AANT launches BIP Week: three Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programmes underway

Starting today, Monday 2 March, and running until Friday 6 March, AANT opens its doors for BIP Week 2026—a week dedicated to internationalisation, academic exchange, and collaborative project development. The programme features three Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programmes: the third edition of Light & the City, the second edition of Think, Prompt, Create, and the first edition of Secret Spaces. More than 80 students and faculty members will take part in the activities, arriving from Austria, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Belgium, France, and Croatia.

Now in its third edition, Light & the City offers a technical, educational, and experiential path devoted to Rome and to light as a design material. The programme brings photography and lighting design into dialogue and invites participants to interpret places, monuments, and urban landscapes through the transformations of light and an immersive on-site experience.

In its second edition, Think, Prompt, Create explores the transformative applications of generative artificial intelligence in communication, publishing, and the creative industries. Through online preparatory sessions, in-person workshops, and individual study, the programme combines technical skills with critical thinking, culminating in the production of a portfolio of projects developed with tools such as ChatGPT, Midjourney, and RunwayML.

Making its debut, Secret Spaces focuses on museums and lesser-known exhibition venues as places of inclusion, knowledge, and human and social development. The programme experiments with immersive and multisensory modes of engagement, integrating physical and digital devices; the first workshop is scheduled at the Centrale Montemartini Museum, where participants will also develop virtual reality experiences accessible via Oculus.

BIP Week brings together an international network of European partners. The partners involved are: VERN (Zagreb), IPCA (Barcelos), Polytechnic Institute of Portalegre, Hochschule der Medien (Stuttgart), L’École de design (Nantes), Algebra Bernays University (Zagreb), Artevelde (Ghent), and die Angewandte (Wien).

Until Friday 6 March, BIP Week will turn AANT into an international hub for dialogue, experimentation, and shared project work—reflecting the Erasmus+ BIP format, which combines virtual collaboration, short-term in-person mobility, and shared learning outcomes.

Erasmus+ at AANT: Workshop on Gen AI, Identity and Human Rights

On Thursday, February 12, AANT hosted the workshop “Faces Reconstructed: Generative AI, Identity and Human Rights”, as part of the Erasmus+ Dissemination Week promoted by Liceo Machiavelli in Rome. The initiative, included in the international week entitled “Portraits, Self-Portraits and Inscriptions: The Faces of Identity and Human Rights Across Time,” brought together an international group of 20 Erasmus+ students, 10 Italian, 5 German and 5 Swedish, accompanied by 4 international teachers, with a shared objective: to explore the role of the face, image and self-representation across historical eras and within emerging technologies.

Led in English by Professor Davide Cardea, the workshop offered a solid educational and hands-on experience focused on highly relevant topics: identity, power, human rights and visual representation in the digital age. The session combined historical reflection with practical experimentation, starting from AANT’s creative project “Frammenti”, developed to merge historical research, contemporary art and digital technologies, and culminating in the documentary “Il volto di Alessandro” (“The Face of Alexander”), broadcast on Italian national television (RAI). Students had the opportunity to directly engage with the customized GPT tool “Finding AM,” which was used to investigate the historically attributed features of Alexander the Great’s face, examine sources, clarify ambiguities and experiment firsthand with AI-assisted interpretative image processes.

The second part of the workshop focused on a product-driven approach: each participant translated their reflections into visual and conceptual outputs, working on reconstruction models, interpretative hypotheses and practical generative AI tools. This methodology made the experience not only theoretical, but tangibly creative and productive.

The day concluded with a collective presentation session, during which students shared and discussed their work, reflecting on their choices, limitations and the potential of the technologies used. The final discussion highlighted crucial issues, including the subtle boundary between historical reconstruction and deepfake, and more broadly the ethical responsibility connected to the use of artificial intelligence in representing the human face — a symbol of identity, memory and rights.

AI Meets the SDGs. AI and the 2030 Agenda at the heart of the Stuttgart BIP

A group of AANT students, together with Professor Davide Cardea, recently traveled to Stuttgart to take part in the BIP (Blended Intensive Programme) “AI Meets the SDGs.” This event represented an important opportunity for internationalization and experimental learning. In addition to students from the Academy’s three-year programs in Rome, it also involved participants from Stuttgart Media University in Stuttgart, Howest University of Applied Sciences (Hogeschool West-Vlaanderen) in Kortrijk, the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (Hogeschool van Amsterdam) in Amsterdam, and Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok.

