The University of Minho holds the in-person phase of BIP “Generative Artificial Intelligence to create multilingual and multimodal narratives from scientific open data”

The University of Minho welcomes 22 Arqus students for the in-person phase of the Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) 2025, entitled “Generative Artificial Intelligence to create multilingual and multimodal narratives from scientific open data”.

From Monday 12 until Friday 16 May, the BIP activities are taking place at the Gualtar campus (Braga). This Blended Intensive Programme is the result of a collaboration between three Arqus institutions: the University of Minho (Portugal), Vilnius University (Lithuania), and the University of Wrocław (Poland). The programme brings together 22 students from these three countries for an intensive training in science communication and generative artificial intelligence, focusing on the creation of accessible, multilingual, and multimodal narratives based on open scientific data.

The BIP stands out for its emphasis on the critical, ethical, and humanistic use of generative AI, encouraging reflective thinking about the social, cultural, and linguistic impacts of these emerging technologies. By working with real scientific data, participants are challenged to transform complex information into understandable, inclusive, and socially relevant narratives, aligned with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as quality education, reduced inequalities, and the promotion of responsible innovation.

The in-person activities this week mark the second phase of the BIP, as its first part took place online from 5 to 9 May.

The face-to-face sessions include practical workshops, institutional visits, and collaborative work. This course is organized by the Digital Humanities research group of the Center for Humanistic Studies (CEHUM) at the School of Arts and Humanities (ELACH) of the University of Minho, in collaboration with the School of Engineering, the School of Economics and Management, and the School of Sciences.

The teaching team includes more than 18 trainers from the University of Minho and its partner institutions, including the University of Lorraine (France), and local organisations such as Ludoteca da Estufa, the company Quizzability, and the Carlos Amarante Secondary School. Highlights also include collaboration with the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, through researchers Elisabete Fernandes and Carole Souza, who are among the guest instructors.

Coordinated by Professor Sílvia Araújo from ELACH, the programme aims to train a new generation of science communicators capable of using AI technologies not only with technical skill but also with critical awareness and social responsibility.

The final phase of the “Generative Artificial Intelligence to create multilingual and multimodal narratives from scientific open data” BIP will take place online from 19 to 23 May and will include reflection sessions, sharing of results, and independent activities.

Blended Intensive Programmes (BIPs) are intensive courses that combine short periods of face-to-face activity combined with online learning and virtual collaboration between at least 3 partners, in this case at least 2 from the Arqus Alliance.