On July 3–4, 2025 the historic city of Padua became the hub of an exciting international collaboration as the CVEinAI project held its first in-person meeting. Hosted by the University of Padua, the event brought together partners from across Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa to co-develop a shared vision for AI education grounded in critical thinking, equity, and intercultural dialogue.
The two-day meeting marked a major milestone for the project, which aims to engage over 2,400 students through a unique Virtual Exchange model that challenges learners to explore the societal impacts of artificial intelligence. With the pilot course set to launch in February 2026, partners used this opportunity to align on key decisions, advance course design, and reinforce their commitment to a unified and inclusive approach.
Shaping the learning experience
At the heart of the meeting was the collaborative development of five core modules that will form the basis of the CVEinAI course. After a series of dynamic discussions, the consortium confirmed a five-week format combining asynchronous learning with one weekly synchronous session. This structure is designed to maximise intercultural interaction, collaborative learning, and critical reflection, ensuring students not only learn about AI, but also examine its ethical, social, and global implications.
Working groups were formed to draft each module, with the first versions due in October.
Reflecting on project activities
The meeting also featured updates on other key areas of the project. UNICollaboration shared insights from the ongoing Upskilling Masterclass, which prepares facilitators to guide students through the Virtual Exchange experience. Denmark Technical University – DTU presented early results from project evaluation efforts, while UNIMED outlined dissemination strategies to raise visibility and engage stakeholders globally.
The importance of recognising student participation, through open badges, certificates, or formal course credits, was a recurring theme. Partners exchanged strategies for integrating CVEinAI into their institutional systems and emphasized the need for flexibility to accommodate different academic structures.
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