Building universities’ institutional capacity and readiness to address ethical implications of AI-driven technologies for R&I through academia-industry collaboration INDEMI4AI

Project number: 2025-1-IS01-KA220-HED-000354454

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming higher education (HE), reshaping teaching, learning, and institutional management. AI-driven tools—from adaptive learning systems to automated grading platforms—are increasingly embedded in university operations. However, their use raises serious ethical concerns, including algorithmic bias, privacy violations, academic integrity risks, and the commercialization of educational data (Derga et al.,2023; Rudolph et al.,2023).

Despite these efforts, ERI (Ethics, Research, and Integrity) remains marginal in HE curricula. Fewer than 5% of courses integrate ERI components (Beever et al., 2021), and only a handful of programs in engineering and scientific fields have fully embedded AI ethics. A lack of consensus on learning outcomes and limited collaboration with AI developers and entrepreneurs further hinder the systematic integration of ethical AI training (Plemmons & Kalichman, 2018). Alarmingly, only 41% of HE educators feel prepared to use AI tools ethically (EU Commission, 2023), while students fear AI-driven grading biases and threats to academic integrity (UNESCO, 2023). Additionally, AI developers lack formal training in ethical AI design, leading to fragmented institutional policies (Fjeld et al., 2020). Finally, AI developers and faculty staff lack formal training in ethical AI design, resulting in fragmented institutional policies (Fjeld et al., 2020). Thus, it is crucial to train educators and students towards an ethical AI culture and mentality, by creating strong collaborative links with AI actors, ensuring a high level of trust in science, R&I, and high-performing digital ecosystems.

OBJECTIVES

Responding to these needs, INDEMIA4AI leverages partners’ expertise to co-create, implement and test an innovative and multi-stakeholder curriculum and capacity building program – applying the Living Labs approach – that will build the capacity of HEIs, educators, students, and AI actors to engage with AI technologies in an ethical, transparent, and responsible manner, ensuring compliance with EU regulations, and strengthen university-industry cooperation by fostering entrepreneurial thinking, enabling students to identify ethical risks and develop AI-driven solutions to societal challenges.

KEY ASPECTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

 PARTNERSHIP

 PARTNERSHIP

 University of Akureyri, Iceland

The University of Akureyri (Háskólinn á Akureyri) is located near the edge of the Arctic Circle and has served Akureyri and its rural surroundings since 1987. Located in the capital of North Iceland, Akureyri, the University has built a reputation for academic excellence. It has been instrumental in the economic growth of the region and is central in its planning for a future as a knowledge-based society. The University is at present operating in two Schools: School of Health, Business and NaturalScience and School of Humanities and Social Sciences. The number of students is around 2,000 and members of staff are around 200. As documented in its policy, the University emphasises being progressive in teaching, and research that meets international standards. Emphasis is placed on teaching and research related to Icelandic society and economy, as well as fields related to Arctic and European issues. The University of Akureyri prepares students for a wide range of opportunities in both the private and the public sectors. Education offered by the University aims at providing its graduates with specific skills and knowledge of scientific methods as well as theoretical skills that will enable them to improve their qualifications. Education and research are closely linked to achieve this, first and foremost by assigning equal importance to them in the daily work of the academic and scientific staff, and whenever course work is based on research. The University of Akureyri is the leading university in Iceland in providing opportunities for students, outside of the capital area. To this effect it has for the last twenty years been developing distance learning and online courses for their students. Presently all courses are taught both at campus and online, under the term flexible learning. The University has a department called The Center of Teaching and Learning, which provides professional support to faculty members in their development of teaching in the form of expert feedback and consultation in both technology and pedagogy. As the ratio of distance learning students has been rising rapidly over the last few years and now amounts to 75% of all its students there is a need to strengthen the capacity of the Centre of Teaching and Learning in developing methods for distance learning. 

 POLITEHNICA Bucharest, Romania

 National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest (UNSTPB-CAMIS) is the largest university in Romania greatly contributing to the development of Higher Education in the country (more than 2500 staff and over 35000 students at all levels). It has a vast range of expertise in fostering innovation and creativity in science and engineering, including applying AI concepts at various level in engineering (e.g. image processing, industrial inspection and quality control, manufacturing, additive manufacturing, etc.). The academic and technical staff of one of its research and innovation center UNSTPB-CAMIS, has experience in modern and innovative engineering technologies such as the Industry 4.0 technology digital integration including Additive manufacturing, Artificial Intelligence and virtual and augmented technologies within the Faculty of Industrial Engineering and Robotics.

