Future Thinking Across Borders: Católica and the University of Alicante Welcome Two T4EU Visiting Professors

The Universidade Católica Portuguesa and the University of Alicante have announced the two projects selected under their joint call for applications to the T4EU Visiting Professorship Programme for the 2026-2027 academic year. Michael Cole, from Australian Catholic University, and Jakub Pizoń, from Lublin University of Technology, will carry out academic activities at both host institutions, strengthening academic and scientific collaboration within the Transform4Europe (T4EU) Alliance.

The selected projects explore different applications of artificial intelligence, from its impact on learning to its potential in the blue economy and the development of smart regions. The initiative aims to promote knowledge sharing between institutions.

The joint call invited academics and researchers from institutions outside the Alliance to submit proposals in two thematic areas: Psychology, Education and Neuroscience; and Blue Economy, Biotechnology and Entrepreneurship. Following the formal eligibility assessment, four applications proceeded to academic evaluation. The two selected projects will involve teaching, collaborative research, engagement with students and external stakeholders, and the establishment of partnerships that can continue beyond the mobility period.

In the area of Psychology, Education and Neuroscience, Michael Cole, Associate Dean for Research in the Faculty of Health Sciences and Director of the Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research at Australian Catholic University, will develop his project, MIND-AI — Metacognition, Intentionality and Neurocognitive Development in Future AI-Mediated Learning. The research seeks to understand how generative artificial intelligence can support learning without replacing the cognitive effort required for knowledge acquisition.

MIND-AI will investigate how different forms of interaction with generative AI influence metacognition, cognitive flexibility, critical thinking and learner autonomy. To this end, it will combine Michael Cole’s expertise in behavioral measurement, biomechanics and inclusive research with the work of Universidade Católica Portuguesa’s Human Neurobehavioral Laboratory and the University of Alicante’s expertise in education, Futures Literacy and AI literacy.

At both host universities, the professor will contribute to teaching activities, experimental protocol development, methodological training, doctoral mentoring and public engagement initiatives. The collaboration also aims to lay the foundations for a future joint research and funding proposal involving Universidade Católica Portuguesa, the University of Alicante and Australian Catholic University.

Meanwhile, Jakub Pizoń, an Assistant Professor at Lublin University of Technology specialising in machine learning, business intelligence, enterprise systems and digital transformation, was selected under Blue Economy, Biotechnology and Entrepreneurship. His project, Artificial Intelligence for Business Transformation, Entrepreneurship and Smart Regions: Applications in the Blue Economy, focuses on the practical implementation of artificial intelligence solutions within organisations.

The research will explore the identification of AI applications with potential benefits for businesses and public institutions, the data requirements, processes and governance structures needed for their implementation, as well as risk assessment and the measurement of value generated for organisations and the public sector. Through seminars, case-based workshops and research meetings at Universidade Católica Portuguesa and the University of Alicante, the project will explore the relationship between artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, sustainable development and the transformation of coastal and smart regions.