The program focused on creative design applied to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda, through multidisciplinary working groups made up of students with backgrounds in design, advertising, videomaking, programming, and marketing. The exchange among different skills and cultures fostered the development of projects capable of addressing real-world problems from multiple perspectives.

Within the BIP, particular attention was devoted to artificial intelligence as a tool to support the creative process, along with a critical reflection on the role of AI in contemporary design. For the students, the experience provided a concrete opportunity for growth and international exchange, confirming AANT’s commitment to an educational approach that integrates creativity, technological innovation, and social responsibility.

Below is the list of participating students:
Fiore Sofia
Lanotte Martina
Nobiloni Giulia
Onofri Marco Sabino
Pagliano Gioia
Porfirio Luca
Portacci Paola Rita
Pugliese Gaia
Sambucci Elena
Tosti Maria

Game and Virtual Design: AANT Launches the New Academic Year’s Mobility Programme

From 24 to 28 November 2025, AANT’s Game and Virtual Design coordinators, Simone Mari and Ennio Pirolo, will be in Stuttgart to take part in the International Week at Hochschule der Medien, officially inaugurating the mobility activities of the new academic year.
The collaboration between AANT and the German university is now well established and, in addition to the usual short-term mobility opportunities for students and staff, this year also introduces long-term mobility options specifically dedicated to students.

The working week includes seminars, workshops, and interactive activities designed to provide participants with tools and strategies to develop innovative international collaborations. The programme will address several key topics, including:

  • promoting resilience to better recognise and manage stress related to university life; 
  • exploring the world of videogames from technical, creative, and cultural perspectives, through lectures held by experts from the gaming sector; 
  • presentations by HdM partner universities illustrating international study opportunities available to interested students. 

Internationalisation is a crucial element of AANT’s educational and research activities. The International Relations Office, led by the Head Prof. Gianna Angelini, supports and develops partnerships with foreign universities, promoting student and staff mobility and fostering genuine intercultural learning.

GeniaLAB Officially Joins the CYANOTYPES European Pilot Network

AANT is proud to announce that geniaLAB has been selected as one of the official Pilots of the European project CYANOTYPES – Strategic Skills for Creative Futures.

With this recognition, geniaLAB becomes part of an international network of institutions engaged in testing new approaches to education, research, and innovation in the cultural and creative sectors, contributing to the definition of future strategic competences.

CYANOTYPES is a project funded by the European Union under the Erasmus+ programme, involving over twenty partners including universities, training institutions, cultural and creative industries, innovation hubs, and European networks. Its goal is to develop a future-oriented competence ecosystem capable of responding to the challenges posed by the digital, green, and social transitions currently shaping the cultural sector as a whole.

What is geniaLAB. geniaLAB – short for Generative Intelligence, Artificial Life and Arts Laboratory – is AANT’s permanent hub for research and experimentation. It is an interdisciplinary lab dedicated to the critical and creative exploration of artificial intelligence, cognitive technologies, and their implications in art, design, culture, and society.

The lab’s statute defines an ambitious mission: not only to develop research and innovation projects, but also to rethink models of learning, knowledge production, and dissemination in the age of generative intelligence. GenIALab promotes a hybrid, embodied, and relational approach, combining speculative practices, design methodologies, and critical reflection.

What It Means to Be a CYANOTYPES Pilot. In the CYANOTYPES project, a Pilot is not just a teaching lab or a series of workshops—it is a strategic learning infrastructure that experiments with, tests, and adapts training approaches on a real-world scale.

Each Pilot is invited to integrate the CYANOTYPES Competence Framework—a set of 25 competences grouped into five “agency” clusters—into its research, education, or cultural production activities.

The Pilots are the operational core of CYANOTYPES: they are the spaces where theory meets practice, and where alternative models of learning, collaboration, and transdisciplinary design are tested.

geniaLAB’s Contribution to the Project. As a CYANOTYPES Pilot, GenIALab will activate a series of interlinked actions, including:

  • educational experiments on AI and generative design
  • speculative labs exploring future scenarios and prompt thinking methodologies
  • co-creation projects involving artists, researchers, and students
  • mapping activities of emerging competences
  • public events for dissemination and critical dialogue

All activities will be guided by the principles of triple-loop learning and will be evaluated in relation to their contribution to the CYANOTYPES Competence Framework—especially in the areas of regenerative agency, critical engagement with digital technologies, and the valorisation of ideas and ethical perspectives.