 University of Malta, Malta

The University of Malta (UM) is the sole public and highest teaching institution in Malta, with its structures being in line with the Bologna Process and the European Higher Education area. UM has a 400-year history and presently hosts 11,500 students including 1,000 foreign/exchange students from nearly 92 different countries, following full-time or part-time degree and diploma courses. The study programmes are designed to produce highly qualified professionals with research experience who will play key roles within industry, commerce and public affairs. Around 3,500 students graduate each year. Currently, the University comprises 14 faculties, 115 academic departments, 1 academy, 17 institutes, 13 centres, 3 schools and 11 administrative directorates. The University operates from four campuses located in Msida, Valletta, Marsaxlokk and Gozo, with three outreach centres in Argotti, Cottonera and Fawwara. The University is one of the largest employers in the country, employing 3080 people: 880 full-time and 810 part-time academics, and 1,070 full-time and 320 part-time staff in administrative, technical and industrial roles. During the last 15 years, the UM was involved as project coordinator and project partner in 365 EU-funded projects, through various funding channels. These include Horizon 2020
(70 projects), Horizon Europe (14 projects), Erasmus+ (114 projects), INTERREG EU, MED, ITALIA-MALTA (44 projects), FP7 (47 projects), Lifelong Learning Programme (76 projects). The UM is also involved in national funding programmes, other international initiatives and is even represented in a number of European and International University networks and groups. It currently has around 300 active projects. The UM project teams are resident academics and research support officers who are backed by support structures to assist during the application phase, throughout the life-cycle of the project and in all technical and financial reporting periods, right up to project closure.

KAINOTOMIA & SIA EE, Greece

KAINOTOMIA is certified under the Greek Legislation Lifelong Learning Center, founded in 2013 by a group of people with expertise and a lifelong commitment to learning. The organization’s modern facilities comply with accessibility guidelines for people with disability, while there are 3 training rooms with a total capacity of 91 trainees. The goal of KAINOTOMIA is the implementation of continuous vocational training programs (offline & online through our elearning platform) targeted at
employed/unemployed people, educators, students of higher education, and vulnerable social groups for the development of professional opportunities and their integration into the labour market and society. We provide Career Guidance and Counselling with regional stakeholder networks and according to individual needs. KAINOTOMIA's goal is the support of trainees aiming to introduce new learning and teaching methodologies approaches, especially those delivering key competencies and basic skills, language skills, and focusing on the use of ICT, but also the upscaling of the quality of education in professionalization of trainers. Finally, provides trainees with new forms of flexible learning methods, virtual mobility, open educational resources, and better exploitation of the ICT potential. KAINOTOMIA aims to up/reskill professionals’ skills through mobility in other EU member states to bolster cooperation with other countries of the EU and volunteering as an expression of an intercultural dimension. KAINOTOMIA plays a leading role at national and regional levels and holds extensive experience in methodology development of practical solutions matching specific vocational and professional development needs. We have a great portfolio of national projects under the name of "Grant beneficiaries’ system with Training Vouchers”, of the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Social Solidarity. The projects aimed at strengthening the skills of young beneficiaries with the aim to enter the labour market. The activities included training (400 hours) in different subjects as well as work-based learning for 6 months. In February 2020, it is selected by the Executive Agency for SMEs (EASME) as an Intermediary Organization (IO), for the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs program, being one out of the seven IOs established in Greece. KAINOTOMIA is certified by the Aristotle Certification Training and Assessment of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and is a member of the Association of Thessalian Enterprises and Industries. We work with national Universities at the local, regional, and national levels as well as with institutions developing studies about Active Labor Market Policies, entrepreneurship, guidance, training, and labour integration. In 2021,KAINOTOMIA was selected as the only Youth Eurodesk multiplier in Thessaly, Greece, giving us the opportunity to expand its European impact even more. KAINOTOMIA has a great experience as a coordinator and partner organization as it coordinated more than 65 national projects (> 3.500 people have been trained) and participated in more than 35 EU programs (EYE, KA2, VET, Adult Education, Youth, KA3 Support for policy reform, Horizon). KAINOTOMIA participates in the Horizon project, “Extended Reality for Education” which allows organizations from different fields (schools, Universities) to create their own module through Extended Reality. KAINOTOMIA has also participated in the “Summer Camp in the City” initiative of the Municipality of Larissa awarded by the UNESCO Learning Cities Network, where trainers of KAINOTOMIA implemented 6 workshops on the themes of Human Rights and Human Rights Education. The company employs 10 permanent staff (monthly paid employees), works with 5 external partners (financial and technical issues, marketing), and collaborates with approximately 15 trainers per year.

