On February 18, international project partners met at the Centre for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS) in Bochum for a strategic working visit as part of the Erasmus+ projects HEI-TRAIN and SAFE LEARN. Host Dr. Tetiana Gorokhova, guest researcher at CAIS, welcomed Kateryna Polupanova and Prof. Dr. Zaneta Simanaviciene in order to jointly further develop key future topics in higher education.
The discussions focused on strengthening innovation cultures in higher education as well as on the responsible shaping of digital transformation. While the HEI-TRAIN project supports higher education institutions in developing an AI mindset and promoting entrepreneurial as well as innovation-oriented thinking, SAFE LEARN examines the use of digital technologies to support students in crisis situations – with particular attention to ethical, trauma-sensitive, and sustainable approaches.
A highlight of the meeting was the strategic exchange with Prof. Dr. Feng Liu (Mercer University, Atlanta, USA), which was initiated by Dr. Gorokhova. The aim was to further expand transatlantic cooperation in research and teaching and to develop shared perspectives.
The discussions focused in particular on the integration of artificial intelligence into executive education, the international scaling of AI mindset approaches, the promotion of entrepreneurial thinking in higher education, as well as the further development of responsible and trauma-sensitive digital learning environments.
A central thematic point of connection was the topic of student isolation. While in Feng Liu’s research context it is primarily associated with excessive gaming and decreasing personal interaction, in the Ukrainian context it often results from war-related displacement, migration, and prolonged crisis situations. Despite different causes, similar challenges become apparent in both cases: weakened social integration, limited communication, and reduced participation in academic life.
Against this background, the partners agreed to further deepen this shared research focus and to develop new project ideas. The aim is to address student isolation in a targeted way while at the same time promoting responsible forms of digital engagement.
Within SAFE LEARN, CAIS continues to rely on the Living Lab methodology in order to enable inclusive co-creation processes. In addition, evidence-based guidelines for the responsible use of digital education technologies in higher education are being developed.