Arqus Living Labs at the Urban Imprint session in Graz

Arqus AI&DT Living Lab participated in a session of the Urban Imprint project, at the IDea_Lab of the University of Graz.

The Urban Imprint is a project which connects universities and municipalities in Europe to address urban challenges in digital transformation and climate change, and promote social and educational transformation through collaboration and innovation. On this focus session at IDea_Lab (UniGraz), participants explored co-creation, AI, sustainability, and the Living Labs approach.

As part of the session, Lea Pešec presented the Arqus Living Labs approach, highlighting it as an open, interdisciplinary space operating under a shared umbrella concept. The Labs bring together students, academics, professionals, and external stakeholders to tackle societal challenges through education, knowledge-sharing, and innovation.

She also showcased key activities from the Arqus Artificial Intelligence & Digital Transformation (AI&DT) Living Lab, including the Hackathon Series, the multi-edition lecture series A Journey through Artificial Intelligence, and the Challenge-Based Summer School on AI & Digital Transformation. These initiatives reflect the Lab’s mission to foster critical thinking, interdisciplinary collaboration, and responsible innovation across the Arqus Alliance.

The session also featured a hands-on LEGO® Serious Play workshop, a facilitation method regularly used at IDea_Lab to support creative thinking and collaboration. Participants were invited to build models visualising the relationship between artificial intelligence and sustainability. The activity sparked meaningful dialogue, followed by an open discussion with the Urban Imprint team. This exchange provided a valuable opportunity to explore synergies between academic research, Living Lab initiatives, and the practical needs of municipalities.