Category: Conferences

1st Festival of European Culture and Languages

Tourism and Heritage from the Border

DATE: 7th–11th July 2025
AUDIENCE: BA, MA, and PhD students
LOCATION: Trieste, Italy
TOPIC: Tourism and Heritage in Border Regions
FORMAT: Blended Intensive Program (BIP), 3 ECTS awarded
APPLICATION: To participate, apply here by 20th April

Tourism is a fundamental aspect of Europe’s cultural and economic landscape. However, it increasingly raises concerns of over tourism, leading to structural challenges on the one hand and the simplification of urban narratives on the other. Cities, rich in historical and cultural complexity, often undergo a process of reification, where their multifaceted identities are flattened to fit a coherent, marketable story.

This phenomenon is particularly evident in border regions, where historical,
anthropological, and political dynamics are intricate and deeply intertwined. Too often, these complexities are obscured by stereotypical and exclusionary narratives that fail to reflect the richness of local identities.

In this festival, we will critically engage with these themes, taking Trieste —a city shaped by its “border identity”— as a case study. Participants will be invited to explore the city as ”cruisers” —same as those arriving everyday on Trieste shores—, embarking on an intellectual and experiential journey that unveils the hidden and contested narratives embedded in its urban fabric. Through guided explorations and critical discussions, we will reflect on what is made visible in heritage discourses and what remains invisible.

The festival is designed as a Blended Intensive Program (BIP), encouraging students to actively engage in this critical exploration. Rather than following a traditional lecturebased format, participants will be challenged to step out of their comfort zones and take part in performative restitutions of their findings. We seek students who are open to an immersive, interdisciplinary, and participatory experience that questions conventional heritage representations.
This event will provide a unique opportunity to unravel the complexities of European cultural narratives and heritage, fostering a deeper understanding of how history and identity are constructed and represented in border regions.

Annual T4Eu PhD conference “Societies on the Move: Challenges of Today, Prospects for the Future”

The University of Trieste invites its academic and non-academic staff to participate in the T4EU International Conference “Societies on the Move: Challenges of Today, Prospects for the Future”, which will take place on 1st and 2nd  April 2025, at Sofia University, Sofia, Bulgaria.

call for papers

About the conference:

The conference will focus on the current and envisaged challenges today’s societies face due to political and economic crises, war, climate change and the rapid advancement of digital technologies and AI in all spheres of life. It is thematically related to the three Transform4Europe focus areas:

  • Societal transformation, community building and inclusion
  • Digital transformation and smart regions
  • Environmental Transformation and sustainability

Outstanding keynote speakers will deliver visionary and plenary speeches. 

Doctoral students and early-stage academics from all scientific areas are kindly invited to participate, showcase the results of their research work, engage in discussions with their peers and with established researchers The participants will receive a certificate jointly issued by the Transform4Europe Alliance universities. The conference papers will be published in Conference Proceedings after scientific review.

Conference objectives:

The conference aims to:

  • encourage PhD students and young researchers (including outstanding MA students) to involve in research networks with their peers from the eleven Transform4Europe Alliance partners;
  • provide a forum for exchange of innovative research ideas, knowledge-sharing and co-creation;
  • embed a culture of Open Science and a new approach to the scientific process based on openness, inclusiveness and cooperation.

You can apply by using this form. 

Deadline for submissions is 28th February”

Join the T4EU International Conference ‘PROF-SYNERGY’ in Kaunas

The University of Trieste invites its academic and non-academic staff to participate in the Transform4Europe Alliance’s International Conference “Enhancing Professional Excellence: Synergy of Academic and Non-Academic Staff (PROF-SYNERGY)”, which will take place on April 9-10, 2025, at Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania.

About the Conference
Building on the tradition of past Transform4Europe events, this year’s conference introduces an innovative approach by bringing together academic and non-academic staff. The goal is to foster meaningful collaboration, promote professional development, and enhance the collective growth of the educational community.
Attendees will explore topics such as digital learning technologies, innovative teaching methods, resilience skills, lifelong learning, and quality culture development.

Programme Highlights
• Keynote speeches by experts in education and professional development.
• 20+ professional development sessions designed to inspire and educate.
• Awards ceremonies recognizing innovative contributions by academic and non-academic staff.
• Social events, a Science Café, and a campus tour of Vytautas Magnus University, including visits to university laboratories.

Awards Opportunities

T4EU Non-Academic Staff Award: These awards are organised for the first time, therefore, we encourage you to apply! Applications are accepted until 31 January 2025. The application form is accessible here. The winners will be awarded during the T4EU Conference.
T4EU Innovative Teaching Award: These awards are implemented according to WP.5.2 (the target group is Teachers/Academic Staff). The deadline for applications is 31 January 2025.

For any additional questions, don’t hesitate to contact the Transform4Europe team at transform4europe@vdu.lt.

