The initiative, held at the Polytechnic University of Bragança, promoted dialogue on the role of technology in education and its social impact

The Polytechnic University of Bragança (Portugal) hosted the first edition of the Combined Intensive Programme (BIP) “Critical Thinking in the Age of Generative AI – A Transformative Learning Experience”, which brought together 35 participants from nine European universities, several of them from the alliance, to reflect on critical thinking in the era of artificial intelligence.

The programme, developed from 13 to 17 October within the framework of STARS EU, promoted the development of analytical, argumentative and ethical skills in the face of the challenges posed by AI in education and contemporary society. Through several interactive sessions, attendees explored tools such as ChatGPT and image generators, and discussed key issues such as transparency, privacy, misinformation, and fairness in the use of these technologies.

Organized by the Transdisciplinary Center for Research in Education and Development (CITeD), the BIP was structured in three complementary modules that combined theory with practice and interdisciplinary discussion. The participatory approach fostered intense collaboration between teachers and students, in an open and multicultural learning environment.

Immersive experience

Beyond the academic field, the program offered an immersive experience in the north of Portugal, with visits to the Graça Morais Contemporary Art Center, Bragança Castle, Casa da Seda – Science Center and Montesinho Natural Park, highlighting the connection between education, culture and territory.

This BIP brought together students and teachers from universities in nine European countries, including the STARS member institutions: Cracow University of Technology (Poland), University of La Laguna (Spain), Silesian University in Opava (Czech Republic), and Hochschule Bremen – City University of Applied Sciences (Germany). Beyond the alliance, participants came from the University of Vigo (Spain), University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest, Stefan cel Mare University of Suceava, and University of Oradea (Romania), Kajaani University of Applied Sciences – KAMK (Finland), Budapest University of Technology and Economics (Hungary), and the University of Zadar (Croatia).

STARS EU will explore how Joint Programmes — degree programmes jointly designed and managed by universities from different countries — can strengthen international collaboration and open new opportunities for both students and academic staff.

The online workshop, led by several experts from member universities, will guide participants through all stages of developing and implementing a Joint Programme, from defining the initial concept and selecting partners to completing formal approval procedures. Its aim is to provide teaching staff and programme directors with a clear and practical understanding of the entire process.

In addition to theoretical insights, participants will receive practical information about the support services and resources available within STARS EU to facilitate the creation and management of such collaborative programmes.

The workshop (Thursday 23 November, from 14:00 to 15:30 h CEST) will also include interactive components, allowing participants to discuss specific questions, share experiences, and address the challenges associated with transnational academic cooperation.

If you are a member or STARS EU and want to register, click here

STARS Talks returns with a new session focusing on the advantages that STARS EU offers to academic staff, students, and local stakeholders. “Challenges and Opportunities of Integrating STARS EU Activities into Local Research and Teaching Activities” will take place tomorrow (Tuesday, 21 October) from 1:00 p.m. (CET). Martin Holi of Hochschule Bremen–City University of Applied Sciences will present it, and will discuss the integration of European cooperation initiatives into local academic practice.

During the session, Holi will draw upon more than two years of experience in various alliance projects, providing concrete examples of how teaching and research teams can connect European initiatives with the dynamics of their own institutions. Topics to be addressed include strategies for fostering interregional collaboration, linking research with European priorities, and creating synergies between universities and local actors.

The lecture is intended for teaching and research staff, students, and regional partners interested in deepening their engagement with STARS EU and taking full advantage of the opportunities offered by the European inter-university cooperation framework.

The event, to be held online in the form of an interactive webinar featuring a presentation and question-and-answer session, forms part of the monthly STARS Talks series—an initiative of the alliance’s Challenge Lab, designed to share good practices, promote academic innovation, and strengthen the connection between universities and their regions.

Following this first autumn session, STARS Talks will continue with talks scheduled for November and December: “The European Campus: A Living Laboratory” in November, and “Regional Innovation Strategies and Perspectives on Interregionalisation.”

Want to join? Click here

Professor and researcher Benjamín González Díaz, from the Department of Industrial Engineering at the University of La Laguna, was in charge of closing the STARS Talks 2024/2025 edition, offered within the framework of STARS EU, providing a comprehensive approach to the energy transition in isolated systems, such as that of the Canary Islands.

From the point of view of energy sovereignty, “Is it possible for an island territory like the Canary Islands to produce all its energy to operate autonomously?“, the leader of the TIG Energy Transition explained that the islands have a condition of fragility in terms of sustainability and a high external energy dependence, a common denominator in the more than 300 inhabited islands in Europe.

Taking international experiences such as the case of Hawaii as a point of reference, the study presented by Benjamín González warns that decarbonisation cannot be limited only to a change in technologies, but must be accompanied by structural transformations in planning, grid management and the consumption model.

Large grids versus microgrids

The research compares large interconnected grids with microgrids or isolated energy systems such as that of the Canary Islands. While large grids offer economies of scale and greater stability, island microgrids have greater autonomy, flexibility and resilience. On the contrary, they face higher costs, as well as capacity constraints and operational challenges.

According to the renewable energy expert, the road to climate neutrality in the Canary Islands requires the electrification of public transport, the construction and rehabilitation of buildings with high energy efficiency standards, and the prohibition of the use of fossil gas.

Addressing the climate challenge also involves developing distributed renewable projects (battery storage and collective self-consumption) and carrying out energy planning that includes desalination, due to the growing demand for electricity that this entails.

In the Canary Islands, this transition is linked to key factors as important as water scarcity, electric mobility ─ which requires a rethinking of infrastructures and public policies ─ and the incorporation of green hydrogen.

“The real challenge for the Canary Islands is not only to change sources, but to guarantee real energy sovereignty, adapted to our geographical and social conditions,” explained González. The STARS EU member stressed that this fact implies generating more resilient, local and sustainable models, in addition to all the agents involved, citizens, public administrations and universities, acting in a coordinated manner.

González’s talk has put the finishing touch to this edition of STAR Talks, the open online seminars of STARS EU in which knowledge and initiatives that support the development of European regions are addressed from different points of view. Organised by the Challenge Lab, this edition was attended by seven experts from the member universities of the alliance, and specialized in different fields of research.