A European Challenge, A Local Responsibility. Joining CYANOTYPES as a Pilot means taking on a dual responsibility: contributing to the design of future competences for the entire European creative ecosystem, and at the same time generating value for the local community of reference—students, educators, professionals, industrial and cultural partners.

geniaLAB is committed to meeting this challenge through research rigour, project creativity, and an ethics of collaboration.

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AANT in Prague for the Creative Skills Week 2025

The Creative Skills Week 2025 took place in Prague from 22 to 26 September, bringing together dozens of international professionals from the cultural and creative sector for an event dedicated to lifelong learning and the development of new skills. AANT participated in the initiative with a delegation composed of General Director Rossana Quarta and Scientific Director and Head of Internationalization Gianna Angelini. Our representatives actively took part in workshops and training sessions throughout the week, bringing the Academy’s voice to this important international context.

The event, organized by ELIA (European League of Institutes of the Arts) together with Creative Prague, addressed the urgent transitions currently shaping the creative sector – from digital transformation to the green shift, as well as the challenges posed by Artificial Intelligence and global socio-economic changes. These themes gathered educators, policymakers, artists, and sector leaders from across Europe, with the aim of sharing knowledge and promoting new approaches to lifelong learning, reskilling, and upskilling. The motto of the 2025 edition, “Create. Transform. Regenerate.”, reflects the shared commitment to building more adaptive, inclusive, and sustainable creative ecosystems in response to ongoing changes.

During the Creative Skills Week, the AANT delegation had the opportunity to directly explore new methodological approaches. In particular, on 23 and 24 September the CYANOTYPES Training was held, a hands-on program designed for educators, strategists, and cultural professionals, in which both Rossana Quarta and Gianna Angelini actively participated. The CYANOTYPES project represents an innovative European framework aimed at developing transversal creative skills and supporting more resilient, future-oriented educational programs. Thanks to this training, our representatives were able to explore cutting-edge teaching tools and acquire new ideas to be transferred into the Academy’s educational pathways.

The Prague week also proved to be an important opportunity for networking and the exchange of best practices. AANT’s representatives engaged with dozens of international experts, sharing the Academy’s experience in discussions and contributing to interactive sessions. These moments of dialogue fostered new contacts with colleagues from other countries and provided valuable insights to be brought back to the Academy, further enriching the knowledge base and innovative perspectives of our institution.

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AANT at EAIE 2025 in Gothenburg: new horizons for internationalization

AANT took part in the 2025 Annual EAIE Conference, held from 9 to 12 September in Gothenburg, Sweden. Gianna Angelini, AANT’s Head of Internationalization and Scientific Director, represented the Academy at what is recognized as one of the premier international events in Europe in the field of higher education. The event welcomed over 7,000 professionals from more than 100 countries, providing a unique opportunity to strengthen global contacts, exchange ideas, and initiate new academic collaboration agreements.

During the conference, Gianna Angelini reconnected with many of AANTs current international partners to plan activities for the new academic year. She also engaged in strategic meetings with representatives of other academic institutions and educational organizations, laying the groundwork for future developments in student mobility, joint research projects, and internship opportunities. These targeted meetings pave the way for new exchange agreements and joint projects, further expanding AANT’s global network of contacts.

Now in its 35th edition, the conference featured hundreds of sessions, workshops, presentations, and networking activities, giving participants a comprehensive overview of current trends and best practices in international education. The overarching theme GO-create” challenged attendees to reflect on practices of collaboration, cooperation, and co-creation. Gothenburg’s renowned commitment to sustainability, inclusion, and innovation made it an ideal setting for mapping out the future of internationalization in higher education. Discussions throughout the event ranged from innovative approaches to building effective partnerships to strategies for enriching students’ learning experiences through global cooperation.

“Participating in EAIE 2025 was a significant opportunity for growth and exchange,” said Gianna Angelini at the conclusion of the event. “Reconnecting with our international partners and meeting new colleagues allowed us to solidify relationships and envision innovative projects to undertake together. We return to Rome with fresh ideas and concrete contacts, ready to develop collaborations that will further strengthen AANT’s international presence.”

