The CVEinAI consortium is happy to announce that the CVEinAI Facilitation Training has successfully ended: the response exceeded expectations, with 230 registrations and 161 active participants.
The cohort was largely made up of young participants aged 18–30 and saw strong female participation, reflecting the project’s commitment to inclusion and capacity building. It has equipped students, doctoral candidates, and early-career researchers from partner institutions across Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa to support as facilitator the upcoming Critical Virtual Exchange – CVEinAI course “Exploring AI from African and European perspectives”.
Designed to prepare participants for an active facilitation role throughout the five iterations of the CVEinAI course, the training focused on building practical skills in moderating online discussions, fostering inclusive intercultural dialogue, and supporting collaborative learning in virtual environments.
Delivered in two formats by UNICollaboration — a four-week blended asynchronous track in November 2025 and an intensive two-week synchronous track in December 2025 — the programme combined expert input, hands-on practice, peer feedback, and reflection. Both tracks covered four core areas: introduction to the CVEinAI project, foundations of online facilitation, practice-based moderation activities, and preparation for facilitating small-group sessions.
Feedback from participants was highly positive, highlighting the value of the practical approach, the opportunity to engage with peers across regions, and the confidence gained in guiding online discussions and managing group dynamics. The training also created meaningful opportunities for intercultural exchange, encouraging participants to explore diverse perspectives on the societal and ethical dimensions of AI.
To maintain momentum and strengthen the facilitator network, a dedicated online community space has been created on the UNICollaboration Moodle platform, to support continued collaboration, peer learning, and preparation for the future course editions. Participants who go on to facilitate in the Virtual Exchange will also receive a UNICollaboration Open Badge in recognition of their contribution.
Soon we will kick off the pilot iteration of the CVEinAI course open to partner universities, stay tuned!