Cyprus Interaction Lab

28/08/2026

At , together with an international team from Asia and Europe, we presented a white paper, “Humanising Learning in the Age of AI.”

The paper offers a framework to support policymakers and institutional leaders in humanising learning in the age of AI, by reconfiguring pedagogy and assessment around four guiding principles:

• AI as amplifier, not substitute
• Formation takes priority over performance
• Governance is proportionate to stakes
• A human-centred foundation is cross-civilisational

Together, these principles place the holistic formation of the learner at the centre of how we rethink education in an AI-rich world.

Drawing on evidence and perspectives from Asia and Europe, the work explores how educational institutions can embrace the opportunities offered by AI while preserving the fundamentally human dimensions of learning.

24/08/2026

RAISE-UP raiseupai.eu is building an evidence base on how generative AI is actually being used in higher education and vocational education and training across Europe, with a particular focus on business and technical programmes.

Four consultations are currently open, each aimed at a different group. This is your opportunity to contribute evidence that will help shape the guidelines, tools, and policy recommendations produced by the project.

👉 Take part in our questionnaires — choose the one that best fits your role — and/or share a use case describing how generative AI is being used in practice. https://raiseupai.eu/take-part/

16/07/2026

Accessibility Testing and Learning Quality Evaluation for a gamified learning platform - wrap-up!

A rewarding milestone for our EdMedia team at the CYENS Centre of Excellence: last week, we completed our work with TechTitans!

Tech Titans is a gamified learning platform that helps young and emerging creators develop practical skills across a wide range of creative technology fields.

Our contribution focused on evaluating the platform’s accessibility and learning experience design using established evaluative frameworks. We identified strong educational potential and provided practical recommendations to support its continued development into an accessible, structured, and learner-centred experience.
It was rewarding to work with a platform with a forward-looking vision for digital education. Thank you to everyone at our EdMedia and Cyprus Interaction Lab team involved (led by Prof. Andri Ioannou), as well as Asst. Prof. Fernando Loizides.

11/07/2026

After the success of the MIT International Science & Technology Initiatives (MISTI) Global Teaching Labs which run for the first time MIT at the Cyprus University of Technology / Τεχνολογικό Πανεπιστήμιο Κύπρου in Jannuary 2026, the same pedagogical approach framed a new program -- a Game Development Bootcamp, run by KidIT Cyprus, the CYGMA - Cyprus Game Makers Association, and the Department of Multimedia & Graphic Arts - CUT as the prelaunch of a dedicated, industry-enhanced gamedev programme within the Multimedia direction of the Department of Multimedia & Graphic Arts - CUT

Both the MIT-MISTI and GameDev programs succesfully enabled an intensive week of authentic learning, with teens working in groups alongside expert-mentors, delivering something tangible. A true learning experience for teens!

09/07/2026

🤖 Introduction to GenAI Tools and ChatGPT for Productivity

Registration is now open for the digital skills training programme “Introduction to GenAI Tools and ChatGPT for Productivity”, offered within the framework of the Cyprus Recovery and Resilience Plan.

Through theoretical and practical sessions, participants will explore how GenAI can support productivity, content creation, communication, and everyday professional tasks. No prior experience with AI tools is required.

The programme is suitable for professionals across different sectors, including employees, product managers, and individuals looking to strengthen their digital skills and make better use of AI-powered tools.

📍 Format: Online via Microsoft Teams
🗣️ Language: English
⏱️ Total training hours: 14 hours
📅 Training dates:
• Wednesday, 22 July 2026 | 12:30–17:45
• Thursday, 23 July 2026 | 12:30–17:45
• Friday, 24 July 2026 | 12:30–16:45

👉 Register here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=4XAKFKCr0U6-HQTBCX_8jEszKjdHzdtGrnnQJ07x65JUNTRFVzVWMFlUMkdFVlA2QTdSRElHMTE5UC4u&route=shorturl

Funded by the Recovery and Resilience Facility – NextGenerationEU through the Cyprus Recovery and Resilience Plan 2021–2026.

29/06/2026

The RAISE-UP Project - Responsible AI Strategy for Education in Universities Project (https://aistudio.lv/en/raise-up/) contributed to the international dialogue on Generative AI (GenAI) and education at the 70th Annual Meeting of the International Society for the Systems Sciences (ISSS), held at UCLan Cyprus in Pyla, Larnaca, Cyprus, from 22–26 June 2026.
The conference brought together researchers and practitioners from around the world exploring complex societal challenges through systems thinking and emerging technologies.

On 25 June 2026, Dr. Oksana Dremova (CYENS Centre of Excellence / Cyprus University of Technology) presented the first findings of the project's academic literature review on the use of GenAI in higher and vocational education. The review examined current research on how students, educators, and institutions are adopting GenAI, as well as the opportunities and challenges associated with teaching and learning, assessment, academic integrity, equity, institutional readiness, and AI literacy.
The presentation marked an important step for the RAISE-UP Project, as the literature review lays the foundation for the project's evidence base and will inform the next stages of the research.
To learn more about the RAISE-UP project, visit https://aistudio.lv/en/raise-up

12/06/2026

Our lab welcomes Dr. Svitlana Babiichuk, a visiting researcher hosted through the Institute of International Education (IIE) – Scholar Rescue Fund (IIE-SRF), a global initiative dedicated to protecting threatened and displaced scholars and safeguarding academic freedom.

Through this international programme, and in collaboration with the Cyprus University of Technology / Τεχνολογικό Πανεπιστήμιο Κύπρου, Dr. Babiichuk joins a global network of researchers whose work contributes to the advancement of knowledge despite challenging circumstances.