The international outlook has always been a cornerstone for AANT, and attending EAIE 2025 reaffirms the Academy’s commitment to positioning itself in a global educational arena. The insights gained in Gothenburg and the connections established will help enrich the academic experience of both students and faculty, while also fueling AANT’s growth in line with its educational mission. Events like EAIE serve as strategic platforms for the Academy to reinforce partnerships and demonstrate AANT’s dedication to international academic cooperation.

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AANT at the NAFSA 2025 Conference in San Diego: Internationalization in Focus

AANT took part in the Annual NAFSA 2025 Conference, held from May 27 to 30 in San Diego, California. Gianna Angelini, AANT’s Head of Internationalization, represented the Academy at what is recognized as the world’s largest and most dynamic international event in the field of higher education. Approximately 8,000 professionals from over 100 countries attended the conference, which offered a unique opportunity to forge global contacts, exchange ideas, and initiate new academic collaboration agreements.

During the conference, Gianna Angelini participated in numerous networking sessions and strategic meetings with representatives of academic institutions and international educational organizations. These targeted encounters laid the groundwork for future exchange agreements and joint projects, further strengthening AANT’s global network of contacts. The face-to-face meetings with peers from around the world allowed AANT to explore collaborative opportunities and broaden its reach in international academia.

The conference featured over 250 sessions, workshops, presentations, and networking activities, providing participants with a comprehensive overview of current trends, strategies, and best practices in international education. The overarching theme “Purpose, Place, and Partnership” ran through every moment of the event, underscoring the importance of creating sustainable opportunities for students worldwide through meaningful partnerships. It also emphasized sharing diverse perspectives and innovative educational approaches to enrich global learning experiences.

Key topics addressed at NAFSA 2025 included:

  • Inclusive internationalization – ensuring that international education opportunities are accessible and equitable for all students.
  • Development of global academic collaborations – building partnerships between institutions across countries to foster academic exchange and joint programs.
  • The role of international education in fostering intercultural understanding and cooperation among peoples – highlighting how studying abroad and cross-border educational initiatives can promote cultural awareness and global cooperation.

In this context, AANT’s participation allowed the Academy to align with the latest global trends and to share its own educational expertise in the field of arts and new technologies on a high-profile international stage. By engaging with these themes firsthand, AANT demonstrated that it remains at the forefront of international education initiatives and is committed to incorporating these best practices into its programs.

“Participation in NAFSA 2025 has been an extremely enriching experience,” commented Gianna Angelini at the end of the conference. “Meeting colleagues from all over the world and sharing visions and ideas allowed us to imagine new prospects for collaboration. I return to Rome with concrete contacts and innovative projects to develop, ready to further strengthen AANT’s international footprint.”

The international dimension has always been a pillar for AANT, and attending NAFSA 2025 reaffirms the Academy’s commitment to positioning itself in a global educational landscape. The insights gathered in San Diego and the relationships initiated there will help enrich the academic experience of both students and faculty, while also boosting AANT’s growth in line with its educational mission. Events like NAFSA serve as strategic platforms for the Academy to reinforce partnerships and demonstrate AANT’s dedication to academic cooperation at the international level, solidifying its role as a globally engaged institution.

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AANT at the 4th International Week of IPCA

