About the ENGAGE.EU Expedition+
The ENGAGE.EU Expedition+ is a one-week intensive, international, and multidisciplinary co-design programme aimed at empowering learners to develop innovative solutions to real-life challenges.
It is a collaborative programme that unites students, experts, and mentors from the ENGAGE.EU Alliance, leveraging inno-preneurship principles to generate societal value through innovation.
Now in its ninth edition, the Expedition is stepping up its game and adding a “Plus”! With the involvement of researchers and PhD candidates from alliance universities, the programme further enriches its interdisciplinary approach, amplifying the diversity of perspectives, skills, and expertise that participants bring to each challenge.
By engaging in this international co-design programme, participants work in interdisciplinary teams, guided by design-thinking methodologies and mission-oriented strategies. This approach enables them to co-create knowledge-based solutions that address contemporary societal issues in innovative and impactful ways.
About the Challenge
The Expedition Prompt-a-thon on AI & the Future of Higher Education invites participants to explore the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in reshaping the future of higher education.
This challenge encourages participants to imagine AI not as a tool but as a team member—working collaboratively with humans to enhance creativity, foster critical thinking, and co-design impactful solutions. Participants will leverage AI capabilities, such as prompting, to analyse data, generate innovative ideas, and refine human-centered design solutions. Participants will receive preliminary training on AI prompting upon arrival in Rome and will be mentored by AI experts during the challenges, therefore no prior AI expertise is required.
Aligned with the European Year of Digital Citizenship Education, this challenge emphasises the critical skills needed to navigate the complexity of the digital era. By engaging with AI and digital tools, participants will learn responsible engagement with technology and contribute to building a future where technology and humanity work together to tackle the complexities of our time.
Programme Overview:
- Day 1: Students and researchers will take part in an introductory AI prompting course to establish a shared foundation of knowledge.
- Days 2-3: Teams will address key challenges using AI Prompting and Design Thinking techniques (Empathise, User Persona definition, Brainstorming and solutions Ideation, Development and Prototyping). ChatGPT will be an additional part of the team, and participants should integrate it into their ideation and problem-solving activities.
- Day 4: Pitching and selection of winning projects.
Researchers are encouraged to actively contribute throughout the Design Thinking process, offering insights during brainstorming sessions and co-creating solutions with students and external partners. The best solutions proposed may be eligible for Horizon 2020 grant proposals in which the corresponding researcher(s) will be involved.
Expected Impact
Gain and deepen their knowledge and attitudes that enable them to act upon opportunities and transform them into value for others, being:
- Gain hands-on experience with AI prompting,
- Empowering digital citizenship awareness
- Creating and recognising opportunities, creativity and innovativeness, and decision making under uncertainty.
- Collaborating in diverse and interdisciplinary contexts, mobilising resources, and implementation.
- Apply systems thinking, future and disruptive thinking and ethical and sustainable thinking.
- Developing, in addition to specialist knowledge, numerous other skills such as research, cooperation, dealing with uncertainty, solution-oriented thinking, organisation and communication
ENGAGE.EU expeditions are organised on top of the regular curriculum of the student.
Additional activities
You’ll have the chance to engage in a vibrant social and cultural programme in Rome. On the first evening, we’ll kick things off with a Social “Aperitivo” giving everyone a chance to meet and connect before diving into the Prompt-a-Thon.
Accommodation
After the selection process, participants will receive an info-pack with specific details on short-term mobility in Rome, including useful tips, information and recommendations for accommodation at Luiss-partnered facilities.
Your Profile
The ENGAGE.EU Expedition+ is targeted at master’s students, PhDs candidates and Researchers at any career stage. Participants of any citizenship and any field of study who are enrolled in and affiliated with an ENGAGE.EU partner university are welcome to apply.
Application
To apply for the ENGAGE.EU Expedition+ Prompt-a-Thon you should provide:
- A short letter (max. 300 words) explaining your motivation for applying to the ENGAGE.EU Expedition+ Prompt-a-Thon.
• Curriculum vitae (education, work experience, language skills, study/work abroad, other relevant skills and experiences).
All documents must be submitted in English.
Selection
Submitted applications are evaluated by the academic and management staff of the ENGAGE.EU Labs. Candidates will be evaluated based on their motivation letter and CV. To ensure equal participation, the selection committee will aim at choosing three students from each partner university. Final decisions also consider a range of criteria for cohort composition, including but not limited to disciplinary balance, institutional diversity, and demographic diversity.
Scholarship
Selected students/PhDs/researchers may receive scholarships for participation in the ENGAGE.EU Expedition+. Details will follow from the home university after being selected for the programme.
Additional Details
Applications must be submitted by March 14, 2025, at midnight CET.
Results will be communicated by March 31st, 2025.
For further information and to submit a topic/issue, please contact: engage.eu@luiss.it.