Working alongside Prof. Andri Ioannou and Dr Athos Agapiou, Dr. Babiichuk will conduct research on Climate Change Literacy through Earth Observations and Remote Sensing, exploring how satellite imagery, Earth Observation data, and AI-supported educational tools can support climate change education and the development of digital competencies among learners. The project aims to develop innovative pedagogical approaches, hands-on learning activities, and evidence-based recommendations for integrating climate change literacy into educational systems.

Το Τεχνολογικό Πανεπιστήμιο Κύπρου (ΤΕΠΑΚ) συμμετέχει στο διεθνές δίκτυο υποστήριξης απειλούμενων και εκτοπισμένων ακαδημαϊκών του οργανισμού Institute of International Educati...

03/06/2026

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowships at Cyprus Interaction Lab

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowships are prestigious European research grants aimed at supporting excellent researchers in further developing their careers and enhancing their international mobility. The fellowship provides an allowance to cover living, travel, and family costs.

The Cyprus Interaction Lab, based at the Department of Multimedia & Graphic Arts - CUT of the Cyprus University of Technology / Τεχνολογικό Πανεπιστήμιο Κύπρου and extended to CYENS Centre of Excellence welcomes expressions of interest from researchers wishing to apply for an MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship.

The Cyprus Interaction Lab is an interdisciplinary research lab with expertise in Educational Technology, Learning Experience Design (LXD), User Experience, Artificial Intelligence in Education, Extended Reality (XR), Maker Education, Digital Creativity, Participatory Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), and Learning Sciences.

Our experienced researchers can support the development of competitive MSCA proposals and provide supervision throughout the fellowship. The lab has extensive experience in European-funded research and maintains strong collaborations with academic, industry, and societal partners across Europe and beyond.

Eligibility Criteria
- Competent researchers (of all nationalities) who hold a PhD or have successfully defended their thesis by September 2026.
- Applicants must have a maximum of eight years of research experience (from the date of the award of the PhD degree).
- Mobility is a requirement: the applicant should be able to travel to Europe, to an associated country, or to a country outside of Europe.

Applications are welcome across all research areas that align with the expertise and research themes of the Cyprus Interaction Lab.
As of 2026, resubmission restrictions apply for applications that received a score below 80% the previous year.

For more details on eligibility criteria, applicants should consult the official MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships documentation.

The Cyprus Interaction Lab welcomes fellowship proposals related to, but not limited to, the following areas:

Learning Experience Design (LXD)
Educational Technology
Artificial Intelligence in Education
Extended Reality (AR/VR/MR) for Learning and Training
STEM and STEAM Education
Maker Education and Digital Fabrication
Technology-Enhanced Learning
Digital Creativity and Innovation
Participatory and Co-Design Methodologies
Human Rights and Civic Education
Digital Wellbeing and Social Impact Technologies
Emerging Technologies for Learning
Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)
Learning Sciences
User Experience

Researchers interested in applying are encouraged to contact the Cyprus Interaction Lab team at an early stage to discuss project ideas and identify suitable supervisors. We particularly welcome interdisciplinary proposals that combine technological innovation with educational, social, and human-centered perspectives.

By joining Cyprus Interaction Lab through an MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship, researchers will become part of an active international research community committed to advancing knowledge and creating meaningful societal impact through research, innovation, and collaboration.

01/06/2026

We're proud to share that our very own co-director, Antigoni Parmaxi, was recently interviewed by ACM-W (ACMW: ACM's Women in Computing), reflecting on her journey and the values that guide her work.

What came through is exactly what we strive for at the Cyprus Interaction Lab: research grounded in social inclusion, human-centred design, and a genuine sense of care for the people and communities our work serves.

The May 2026 edition of ACM-W Connections is here!

As we move into summer, we continue to celebrate the people and stories that shape ACM-W’s global community.

In her Message from the ACM-W Chair, Rukiye Altin reflects on the energy, care, and dedication that ACM-W volunteers bring to our work every day, and on the joy of finally meeting in person and online in Edinburgh for Global Executive Committee and regional communications meetings.

We also celebrate service and leadership, and congratulate Jodi Tims on receiving the ACM Outstanding Service Award.

🎙️ In Voices of ACM-W, we hear from Lynda Hardman. Her journey across hypertext, multimedia, standardisation, and human-centred AI invites us to think about how computing environments shape society and how they should be designed to work for everyone.

🌱 This month’s U-RISE feature introduces Antigoni Parmaxi, whose path from classical studies to human-centred educational technology shows that there is no single route into computing.

🏳️‍🌈 As Pride Month approaches, “We Are More Alike Than We Are Different” offers a thoughtful reflection on gender identity and inclusion. It is a reminder that our community is strongest when people are seen, respected, and supported.

✨ In ACM-W Above and Beyond, we spotlight Dr Charu Kalra, an ACM-W scholar whose journey has taken her through compiler and optimisation research to her current work on next-generation AI-powered logistics technology.

Across these stories, there is a common thread: visibility, service, and community matter. Whether through leadership, scholarship, research, advocacy, or storytelling, ACM-W continues to support, celebrate, and advocate for women in computing around the world.

📖 Read the May 2026 ACM-W Connections Newsletter and explore the full stories.
https://women.acm.org/2026/05/

28/05/2026

Today we had the opportunity to share our work at the CYCHI Seminar Series – Humans & XR! 🇨🇾✨

We presented insights from our Augmented Reality storytelling implementation in Cyprus, conducted as part of the EU-funded Children as Creators of Augmented Reality Stories (CARS Project EU).

The presentation focused on how primary school children can become active creators of AR stories inspired by folktales and cultural heritage, moving beyond passive technology consumption to meaningful, creative authorship in the classroom.

A big thank you to CYCHI for the invitation and for bringing together such a curious and passionate community around XR and human-centred design.

Stay tuned for more updates from the CARS project!

CYENS Centre of Excellence
Irini Christou