On 1–2 July, Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt (THI, Germany) hosted the 9th "ACEploration" Mission, bringing together academic staff from across the ACE²-EU Alliance and partner institutions, including two representatives from Lietuvos inžinerijos kolegija: Ernesta Liniauskienė and Valda Gudynaitė-Franckevičienė.
The two-day event was dedicated to intensive collaboration and the co-creation of joint international initiatives. Under the theme “Towards Circular Intelligence: Shaping the Future for Quality of Life”, the mission aimed to transform innovative research ideas into shared learning opportunities. Through interactive workshops and interdisciplinary discussions, participants developed transnational educational formats linking teaching, research, innovation, and societal needs.
During the mission, lecturers presented their project ideas and further refined them in collaboration with colleagues from other European universities. Sessions focused on identifying synergies, strengthening partnerships, and designing innovative learning formats such as Blended Intensive Programmes (BIPs), MOOCs, Impactathons, and other joint educational initiatives.
The project ideas were developed across three main thematic areas:
Technology and Artificial Intelligence – exploring innovative teaching concepts related to applied reinforcement learning in AI and digital imaging technologies in medical laboratory science.
Sustainability and Management – addressing sustainable product life cycles and new management approaches in the emerging “Metaprofit” context, with an emphasis on balancing economic, environmental, and social responsibility.
Society and Innovation – examining the role of artificial intelligence in society and the social dimension of sustainable construction, highlighting the importance of interdisciplinary approaches to future challenges.
The "ACEploration" Mission demonstrated how collaborative programme design can generate innovative learning experiences that contribute to Europe’s digital, green, and societal transformation.