Science Café at the festival Trieste Next: My chatbot is always there for me

MY CHATBOT IS ALWAYS THERE FOR ME: THE ETHICAL DILEMMAS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ASSISTANTS AND COMPANIONS

🌐 Follow the event live via streaming on the Transform4Europe YouTube channel
📅 Sunday, September 29th | 11:30 AM – 12:45 PM

📖 Public open discussion by William Hasselberger, Professor of Politics and Director of the Digital Ethics Laboratory at the Catholic University of Portugal.
🎤 Presented by Francesco Miele, Researcher in General Sociology, University of Trieste

AI companions and humanlike conversation – Should we embrace artificial relationships to combat loneliness and social isolation? Explore the ethical and societal impacts of AI companions with leading experts in the field.

🔍 Don’t miss this insightful discussion on the future of AI and human connections!

Round Table – Science Communication and Open Science

On May 21st, from 5.30 to 7 pm at Sala Bobi Bazlen, Palazzo Gopcevich, Via G. Rossini 4, Trieste

This roundtable discussion aims to investigates the strategies and mechanisms crucial for enhancing public engagement in citizen science, science communication, and open science initiatives. 

The round table will be divided into two sessions, one in Italian and one in English. In the first one, the discussion will focus on the key themes of the meeting (public engagement/citizen science, science communication and open science), exploring the most significant issues. In the second part, the focus will be on best practices of citizen science with the experiences of some early research careers and on the role of public engagement concerning stakeholder involvement to stimulate a debate involving the public.

Recognizing the pivotal role early research careers play in shaping the future of science and fostering public confidence in science issues, the discussion aims to identify and discuss best practices according to their specific problems and needs.

Citizen science, science communication, and open science are fundamental tools for engaging the public in scientific activities, promoting transparency, and developing collaborations between citizens and the scientific world. In this respect, early research careers play a central role in shaping the future of science and promoting public knowledge and trust on these themes.

Moderator:

Dr. Alessandro Carrieri, T4EU-T4ERI projects, University of Trieste

  • Institutional greetings:

Prof. Alberto Pallavicini, Rector Delegate for T4EU

  • Part 1 – Public engagement, science communication, open science and citizen science.

Prof. Stefano Martellos, University of Trieste

Prof. Andrea Cerroni, University of Milano-Bicocca

Dr. Federica Sgorbissa, Medialab Sissa

  • Part 2 – Best practices for fostering public engagement and citizen science

Prof. Tullia Catalan, University of Trieste

Dr, Anna Krekic, Castello di San Giusto and Risiera di San Sabba, Municipality of Trieste

Dr. Chiara Vitillo, The University of Siena

Dr. Katia Rupel, University of Trieste

How to make science more engaging and sociable?

The Vitautas Magnus University invites academic staff, researchers and PhD students of Transform4Europe universities to participate in the Training & Experiences Sharing Session “How to make science more engaging and sociable?”.

The online training will be held on April 15, 9.00–15.45 CET (MS TEAMS).

The session consists of two parts.

The first part is dedicated to citizen science and will focus on the presentation of its concept and main principles, limitations and problems that could be encountered during citizen sciences projects. The trainers also will share their exemplary experiences in implementing citizen science projects or related activities in different countries and universities.

The second part is dedicated to improving science communication competencies. The program comprises theoretical and practical approaches, covering topics such as the complexity of science communication, ethics in the field, navigating visual misinformation, and utilizing social media tools for effective communication. Led by experts from various institutions, the program aims to enhance participants’ skills in conveying scientific information and navigating the challenges of communication in today’s diverse media landscape.

The reminder about upcoming The Training & Experiences Sharing Session together with login reference will be sent to all registered participants approximately 3–5 days before the event. The Training & Experiences Sharing Session will be recorded.

registration form

SCHEDULE

PART I: CITIZEN SCIENCE

Moderated by Tomas Berkmanas, Associate Professor Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania

9.00–9.45 CET

Citizen Science in Practice: Ecosystem Approach | Eglė Butkevičienė, Professor Kaunas University of Technology, Lithuania

9.45–10.15 CET

Exploring the Role of Private Natural History Collections in Citizen Science: Opportunities and Challenges | Veljo Runnel, Citizen Science Expert | University of Tartu, Estonia

10.15–10.45 CET

Transferable Experiences and Lessons Learnt from Citizen Science Project on Wildlife Conservation | Elena Buzan, Professor University of Primorska, Slovenia

10.45–11.00 CET

Citizen Science Q & A

11.00–12.00 CET

Lunch Break

PART II: SCIENCE COMMUNICATION

Moderated by Austė Aleksandravičiūtė-Šviažienė, Science Communication Specialist, Lecturer | Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania

12.00–12.45 CET

The Complexity of Science Communication | Austė Aleksandravičiūtė-Šviažienė, Science Communication Specialist, Lecturer |Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania

This lecture aims to delve into the intricacies of science communication, exploring the multifaceted challenges and nuances inherent in conveying scientific concepts to diverse audiences.