Iceland California ehf., Iceland

Iceland California is an organization specializing in advanced technology development and strategic consulting for institutions seeking to navigate the complexities of technological innovation, particularly in the realm of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Led by Dr. Ari Jonsson, a seasoned expert in AI, higher education, innovation, and strategy development, Iceland California offers a range of services from communication assistance to long-term strategic planning. With approximately 15 years of active involvement in AI technology development and over 14 years of experience within a university setting, the organization is well-equipped to address the challenges and opportunities presented by AI in various sectors.

Proiectul TEX4.0 este o inițiativă cofinanțată de programul Erasmus+ al Uniunii Europene, care își propune să ofere formatorilor VET din domeniul textilelor și cursanților VET cunoștințele și instrumentele necesare privind competențele legate de Industria 4.0 printr-un pachet de formare inovator. Proiectul ofera participare gratuita pentru 2 studenti la o activitate de instruire (TEXperience) care va avea loc in Larissa, Grecia in perioada 2-5 septembrie 2025. Activitatea de instruire transnationala va consta in 6 ore in fiecare zi cu activitati de invatare si schimb de experiente in tehnologii de Industria 4.0 in industria textila. Participantii la instruire trebuie sa fie studenti la licenta, sa aibe cunostinte temeinice de limba engleza si sa participe la un interviu in data de 20.05.2025, ora 9, sala CE204 (POLITEHNICA Bucuresti, Facultatea de Inginerie Industriala si Robotica). In cadrul interviului, candidatii vor trebui sa isi prezinte motivele pentru care doresc sa participe la acesta activitate si sa raspunda la intrebarile comisiei. Interviul se va sustine in limba engleza. Pe baza analizei raspunsurilor candidatilor, comisia va alcatui un clasament si vor fi selectati cei doi participanti pentru activitatea de instruire TEXperience.

Pentru orice detalii sau intrebari, va stam la dispozitie la This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Va asteptam!!!

Va multumim pentru colaborare!!!!

TRAINEE Project Launches to Revolutionize Higher Education Through Mixed Reality (MR) Training

Bucharest, January 2025 – The TRAINEE project has officially launched, marking an exciting step toward modernizing higher education training through Mixed Reality (MR) technology. Funded by ERASMUS+, TRAINEE aims to transform engineering education by promoting remote learning, reducing environmental impact, and equipping students and professionals with future-ready skills for the high-tech manufacturing sector.

The project aligns with the European Union’s objectives for digital innovation and sustainability, enhancing accessibility to education while lowering infrastructure costs. By leveraging MR technology, TRAINEE will bridge the gap between traditional and digital learning methods, ensuring an immersive and interactive educational experience.

TRAINEE is spearheaded by the University of Malta and brings together a prestigious consortium of leading academic institutions:

• KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Sweden)
• University of Rijeka (Croatia)
• CAMIS Center - POLITEHNICA Bucharest (Romania)
•  Free University of Bolzano (Italy)
•  University of Malta (Coordinator)

The project’s journey began with a successful online kickoff meeting, followed by an in-person consortium meeting in Malta on January 23 and 24, 2025. These sessions set the foundation for collaboration, establishing key project objectives, work packages, and dissemination strategies to maximize the project’s impact in academia and industry.

 “We are thrilled to embark on this ambitious initiative that integrates cutting-edge MR technology into higher education,” said Dr. Ing. Joseph Zammit, Project Coordinator at the University of Malta. “TRAINEE is a significant step towards digital transformation in education, fostering innovation, sustainability, and skill development for the next generation of engineers.”

 As the project progresses, TRAINEE will continue sharing updates, research findings, and opportunities for engagement. Stay tuned as we work towards reshaping the future of education and training across Europe.

 For media inquiries, partnership opportunities, or further information, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Union Programmes Agency (EUPA Malta). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

The BOOST-AI (Building Opportunities for SMEs Sustainable Entrepreneurship with Artificial Intelligence in Industry 5.0) project is a 24-month Erasmus+ KA220-HED initiative focusing on higher education cooperation partnerships. The project focuses on successfully integrating AI into sustainable entrepreneurship and leveraging innovation and collaboration to address modern industrial challenges. Its main goal is the development of an advanced curriculum combining AI with sustainable business strategies, supported by open-access training materials, case studies, and a dedicated online platform to ensure accessibility for a broad audience.

In this respect, a focus groups/meeting is organised on the 27th of March 2025, at the headquarters of the CAMIS center, Faculty of Industrial Engineering and Robotics, room CE204, 4 PM, to gather views and opinions about the AI in the higher education system and to discuss the draft curricula that the consortium have already prepared during the first 5 months of the project.

Many thanks for your cooperation!

Va multumim pentru colaborare!!!!