Download Conference Proceedings: Human and Artificial Intelligence for the Society of the Future

Introduction

“Education is back where it belongs – at the top of the European policy agenda” stated the European Commission. We intend that Europe will be considered a strong and allied partner to future generations, and that the EU education system must make our societies future proof.

Education is often envisioned in terms of innovation, excellence and competitiveness. But learning is also about reaching personal perfection, using a holistic approach that supports personal and professional development, learner needs and self-realization across different learning environments. Creativity contributes to diversity and innovation, thus Europe’s cultural and creative sector is recognized as a substantial resource and driver for innovation and growth.

Digital education has proven to change learning and working practices in the society of today. Intelligence, human and artificial, is in focus, and understanding students and their learning and application of new technologies in education inspires further development.

Skills in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) represent an important part of basic literacy in today’s knowledge economy. With the inclusion of a critical component – the human being, STE(A)M Education integrates the arts – humanities, languages, dance, drama, music, visual arts, design and digital media. Increasingly, higher education institutions, as well as adult and professional learning are being transformed by intelligent systems that are helping humans learn better and achieve A balanced relation between Artificial and Human intelligence can create trusted, flexible, personalized and inclusive digital learning eco-systems.

For EDEN, the Annual Conference has always been the most important event of the year. It is held every year in June, and our members and partners look forward to it: meeting friends and colleagues, sharing experiences and knowledge, getting new ideas to take with to their workplaces.

In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 29th Annual Conference was held fully online, and albeit completely virtual, We trust that this did not make the conference any less good or interesting than the face to face event.

Because of the pandemic, educators had to adopt new solutions and technologies and to use tools powered by artificial intelligence. The lockdowns and the forced move to online teaching and learning have changed the role of physical space in education and has put pressure on teachers to design new learning environments that are flexible, adaptable, and suitable for a multitude of different users at the same time.

Challenges, brought to all of us by the pandemic, have forced us to move from our safe comfort zones into the unknown. Things we have been talking about for many years have suddenly become necessary and possible and have swiftly pushed teachers, students, and educational institutions into the digital era.

Although the situation has been forced upon us, the pandemic also offers an opportunity to take up the challenge. Let us take advantage of it and jointly find ways for making education and our lives better!

Andras Szucs EDEN Secretary General

Diana Andone  EDEN Vice President

Sandra Kucina Softic EDEN President