12.45–13.30 CET

Ethics of Science Communication | Tomaž Grušovnik, Associate Professor

University of Primorska, Slovenia

The lecture will introduce the audience to the basics of ethical reflection and explain important virtues in science communication: truthfulness, objectivity, courage, etc.

13.30–13.45 CET

Break

13.45–14.45 CET

Navigating the Landscape of Visual Misinformation (Lecture/Seminar) | Kert Viiart, Associate Professor, Graphic Designer and Visual Artist |Estonian Academy of Arts, Estonia

As images and videos continue to be potent tools for disseminating information, the responsibility to promote accuracy and truth in visual communication becomes imperative in navigating the complex landscape of contemporary media.

14.45–15.45 CET

Social Media Tools for Science Communication (Workshop) | Karin Marinič, Digital Communications Editor & Amy Simmons, Assistant Researcher | University of Primorska, Slovenia

This workshop will discuss practical ways to create engaging and accessible science communication. Lecturers will share tips and tricks for effective & creative communication on social media.

First face-to-face “Common Heritage and Multilingualism” experts meeting in Trieste

The University of Trieste, leader of WP7 on Common Heritage and Multilingualism of the T4EU Alliance, held ita first face-to-face WP7 experts meeting in Trieste on 26th February 2024.

About 30 international guests participated from all 10 partner universities.

The meeting was an occasion to reflect on our common heritage and what we can do to keep our distinctive features, while trying to find a common T4EU identity. Discussions included the definition of commonly used terms like “multilingual” and “intercultural”, and what our Alliance can do to promote them.

Our partners provided a lot of excellent food for thought, inputs, and ideas to develop our partnership stronger and deeper.

Our next step will be the fine-tuning and implementation of what was discussed, with the objective of making cultural heritage and multilingualism two flagship elements of our Alliance!

Roundtable “Borders and migration: (In)Visibility, Then and Now”

Starting from an analysis of the Italian-Slovenian border and of its past and present function, this public roundtable allows for discussion between scholars, local institutions and those who have crossed and experienced the border in their migratory journeys, in order to reflect on the (in)visibility of migrations across borders.

23 November 2023 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Auditorium of the Department of Humanities, University of Trieste – Androna Baciocchi 4

Organised by the University of Trieste in collaboration with the University of Primorska, Koper

Working language(s): Italian. The abstracts will be multilingual (ITA/ ENG/SLO)

Programme

The roundtable will focus on the Trieste border and the (in)visibility of migration from both an Italian and Slovenian perspective. Depending on the time period and on the people crossing it, the Trieste border has been part of the Iron Curtain, a space connecting different worlds, an everyday transit space or a European barrier. The border conceals and exposes, constructs identities, routes and patterns of life. But, above all, it builds cross-border territories and identities, it shapes the areas it encompasses and it gives rise to new social meaning.

Starting from an analysis of the border and its past and present function, this public roundtable allows for discussion between scholars, local institutions and those who have crossed and experienced the border in their migratory journeys. UniTS roundtable is the second stop in a European alliance path that began with the Koper roundtable on the theme of Borders & Migrations. It will be an opportunity to present the Border’s Archive (Archivio di Frontiera), an ongoing operative research project of students from the Universities of Trieste and Primorska.

With the participation of:

  • Alessandro Monsutti (Anthropologist, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva)
  • Katja Hrobat Virloget (Anthropologist, University of Primorska)
  • Roberta Altin (Anthropologist, University of Trieste)
  • Tullia Catalan (Historian, University of Trieste)
  • Sandi Klun, (Mayor of the border municipality of- Dolina)
  • Rita Casseler (border witness)
  • Ismail Swati (border witness)
  • Students of the ’Archivio di Frontiera – Border’s archive’ Laboratory

Moderators:

Giuseppe Grimaldi ( Anthropologist, University of Trieste) and Alessandro Carrieri (Historian, University of Trieste).

With the participation of voluntary associations, local stakeholders, students and citizens.

TEAMS: https://u.garr.it/9S5fc

European Student Assembly 2024

Call for applications by students at the Transform4Europe alliance universities

On April 10-12 2024, the third session of the European Student Assembly (ESA) will take place in Strasbourg at the European Parliament. 

The European Student Assembly is a grassroots project that gathers each year more than 200 students from different European University Alliances (EUA) to debate current issues, draft political recommendations for the future of Europe and advocate them among stakeholders and decision makers.

The T4EU students can apply until 5 November.

As students and part of Transform4Europe, you are eligible to apply!

Please note that accommodation costs will be taken care of by ESA, and that selected students will have their travel costs from European countries covered by Transform4Europe.

apply now

Please read the #ESA24 handbook before applying.