Politehnica University Timișoara successfully hosted the first edition of the E³UDRES² – Ent-r-e-novators PhD Summer School 2025 – Open Practices in Higher Education. The event gathered over 70 international students from 22 countries in person, and an additional 400 students attended online via Zoom. 14 international experts from Romania, Portugal, Italy, Belgium, Latvia, Hungary, the Netherlands, and Austria delivered a series of valuable presentations and workshops on topics related to open education, open science, open access, and open innovation.
The event brought together a vibrant academic community in Timișoara, both physically and online: over 70 PhD students and young researchers from 22 countries (Romania, Portugal, Italy, Belgium, Latvia, Hungary, the Netherlands, Austria, Kenya, Germany, Pakistan, Philippines, Ukraine, Greece, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Iran, India, Indonesia, Syria, Ecuador, and Morocco). These students represented 12 universities (Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Politehnica University of Timisoara, Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences (ViA), Leiden University, Hellenic Mediterranean University, „Lucian Blaga“ University Sibiu, Polytechnic University of Setúbal, St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences, Sumy State University, Cherkasy State Business College, and West University of Timisoara).
A deep dive into open science
The participants interacted with 14 internationally recognized speakers in their fields, from Romania, Portugal, Italy, Belgium, Latvia, Hungary, the Netherlands, and Austria, leading a series of intensive sessions for students, ranging from cutting-edge information presentations to exceptionally valuable practical workshops.
All presentations were conducted in English. After the summer school, students were awarded official participation certificates, recognized for 2 ECTS credits, confirming the successful completion of the required criteria for this post-university training, validated by Politehnica University of Timisoara, Romania, for activities held both in Timișoara and online. In addition, participants also received two open digital certificates: one for completing the MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) focused on Licensing and Open Licensing, and a second open digital certificate confirming the completion of learning modules on the new Arena Hub E³UDRES² platform (https://arena.eudres.eu/).
Over five intensive days, participants delved deep into the subject of Open Science, with a strong emphasis on integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into both education and research. Day one centered on AI and Open Education, beginning with welcoming remarks from Dr. Diana Andone, Prof. Liviu Marșavina, and Prof. Radu Vasiu, who highlighted the significance of the E³UDRES² alliance and the Ent-r-e-novators project. Dr. Diana Andone offered detailed insights into AI's use in Open Educational Resources (OER) production and Open Science, while Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vlad Mihăescu presented a thorough analysis of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). Both sessions spurred active dialogue, complemented by a practical workshop led by Dr. Diana Andone, Dr. Vlad Mihăescu, and Dr. Silvia Couvaneiro, where students applied AI tools to create educational resources. Subsequent days built upon these foundations, transitioning into the core principles of Open Science. Prof. Sarah de Rijcke addressed implementing Open Science principles and re-evaluating researcher assessment methods, and Dr. Agnese Davidson facilitated discussions on ethical dilemmas, including those concerning AI. These theoretical sessions were enhanced by a workshop on Open Science Ethics and Open Access, where participants assessed their readiness and developed personalized action plans.
As the program progressed, the focus shifted to advanced practices and practical tools within Open Science. Day three featured presentations from Simone Sacchi on Open Science practices supporting Open Access publishing, and from Silvia Fierăscu on Open Data Analysis and Visualization for Transparency. Two practical workshops then provided opportunities to apply this knowledge, covering essential researcher skills and aspects of reproducibility and trust in research, led by Alina Irimia, Alexandra Roman, and Simone Sacchi.
Making use of digital tools
The focus on day four was on the practicalities of open publishing and digital tools. Dr. Tassilo Pellegrini discussed key open data concepts, Prof. Radu Vasiu explored open publishing and digital competencies, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Silviu Vert presented innovative Open Science tools. Dr. Simona Bursașiu detailed UPT Library services for Open Access publishing, followed by an intensive practical workshop on open research and digital tools, facilitated by Dr. Simona Bursașiu, Lect. Dr. Silviu Vert, and Dr. Diana Andone.
The final day culminated with discussions on Open Innovation and FAIR data, featuring presentations from Sara Gilissen on Open Innovation in SMEs and from Klaudia Polgár on the FAIR principles. The summer school concluded with one-on-one mentorship sessions and an official closing ceremony where participants received their certificates.
In addition to the rigorous academic sessions, the event also facilitated social moments designed to strengthen connections among participants. This included an opening dinner, a guided city tour of Timișoara, a visit to the National Museum of Banat, and a relaxing Vaporetto cruise on the Bega River.
