Category: Conferences

T4EU people: Prof. Guido Bortoluzzi

Professor Guido Bortoluzzi, Coordinator of the Phd Programme in Circular Economy, recently took part in the 5th Science Café of the Transform4Europe (T4EU) alliance, held in Portugal.
The event, titled “What drives real innovation in industry and the circular economy?”, highlighted the crucial role of universities in turning science into tangible impact, with examples ranging from hydrogen-powered cruise ships to award-winning biotech startups.

We asked some questions to Prof. Bortoluzzi.

1. What added value does being part of the Transform4Europe alliance bring to the University of Trieste, and how is it reflected in research and teaching?

Being part of international alliances is always a source of enrichment. Mutual understanding between people not only facilitates the exchange of knowledge, but also lays a solid foundation for future collaboration — in research, teaching, and the sharing of best practices. In the case of T4EU, the bond developing among participating universities is particularly strong. This represents an excellent premise for building a stable, long-term European network for ongoing collaboration.

2.How do events like the Science Café help strengthen collaboration among T4EU partner universities?

Through events such as the Science Cafés we discover that we are both similar and different. Similar because in the end the challenges we face in our universities are not very different. But different because the ways to address them can also diverge significantly. And these can become formidable learning opportunities for us researchers.

3. During Innovation Day in Portugal, the circular economy was a key theme. In your view, what are the most pressing challenges and real opportunities where universities and industry can truly make an impact?

Today, the most important thing is to stay the course — resisting the outdated siren songs that suggest sustainability is no longer urgent or relevant. The momentum must not stop, because real impact on the ecosystem depends on a deep transformation of our production systems and consumption habits. On this, there can be no turning back. At the same time, this transition unlocks vast opportunities for innovation — in both technology and business models. In short, the circular economy must continue to be seen as a powerful business opportunity. Without that incentive, progress slows… and so does the ship.

Lectures by Prof. Tomasz Blaszczak on Contemporary Lithuanian History

The entire UniTS university community is invited to attend the lectures by Professor Tomasz Blaszczak from Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas, Lithuania. Professor Blaszczak is a contemporary historian and will give two lectures:

  • Monday, 12 May, from 12:00 to 14:00 in Room B, Androna Baciocchi (Prof. Catalan’s course):
    The development of the Lithuanian-Belarusian border: Soviet Legacies and New Divides
  • Tuesday, 13 May, from 15:00 to 17:00 in Room C1, Androna Baciocchi (Prof. Foi’s course):
    Constructing Modern Lithuanian Identity: Politics of memory in Interwar Lithuania

The lectures will be held in English.

Presentation of the Book “Multicultural Cities of the Habsburg Empire” by Catherine Horel

On Thursday, April 10, at 5:00 PM, at the Department of Humanities of the University of Trieste, the book Multicultural Cities of the Habsburg Empire, 1880-1914. Imagined Communities and Conflictual Encounters by Catherine Horel (CEU Press, 2023) will be presented.
(Open-access link: here)

The book, the result of extensive and passionate research, offers a comparative analysis of 12 cities within the Habsburg Empire, including Trieste. It examines aspects of daily life such as education, associations, culture, and economy. Horel’s study presents an image of an empire whose urban centers were marked by cultural and political dynamism, despite ongoing national conflicts.

The author will be joined in discussion by historians Borut Klabjan, Francesco Toncich, and Tullia Catalan.

Environmental Heritage and Generations

The University of Trieste (UNITS) is proud to lead the T4EU Sustainable Heritage Student Competitions, an initiative carried out in collaboration with the Bora Museum and the Innovators Community Lab (ICL – UNITS).

This project invites students to explore innovative approaches to the preservation and enhancement of environmental and intergenerational heritage, fostering greater awareness and active engagement in the context of climate change.

Selection criteria will be based on the evaluation of written (300-word) or visual (3-minute video/poster) proposals that align with the competition themes and demonstrate analytical and creative thinking. 

