Apply by 1 March 2025
Arqus Summer School on Artificial Intelligence & Digital Transformation, 7-13 July 2025
The Arqus Living Lab on AI & Digital Transformation is thrilled to invite PhD students from Arqus universities to participate in an interdisciplinary summer school hosted at the University of Graz. This hands-on programme will focus on exploring the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies across various disciplines
Programme
Below, you will find details on two of the three seminar sessions and the general lecture. Further updates on the complete programme will be shared in due course.
General lecture (7-8 July 2025) by João Pinheiro Neto (University of Graz)
The general lecture will provide an interdisciplinary introduction to key themes in artificial intelligence and digital transformation. It will explore the broader implications of AI in various fields, including technological advancements, ethical considerations, and societal impact. This session will set the stage for the in-depth seminars by offering a foundational understanding of the challenges and opportunities in AI-driven innovation.
About the lecturer:
João Pinheiro Neto is a physicist with experience in computational social science. He focuses on comparing different social media platforms, trying to understand what makes them tick. He believes that data-driven toy models can help design social media platforms that are better, and more resilient to manipulation by bad actors. He also believes that timely research can influence decision-making and ultimately pressure platforms into design decisions that do more than blindingly chase engagement metrics.
His approach involves large-scale data collection, as well as analysis and modelling using techniques from physics, statistics, and machine learning. In particular, he currently focuses on large language models as both objects of research (their impact on social media) and as tools for simulating and analyzing social media content.
Seminar 1: AI, Digitalisation, and the Global Economy: Opportunities and Challenges (9-11 July 2025) by Adeniyi Olarewaju (Maynooth University)
The rapid advancement of digitalisation and artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping global trade and business operations. This seminar shall explore the transformative role of AI-driven ideas, innovative capabilities, and digital platforms in international business. We will examine how businesses, particularly SMEs, can harness AI to enhance competitiveness, overcome infrastructural limitations, and expand into global markets. While AI offers significant opportunities, challenges such as data privacy concerns, ethical implications, and digital divides must also be addressed. Through interactive discussions and real-world case studies from Europe and beyond, participants will gain insights into both the opportunities and challenges of AI and digitalisation in an increasingly interconnected world.
About the lecturer:
Dr. Adeniyi Olarewaju (Ade) is an accomplished scholar and educator specializing in International Business, Strategy, and Entrepreneurship. He currently serves as a Lecturer at Maynooth University Business School, Ireland, where he is also the Programme Director for the BBA Business and Languages Degrees. With a career spanning academia, industry, and consulting, Ade has taught at prestigious institutions across Ireland, France, Austria, Mexico, and Nigeria. His teaching portfolio includes modules such as International Management, Strategy Simulation, Supply Chain Risk Management, and Quantitative Research Methods.
Ade is an advocate for experiential learning, actively integrating case studies, business simulations, and collaborative online international learning (COIL) to enhance student engagement. His expertise in developing and teaching case studies aligns with his recognition as a 2020 Paul R. Lawrence Fellow, an award granted to scholars who demonstrate excellence in case study research and teaching methodologies. His research explores SME internationalization and export performance, institutional influences on entrepreneurship, and strategic responses of multinational enterprises to global uncertainties, with publications in high-ranking journals such as Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, and Review of International Business and Strategy.
Beyond academia, Ade has industry experience as a Health Economist/Researcher at Pfizer Healthcare Ireland and as an Investment Researcher in the Nigerian financial sector, where he played a key role in portfolio management and digital transformation. He has also contributed to multiple international research collaborations, securing funding from organizations such as UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Academy of International Business (AIB). He is member of several professional associations, including the Academy of International Business (AIB), the British Academy of Management (BAM), and the Irish Academy of Management (IAM).
Seminar 2: Data Science with No-Code Tools for Real-World Problems (9-11 July 2025), by Rocío Romero Zaliz (University of Granada)
Dive into the world of data science without writing a single line of code! This seminar is designed for beginners and professionals alike who want to harness the power of data science in their own fields of expertise. The goal of this seminar is to gain a solid understanding of data science concepts and methodologies, develop practical skills in data analysis and visualization, and apply data science techniques to solve real-world problems.
Key Topics:
- Introduction to Data Science: What data science is and isn’t, and its relation to artificial intelligence.
- Steps of a Data Science Project: Understanding the workflow of data science projects.
- Data Collection and Cleaning: Techniques for gathering and preparing data.
- Exploratory Data Analysis and Visualization: Analyzing and visualizing data to uncover insights.
- Case Studies and Applications: Real-world examples of data science in action.
About the lecturer:
Rocío Romero Zaliz is a researcher at the University of Granada, specializing in computational biology, data science, and computational intelligence. She is affiliated with the Data Science and Computational Intelligence Research Institute (DaSCI) at the University of Granada and serves as the Assistant Director of Research, Transfer, and Teaching at the Centre for Research in Information and Communication Technologies (CITIC-UGR). Her research interests include artificial intelligence applications in medicine and health, as well as the development of metaheuristics and data science methodologies. She authored a book titled “Con-ciencia de datos,” about data science which makes complex concepts accessible to a broad audience.
More details coming soon!
The full programme, including the third seminar and additional evening sessions with industry experts, is still being finalized. More updates will follow soon!
For questions or more information, contact: lea.pesec@uni-graz.at
Eligibility
- Open to PhD students from all academic disciplines.
- Applicants must be enrolled at one of the Arqus Alliance universities.
- Applicants must demonstrate the relevance of AI and digital transformation to their ongoing PhD projects.
Application requirements
- PhD Project Summary:
Submit a 1–2 page summary of your PhD project, clearly outlining its connection to the summer school topic (AI & Digital Transformation). - Curriculum Vitae (CV):
A concise 1-page CV highlighting your academic background and achievements.
How to apply
Submit your application materials here: https://forms.gle/2TvHAwrJqdixcDsS7
- Application Deadline: 1 March 1 2025.
Selection process
- Applications will be evaluated locally by the partner universities of the Arqus Alliance.
- Each partner university will select up to 3–4 PhD students to participate in the summer school.
Criteria for selection:
- Relevance of the applicant’s PhD research to the summer school topic.Quality and clarity of the submitted project summary
- Academic achievements.
Selected participants will be notified by 1 April 1 2025.
Funding options
- The grant is offered to PhD students from Arqus partner universities, excluding those from the University of Graz.
- Selected participants will receive a lump sum of €900 to help cover travel, accommodation, and subsistence costs.
- Additional funding may be available through your International Offices or other relevant PhD programme funding offered by your home university.
Why participate?
This summer school provides an opportunity to:
- Engage in interdisciplinary discussions on AI and digital transformation.
- Collaborate with peers and experts across the Arqus Alliance.
- Enhance your research through interactive workshops, seminars, and networking.
- Learn about real-world examples from different companies, start-ups, and organizations working with AI and digital technologies.
- Present your research to gain feedback and insights.
Additional information
- The summer school will be conducted in English.
- Participants will receive a certificate of attendance, which may qualify for academic credits depending on your home university’s regulations.
- A detailed programme outlining activities, workshops, and speakers will be provided soon.
- Information regarding accommodation arrangements will also be shared in advance to assist participants in their planning.
For inquiries and further details, please contact Lea Pesec at lea.pesec@uni-graz.at.
Call published on 16 Jan 2025