STUDIES-DIG at the Futures Conference 25, Lisbon, Portugal
As part of research and networking activities researchers from the STUDIES-DIG project participated in the 1st International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education, organized by the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (audax) of ISCTE-IUL and the University Extension of the University of California Riverside (UCR). The conference was held between the 9th and 10th of July, 2025 at ISEC Higher Institute of Education and Sciences in Lisbon, Portugal and was jointly chaired by Maria José Sousa, ISCTE and Kevin J. Vaughn, UCR. This international forum brought together global leaders in education, research, and technology to explore how AI is reshaping learning and teaching and provided a unique opportunity to engage with pioneering ideas, share innovations, and spark meaningful collaborations that will shape the future of AI-enhanced education. The conference program was structured around six dynamic thematic streams, addressing both the practical and ethical dimensions of AI in education. Some of the key topics discussed during the conference were connected with personalized learning, intelligent tutoring systems, AI-powered assessment tools, and new pedagogical approaches supported by digital transformation. The event also tackled the critical ethical questions AI raises, including fairness, privacy, and accessibility, ensuring that technological innovation remains aligned with human values. The main streams of the conference were as follows:
Artificial Intelligence in Education, which investigated how AI can personalize learning, support educators through intelligent tutoring systems, and automate assessments.
Educational Technologies, which examined how tech solutions are enhancing engagement and learning outcomes and provided hands-on strategies for integrating cutting-edge tools into classrooms.
Virtual and Augmented Reality in Learning, which showcased how simulations can bring abstract concepts to life.
New Pedagogies, which reimagined education through flipped classrooms, project-based learning, and collaborative models and highlighted methods to foster critical thinking and student agency in AI-enhanced environments.
AI and Ethics, which focused on fairness, privacy, and transparency in AI systems and on building trustworthy, human-centred AI tools that respect the rights and dignity of learners.
AI-Driven Global Education, which explored how AI can support international learning, cultural exchange, and accessibility and emphasized AI’s role in bridging global educational divides. The track, chaired by David Ferraz, ISCTE included six paper presentations of researchers from Bulgaria, Italy and Germany.
The following members of the STUDIES-DIG consortium participated in the the 1st International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education and contributed to the WP 2 research, training and networking activities:
Prof. Dr. David Ferraz, ISCTE-Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, Portugal,
Prof. Polya Katsamunska, UNWE, Bulgaria, the project coordinator
Prof. Luben Boyanov, member of the UNWE research team
Assoc. prof. Ekaterina Tosheva, member of the UNWE research team
Assoc. prof. Tatyana Daskalova, member of the UNWE research team
Assoc. prof. Silvia Georgieva, member of the UNWE research team
Assist. Prof. Ventsislava Stoyanova, member of the UNWE research team
D.Sc. Zornitsa Mladenova, project senior researcher from Rudozem Municipality
Mrs. Pavlina Boyklieva, STUDIES-DIG project manager at Rudozem Municipality, Bulgaria
The proceedings book with the results of the 1st International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education is available at the link:
https://www.iseclisboa.pt/images/ebook/Conference_FUTURES2025_book_proceedings.pdf
The full papers will be published in a book by Springer or Taylor & Francis later.