AANT took part in the International Week 2025 organized by the Instituto Politécnico do Cávado e do Ave (IPCA) in Braga, Portugal. Representing AANT were General Director Rossana Quarta and Head of the International Office Gianna Angelini, who participated in the 4th edition of the event held in Braga as part of the Braga Economy Week. Simultaneously, AANT lecturers Francesca Cattaneo and Angela Bruni (Design Department) contributed as visiting professors at IPCA’s Barcelos campus, bringing the Academy’s teaching experience into an international context.
The International Week 2025 in Braga took place from May 19 to 23, 2025, alongside other high-profile international events focused on innovation, applied research, and interinstitutional cooperation. The central theme of the week – “Innovation meets Regions” – reflected the goal of linking academic innovation to regional development, fostering dialogue among universities, local communities, and businesses. The event was part of the European project IWONDER and supported by the Erasmus+ programme, which facilitated broad international participation. Dozens of delegates from universities across Europe (and beyond) gathered in Braga, creating a vibrant multicultural environment for building new collaborations and exchanging best practices.
In parallel with the economic forum, IPCA launched the 4th edition of its International Week (InWeek), an international training programme aimed at lecturers and researchers in the thematic areas covered by the event. The InWeek was conducted entirely in English and featured a rich schedule of workshops, interactive group sessions, and networking activities, all designed to promote the exchange of good practices, skills development, and strengthened international cooperation.
Specifically, the International Week offered a wide range of engaging activities for all participants:
– Interactive workshops and group sessions to exchange educational best practices and develop new skills;
– Round tables and thematic conferences on innovation ecosystems and collaboration among universities, institutions, and businesses;
– Presentations of European research projects (RUN-EU consortium) and a dedicated technology showcase (RUN-EU Technology Showcase) integrated within the Braga Economy Week, highlighting innovative projects developed by partner universities;
– Company visits and B2B matchmaking meetings to encourage knowledge transfer and the formation of industrial partnerships;
– Participation in the ICARUS International Conference (Annual International Conference on Applied Research with Business and Society), hosted in hybrid format at Fórum Braga, to explore the connection between academic research and the business world.
Throughout the week, there were also informal social moments and team-building activities, which helped foster a climate of trust and collaboration among attendees. The event served as a strategic platform to strengthen the RUN-EU network (a European university alliance of which IPCA is a member), promoting innovation, entrepreneurship, and knowledge sharing on both a regional and international level.
AANT’s presence in Braga highlighted the Academy’s active role in international academic networks, reaffirming its commitment to innovation and cross-border cooperation. Rossana Quarta and Gianna Angelini, along with the participating faculty members, shared AANT’s perspective during debates and workshops, built new connections with international colleagues, and gathered valuable insights for future collaboration.

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Valerio Di Paola and Emanuele Tarducci Take Part in Professional Development Courses in Ireland

In June 2025, two lecturers from the Accademia delle Arti e Nuove Tecnologie (AANT) took part in an international training programme under the Erasmus+ Staff Training Mobility initiative. Valerio Di Paola, coordinator of the Bachelor’s Degree in Videomaking, and Emanuele Tarducci, coordinator of the Bachelor’s Degree in UX/UI and Interaction Design, attended two intensive courses held at the Atlantic Language School in Galway, Ireland. Di Paola took part in the course “English Language & Irish Culture”, while Tarducci participated in “Lecturing Effectively in English”, both delivered at the Irish campus of Atlantic Language.

The course “English Language & Irish Culture”, attended by Valerio Di Paola, focused on enhancing English language skills through full immersion in Irish culture. The training activities emphasised the discovery of Ireland’s cultural heritage, with a particular focus on traditional storytelling, local music, and regional traditions, offering participants a meaningful experience of intercultural exchange. Throughout the training week, lecturers from various European countries explored key aspects of Irish life and society through presentations, educational projects, traditional music sessions, and interactions with the local community.

The “Lecturing Effectively in English” course attended by Emanuele Tarducci was designed to refine the teaching methodologies of lecturers and trainers working in international contexts. Key topics included the application of CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) principles to teaching in English, and strategies for effectively structuring a lecture—from the introduction to the development of core ideas and conclusion—while selecting the most appropriate language register for the audience. Special attention was also given to the ability to clearly “signpost” key concepts during lessons, as well as to the use of visual aids and non-verbal communication to make lectures more engaging and accessible. The course also included hands-on exercises and peer-to-peer interaction, allowing participants to apply what they had learned and exchange feedback and ideas to enhance teaching effectiveness.

Atlantic Language Galway, the host institution, is an accredited language school under the Erasmus+ Programme, offering a wide range of courses specifically designed for professionals in the education sector, including teachers, academics, researchers, and administrative staff. As a recognised Erasmus+ provider, Atlantic Language boasts over thirty years of experience and delivers high-level professional development opportunities for educators and academic staff from across Europe.

This international training experience is part of AANT’s ongoing commitment to professional development for its faculty. Initiatives like the Erasmus+ Staff Training Mobility contribute to enriching the expertise of AANT’s teaching staff and further strengthening the Academy’s international outlook.

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