Through the competition, UNITS aims to stimulate reflection and action on key issues related to cultural and environmental sustainability, encouraging collaborative projects capable of generating both local and replicable impacts. This initiative aligns with the values and activities already developed by the Bora Museum, with a specific focus on:

  • Environmental Heritage: examining the atmospheric, climatic, and landscape dimensions of heritage.
  • Generations: promoting intergenerational dialogue to share and preserve stories, experiences, and memories.

With this challenge, the University of Trieste invites students to explore the role of cultural and creative organizations in disseminating knowledge and raising awareness of the impact of climate change on both tangible and intangible heritage.

Submit your proposal to t4eu.heritage@units.it  by 20th April.

1st Festival of European Culture and Languages

Tourism and Heritage from the Border

DATE: 7th–11th July 2025
AUDIENCE: BA, MA, and PhD students
LOCATION: Trieste, Italy
TOPIC: Tourism and Heritage in Border Regions
FORMAT: Blended Intensive Program (BIP), 3 ECTS awarded
APPLICATION: To participate, apply here by 20th April

Tourism is a fundamental aspect of Europe’s cultural and economic landscape. However, it increasingly raises concerns of over tourism, leading to structural challenges on the one hand and the simplification of urban narratives on the other. Cities, rich in historical and cultural complexity, often undergo a process of reification, where their multifaceted identities are flattened to fit a coherent, marketable story.

This phenomenon is particularly evident in border regions, where historical,
anthropological, and political dynamics are intricate and deeply intertwined. Too often, these complexities are obscured by stereotypical and exclusionary narratives that fail to reflect the richness of local identities.

In this festival, we will critically engage with these themes, taking Trieste —a city shaped by its “border identity”— as a case study. Participants will be invited to explore the city as ”cruisers” —same as those arriving everyday on Trieste shores—, embarking on an intellectual and experiential journey that unveils the hidden and contested narratives embedded in its urban fabric. Through guided explorations and critical discussions, we will reflect on what is made visible in heritage discourses and what remains invisible.

The festival is designed as a Blended Intensive Program (BIP), encouraging students to actively engage in this critical exploration. Rather than following a traditional lecturebased format, participants will be challenged to step out of their comfort zones and take part in performative restitutions of their findings. We seek students who are open to an immersive, interdisciplinary, and participatory experience that questions conventional heritage representations.
This event will provide a unique opportunity to unravel the complexities of European cultural narratives and heritage, fostering a deeper understanding of how history and identity are constructed and represented in border regions.

Annual T4Eu PhD conference “Societies on the Move: Challenges of Today, Prospects for the Future”

The University of Trieste invites its academic and non-academic staff to participate in the T4EU International Conference “Societies on the Move: Challenges of Today, Prospects for the Future”, which will take place on 1st and 2nd  April 2025, at Sofia University, Sofia, Bulgaria.

call for papers

About the conference:

The conference will focus on the current and envisaged challenges today’s societies face due to political and economic crises, war, climate change and the rapid advancement of digital technologies and AI in all spheres of life. It is thematically related to the three Transform4Europe focus areas:

  • Societal transformation, community building and inclusion
  • Digital transformation and smart regions
  • Environmental Transformation and sustainability

Outstanding keynote speakers will deliver visionary and plenary speeches. 

Doctoral students and early-stage academics from all scientific areas are kindly invited to participate, showcase the results of their research work, engage in discussions with their peers and with established researchers The participants will receive a certificate jointly issued by the Transform4Europe Alliance universities. The conference papers will be published in Conference Proceedings after scientific review.

Conference objectives:

The conference aims to:

  • encourage PhD students and young researchers (including outstanding MA students) to involve in research networks with their peers from the eleven Transform4Europe Alliance partners;
  • provide a forum for exchange of innovative research ideas, knowledge-sharing and co-creation;
  • embed a culture of Open Science and a new approach to the scientific process based on openness, inclusiveness and cooperation.

You can apply by using this form. 

Deadline for submissions is 28th February”

Join the T4EU International Conference ‘PROF-SYNERGY’ in Kaunas

The University of Trieste invites its academic and non-academic staff to participate in the Transform4Europe Alliance’s International Conference “Enhancing Professional Excellence: Synergy of Academic and Non-Academic Staff (PROF-SYNERGY)”, which will take place on April 9-10, 2025, at Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania.

