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Draft Programme

1. Simon Roy, OECD, Head of Higher Education Policy

Presentation title – The Implications of AI for Higher Education: Emerging Patterns in OECD Countries

2. Pinar Heggernes, University of Bergen, Vice-Rector for Education and Digital Knowledge, Member of Norwegian Artificial Intelligence Research Consortiumons of AI for Higher Education: Emerging Patterns in OECD Countries

Bio: Professor Pinar Heggernes is the deputy rector of the University of Bergen, responsible for education and digitalization. She specializes in algorithms within informatics (computer science). From 2018 to 2021, she led the Department of Informatics at UiB and has extensive board experience both at UiB and nationally. She serves on the directing boards of the Research Council of Norway and Simula Research Laboratory, and helped establish the NORA AI consortium, chairing it for its first three years. Pinar has a strong background as a researcher, lecturer, and leader of large projects, and has contributed significantly to interdisciplinary ICT research and education at UiB.

Presentation title – The Role of Higher Education for Successful Digital Transformation and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence

Abstract: Digitalization is transforming education at all levels; it changes the subjects and methods in curricula and how professions are practiced. How are higher educational institutions equipped to stay ahead of this? A successful digital transition is indispensable for a green transition and democratic societal development. Digital competence is demanded in education, in the workforce, and in society at large. How can European universities contribute to make Europe leading in a successful digital transformation of society?

3. Vincent Wade, Trinity College Dublin, Chair of Computer Science (Est. 1990), Co-Founder of ADAPT SFI Research Centre for AI & Digital Media Technologies, Co-Director of SFI Centre for Postgraduate Research Training in Digitally-Enhanced Reality (School of Computer Science & Statistics) 

Presentation title – Opportunities, Challenges and Adoption Strategies of GenAI technology in Education

4. Beatrix Busse, University of Cologne, Vice-Rector for Student Affairs and Teaching (TBC)

5. Florin Olariu, Technical Manager at Centric IT Solutions Romania, Member of an OpenAI working group (TBC)

Iasi is located in the northeastern part of Romania, about 390km north of Bucharest and it is accessible by air and land transport.

Getting to Iaşi

By plane

Iași International Airport (8 km northeast of the city center), although small, is served by several airlines (Tarom, Austrian Airlines, Wizzair, Ryanair, Hisky, Fly Lili) and offers direct flights to/from a large number of cities, like: Barcelona, Madrid, London, Liverpool, Dublin, Paris, Eindhoven, Berlin, Billund, Bruxelles, Copenhagen, Vienna, Turin, Venice, Bologna, Bergamo, Rome, Tel Aviv, Larnaca, Istanbul. etc. Please check the map to see all the destinations.

Once at Iaşi International Airport, the city center can be reached in approximately 20 minutes by:

• bus no. 50 (the bus stop is in front of the T4 terminal and the timetable can be found at this link) or

• taxi/ Uber/ Bolt (at a cost of approximately 12 Euros)

If you choose to fly directly to Bucharest, you can travel to Iasi by:

1. By train

From Otopeni Airport to North Railway Station (Gara de Nord) in Bucharest, and then

– from North Railway Station to Iasi

You need to know that you have 6 options daily, and the travel duration is around 6 hours and 30 minutes.

Please check this website for timetables and online tickets.

2. By bus

          From Otopeni Airport to Iași Bus Station.

          The bus stop is in front of International Departures Terminal. The journey takes approximately 7 hours and the cost is approximately 25 – 30 Euros/one way. Please check this link for timetables and online tickets.

Green travel:

We fully support sustainable mobility and we encourage you to choose more sustainable means of transportation.

Check the train operator website and the Interrail website for details.

• Recommended:

  • Unirea Hotel and Spa (https://www.hotelunirea.ro/en/) – 50 rooms have been pre-booked for 20-23 November, at 410 Ron (aprox 82 Euro)/ night/ single room or 495 Ron (aprox 99 Euro)/ night/ double room, breakfast and access to spa included. For reservations, please email reservation@hotelunirea.ro and mention that you are attending the Coimbra Group Seminar – deadline for final reservations: 31 October 2024
  • Akademos University residence – 20 rooms have been pre-booked for 20-23 November, at 164 Ron (aprox 33 Euro)/ night/ single room or 218 Ron (aprox44 Euro)/ night/ double room , breakfast included. For reservations, please email coimbraseminar@uaic.ro

• Other hotels nearby:

  • Grand Hotel Traian (https://grandhoteltraian.ro/en/) – Adress: Piața Unirii, no. 1, 16 minutes walking distance to Alexandru Ioan Cuza University
  • Select (https://www.selectgrup.ro/en/home-en/) – Adress: 14 Decembrie 1989 street, 17 minutes walking distance to Alexandru Ioan Cuza University
  • Prestige – Adress: Titu Maiorescu street no. 1, 7 minutes walking distance to Alexandru Ioan Cuza University

• Location of the seminar

          Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Romania – Check the map to see where is located

• Local transportation

          If you need to travel into the city, here are the options: 

          By bus/tram: www.sctpiasi.ro (the website is in Romanian, but you may use the browser translator for the English version).

          Here is the map of the local transport network. Bus/tram fare for 1 ticket is 3.5 lei = 0.70 Euro.

        You can buy the tickets:

• from CTP Kiosks in the city
• using a POS if you have a contactless card
• using 24pay app on the phone to scan a QR code in the bus/ tram

          By taxi:

          Euro Taxi (tel: +40 232 217 217)

          Lux Taxi (tel: +40 232 255 255)

          Uber (www.uber.com/global/en/cities/iasi/)

          Bolt (https://bolt.eu/en/cities/iasi/)

          By electric scooter:

          Lime scooter (https://www.li.me/en-pt/vehicles/scooter)

          Bolt scooter (https://bolt.eu/en/scooters/)

• Official time

           GMT + 3 / Central European Time + 1

• Currency

            Leu (RON) – 1 EUR = 4.9772 Lei

• Country phone code

           +40

• Temperatures

          Typically, November in Iaşi includes low temperatures and moderate rainfall. Anticipate daytime highs near 9°C, and cooler nights with temperatures around 2°C.

• Emergency phone number

            112 (for Police, Rescue and Fire Department, Medical Assistance – emergency)

Please contact the organising team if you have any question: coimbraseminar@uaic.ro