UNITA STAFF WEEK

UNITA Staff Weeks are training and professional exchange events organised by the UNITA (Universitas Montium) European Alliance, which brings together six European universities located in mountainous areas. These weeks, which take place every six months and rotate amongst the partners, bring together academic and administrative staff to explore specific topics through seminars, workshops and immersive activities.

The main objective is to promote staff mobility, the exchange of best practices and the building of collaborative networks in areas such as internationalisation, innovation in research and the governance of the alliance. Recent editions have addressed topics such as linguistic intercomprehension and cultural heritage (2025 in Chambéry) or the development of research and innovation hubs in rural and mountain areas (2025 in Brescia)

From 2 to 6 November 2026, the VISION event: VIrtual Reality and AI for Staff InnovatiON will take place in Turin.

Join colleagues from European universities for an International Staff Week dedicated to exploring the opportunities and challenges of Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality and 3D modelling in higher education and public administration.

📍 Venue: Turin, University of Turin

📅 Dates: 2–6 November 2026

🎯 Who is it for? Technical and administrative staff only

Registration

Registration will be open from 3 September until 5 October via this online form.

Programme

• Monday 2 November – 2.30 pm – 6.30 pm
• Tuesday 3 November – 9.00 am – 8.00 pm
• Wednesday 4 November – 9.00 am – 7.00 pm
• Thursday 5 November – 9.00 am – 7.00 pm
• Friday 6 November – 9.00 am – 1.15 pm

The programme will focus in particular on the practical and strategic use of AI technologies and 3D modelling environments, examining their applications in teaching, learning, communication, administrative services and digital innovation.

Participants will also explore human-AI interaction, the ethics and regulation of AI, virtual reality for linguistic mutual understanding and intercultural collaboration, as well as the evolving role of university teaching and learning centres.

Through workshops, demonstrations and the exchange of best practice, participants will strengthen their technological, organisational, ethical and intercultural skills, whilst promoting international cooperation and innovation amongst European higher education institutions.

In addition to the academic programme, participants will have the opportunity to take part in social and cultural activities, which will offer them the chance to discover the local heritage, strengthen international networks and experience the unique history, culture and traditions of the host region.

The full, detailed programme can be downloaded at the bottom of this page and viewed via this link.

Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to:

• Understand the potential, limitations, and basic developments of emerging technologies (Artificial Intelligence, virtual reality, and 3D modeling) in university and public administration contexts.
• Critically analyze models of interaction between humans and humanoid artificial agents, recognizing some of their fundamental organizational, educational, and ethical implications.
• Be familiar with the main legal, ethical, and regulatory frameworks governing the use of AI in public institutions and higher education systems.
• Explore innovative applications of virtual reality and AI to promote linguistic mutual understanding and intercultural cooperation.
• Understand the role of university Teaching and Learning Centers as organizational frameworks for continuing education, professional development, and instructional innovation.
• To facilitate the exchange of best practices among universities in different countries, promoting international collaboration and mutual learning.

By the end of the course, participants will have developed the following competencies:

Technological Competencies

• Understand the basic principles of how 3D modeling and AI applications work.

• Evaluate possible uses of AI in university services, education, and institutional communication.

Organizational and Management Competencies

• Identify opportunities for digital innovation in university administrative and educational processes.

• Contribute to the design of digital transformation initiatives in international academic contexts.

• Understand the organizational models and functions of Teaching and Learning Centers.

Ethical and Regulatory Skills

• Critically evaluate the ethical, social, and professional implications of AI use.

• Apply principles of transparency, accountability, inclusion, and data protection in AI-supported processes.

• Interpret the main European regulatory frameworks related to artificial intelligence and public administration.

Intercultural and Communication Skills

• Be familiar with innovative digital tools to facilitate communication and linguistic mutual understanding.

• Collaborate in international and multidisciplinary contexts.

• Share and transfer innovative practices among universities belonging to different national systems.

For the detailed program and the latest updates, please visit the dedicated page