About the Conference
Building on the tradition of past Transform4Europe events, this year’s conference introduces an innovative approach by bringing together academic and non-academic staff. The goal is to foster meaningful collaboration, promote professional development, and enhance the collective growth of the educational community.
Attendees will explore topics such as digital learning technologies, innovative teaching methods, resilience skills, lifelong learning, and quality culture development.

Programme Highlights
• Keynote speeches by experts in education and professional development.
• 20+ professional development sessions designed to inspire and educate.
• Awards ceremonies recognizing innovative contributions by academic and non-academic staff.
• Social events, a Science Café, and a campus tour of Vytautas Magnus University, including visits to university laboratories.

Awards Opportunities

T4EU Non-Academic Staff Award: These awards are organised for the first time, therefore, we encourage you to apply! Applications are accepted until 31 January 2025. The application form is accessible here. The winners will be awarded during the T4EU Conference.
T4EU Innovative Teaching Award: These awards are implemented according to WP.5.2 (the target group is Teachers/Academic Staff). The deadline for applications is 31 January 2025.

For any additional questions, don’t hesitate to contact the Transform4Europe team at transform4europe@vdu.lt.

Science Cafè at the festival Trieste Next: My chatbot is always there for me

MY CHATBOT IS ALWAYS THERE FOR ME: THE ETHICAL DILEMMAS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ASSISTANTS AND COMPANIONS

🌐 Follow the event live via streaming on the Transform4Europe YouTube channel
📅 Sunday, September 29th | 11:30 AM – 12:45 PM

📖 Public open discussion by William Hasselberger, Professor of Politics and Director of the Digital Ethics Laboratory at the Catholic University of Portugal.
🎤 Presented by Francesco Miele, Researcher in General Sociology, University of Trieste

AI companions and humanlike conversation – Should we embrace artificial relationships to combat loneliness and social isolation? Explore the ethical and societal impacts of AI companions with leading experts in the field.

🔍 Don’t miss this insightful discussion on the future of AI and human connections!

Round Table – Science Communication and Open Science

On May 21st, from 5.30 to 7 pm at Sala Bobi Bazlen, Palazzo Gopcevich, Via G. Rossini 4, Trieste

This roundtable discussion aims to investigates the strategies and mechanisms crucial for enhancing public engagement in citizen science, science communication, and open science initiatives. 

The round table will be divided into two sessions, one in Italian and one in English. In the first one, the discussion will focus on the key themes of the meeting (public engagement/citizen science, science communication and open science), exploring the most significant issues. In the second part, the focus will be on best practices of citizen science with the experiences of some early research careers and on the role of public engagement concerning stakeholder involvement to stimulate a debate involving the public.

Recognizing the pivotal role early research careers play in shaping the future of science and fostering public confidence in science issues, the discussion aims to identify and discuss best practices according to their specific problems and needs.

Citizen science, science communication, and open science are fundamental tools for engaging the public in scientific activities, promoting transparency, and developing collaborations between citizens and the scientific world. In this respect, early research careers play a central role in shaping the future of science and promoting public knowledge and trust on these themes.

Moderator:

Dr. Alessandro Carrieri, T4EU-T4ERI projects, University of Trieste

  • Institutional greetings:

Prof. Alberto Pallavicini, Rector Delegate for T4EU

  • Part 1 – Public engagement, science communication, open science and citizen science.

Prof. Stefano Martellos, University of Trieste

Prof. Andrea Cerroni, University of Milano-Bicocca

Dr. Federica Sgorbissa, Medialab Sissa

  • Part 2 – Best practices for fostering public engagement and citizen science

Prof. Tullia Catalan, University of Trieste

Dr, Anna Krekic, Castello di San Giusto and Risiera di San Sabba, Municipality of Trieste

Dr. Chiara Vitillo, The University of Siena

Dr. Katia Rupel, University of Trieste