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Latvia, Ukraine, Portugal and Austria. For two hours, participants explored the responsible integration of artificial intelligence in higher education, with a particular focus on new forms of competency assessment and ethical challenges in academia.
Dr. Diana Andone presented UNESCO recommendations on the use of AI in education – a practical framework that allows the adoption of these tools regardless of technical background – as well as effective strategies for writing prompt-s that ensure optimal results in AI systems. The session was marked by pronounced interactivity: participants shared their own experiences in using AI for course design, asked dozens of questions in the Q&A section, and provided real-time feedback via the Mentimeter application.
Workshop 2: AI in Research – Ethics, Integrity and the Future of Open Science
The second session, scheduled for Thursday, June 11, 2026, brought together over 40 participants under the coordination of Dr. Diana Andone (Head of Digital & Distance Education Department, UPT) and focused on how artificial intelligence is transforming academic research within the project. Accelerate Future HEI. The webinar analyzed the transition of the documentation process from rigid searches in the "Pre-GenAI" era to the "With GenAI" era, technology that enables faster 40-60% literature reviews and cross-language correlations.
To streamline interaction with these tools, the session detailed the pillars of a correct mindset for creating prompts (The Prompting Mindset): defining the role of the AI, establishing context, imposing limitations, and requiring step-by-step reasoning. Fundamental prompt engineering methods (such as Zero shot or Few-shot Prompting) and development structures as REASONS Canvas, CO-STAR OR wry.
In addition, the webinar addressed ethical use and integrity in research (Research Integrity), analyzing key concepts promoted by UKRIO, such as rigor, honesty, transparency and accountability. Participants were presented with a decision logic diagram developed by UNESCO for the safe use of ChatGPT, reviewing the major global ethical principles (equity, inclusion, sustainability) and the European resources offered through the initiative. I RAISE (access to data, funding and increased computing capacity through AI Gigafactories).
Both webinars were free and open to academics, researchers, doctoral candidates, and students from across the international academic community.
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