From 20th to 24th of September 2021 Cyprus University of Technology, one of the 8 members of the European University of Technology (EUt+), hosted the first face-to-face meeting of the alliance since the work on its creation began in November 2020. The Riga Technical University (RTU) delegation consisted of RTU’s Rector Prof. Leonīds Ribickis, Deputy Rector for International Academic Cooperation and Studies, Prof. Igors Tipāns and representatives of RTU International Projects Unit, Foreign Students Foundation and Short-Term Courses Unit, International Cooperation Unit and Design Factory.

Throughout the week, RTU representatives participated in meetings and workshops dedicated to different Work Packages (WPs) of the EUt+ initiative. The initiative consists of 8 WPs with more than 200 deliverables the aim of which is to bring all universities closer together and facilitate the formation of a united confederation. The Cyprus meeting focused on the following WPs: WP2 – Europe for everyone: inclusiveness and embeddedness, WP3 – Common curricula spanning Europe, WP5 – Beyond mobility: feeling at home in every campus and WP7 – A single identity for global outreach, as well as different tasks under WP1 which is dedicated to the overall management and coordination of the EUt+ initiative.

During the meeting, workshops were held to introduce the branding strategy of EUt+ to WP2, WP3 and WP5, a Memorandum of Understanding for global outreach was worked out and the most effective strategy for global outreach was developed. WP7 representatives from all partners also discussed and described the structure and process of the news flow within and beyond the EUt+ consortium. The work within WP2 focused on Civic Engagement (CE), Industry and Employer Engagement (IEE) and technology transfer, whereas WP5 representatives finalized the Staff Mobility Incentive plan, which aims to facilitate the mobility of academic and administrative staff members within the EUt+ consortium. The Cyprus meeting also marked the kick-off of a new project for the EUt+ consortium – EUt+ Inno – which aims to enhance the innovation and entrepreneurial capacity of EUt+.

On the final day of Cyprus meeting, September 24th, all 8 rectors signed agreements for the establishment of a Common Erasmus Office, Common Curricula, Common Student Board and International Coordination Team (ITCO). This day will be remembered in EUt+ history as the signing of the Limassol Agreement and will shape the future of the consortium.

The next EUt+ meeting is planned to take place in October, in the capital of Bulgaria – Sofia.

In the context of the European Culture and Technology Laboratory (ECT Lab+) seminar series, Media Arts & Design Research Lab (MADLab – Department of Multimedia & Graphic Arts) and the Department of Fine Arts, Cyprus University of Technology, invite you to a round-table discussion on the topic “Creative machines: Thinking about creative agents and artistic values”.

The roundtable discussion will focus on critical philosophical questions revolving around computational creativity, creative software agents and their aesthetic/artistic values. In particular, the focus will be on computational processes such as artificial intelligence and machine learning and their aesthetic/artistic values. Looking at creativity through a critical lens, can we assume that a computer exhibits creativity independently of a human creator or is agency a necessary part of a creative process?

Guest Speakers:

• Prof. Katherine Hayles (UCLA & Duke University, USA)
• Prof. Michael Wheeler (University of Stirling, UK)

Discussants:

• Dr Marinos Koutsomichalis (MADLab, Cyprus)
• Dr Efi Kyprianidou (Department of Fine Arts)
• Dr Doros Polydorou (MADLab, Cyprus)

Date and time: Thursday the 30th September, 17:00 CEST (18:00 Riga time)

Zoom link: