On May 22, 2024, the University of Library Studies and Information Technologies (ULSIT) organized and hosted the forum "Excellent Education for Capacity Building in Smart City Based on Applied AI," initiated by the project "Enhancing Scientific and Innovation Capacity in the Smart City through Twinning" – ExcellCity. The forum brought together Japanese expertise in education, the applied aspects of artificial intelligence, and smart technologies.
The forum was opened by Prof. Dr. Irena Peteva, Rector of ULSIT, who, in her welcoming speech, emphasized that UniBIT's work on research projects with international partners and the exchange of experience and knowledge turn the university into a repository of history and an incubator of ideas for the future of the smart city.
A special guest at the event was His Excellency Hisashi Michigami, Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of Bulgaria, accompanied by Kento Muraki, Cultural Attaché at the diplomatic mission. In his address, Ambassador Michigami highlighted that despite the geographical distance, the peoples of Bulgaria and Japan are very close in spirit. He emphasized the shared values and interests, as well as the respect for education, culture, history, and centuries-old traditions.
The seminar became a platform for presenting best practices for synergy between research and education. Topics such as transforming the university into a research institution and building human capacity in this direction were discussed. The program also included presentations on opportunities for integrating UniBIT into the smart city infrastructure and the role of artificial intelligence in universities.
The event concluded with a training session on intelligent teaching based on research, where students, doctoral candidates, and academic staff of UniBIT were introduced to the seven principles of intelligent teaching and the rubrics for assessment and their applications.
Participants in the forum shared that the seminar provided them with a valuable opportunity for exchanging knowledge and experience, contributing to the development of education and research in the field of smart cities and applied artificial intelligence.