ADLES 2025 Powered by UNINOVIS: Advancing Applied Research, Creativity and Excellence Hubs
The International Scientific Conference ADLES Powered by UNINOVIS 2025 "Art, Design, Languages, Education and Social Work: Innovations in Theory and Practice" took place on 11–12 December 2025 at Kauno kolegija, Faculty of Arts and Education (Lithuania). The event brought together over 70 participants from 12 countries, including researchers, educators, artists, and partners from across the UNINOVIS European University Alliance.
Conference Highlights
With more than 50 scientific presentations, the conference addressed key challenges in contemporary higher education, focusing on applied research, digital transformation, creative practices, language learning, and social innovation. The plenary programme featured international experts discussing internationalisation at home, audiovisual translation in language education, the integration of micro-credentials in art and design studies, and the relationship between culture, policy, and education.
Virtual International Exhibition
ADLES 2025 also included a virtual international exhibition, "Contours of the Future," showcasing artistic reflections on responsibility, technology, and creative freedom. The exhibition highlighted how artistic research contributes to broader societal and educational discourse.
UNINOVIS Excellence Hubs and the Development of International Cooperation
On the 12th of December, the programme of the International scientific conference ADLES Powered by UNINOVIS 2025 was extended with a networking event and a round table discussion entitled "Bridging Practice and Research: Scientifically Exploring Alliance-Driven Innovations in Higher Education Institutions."
The event brought together researchers and practitioners from various partner institutions of Kauno Kolegija, including colleagues from across the UNINOVIS Alliance, to discuss how institutional practice and academic research can be more effectively connected. The discussion featured rich and insightful exchanges on alliance-driven innovations and explored opportunities to strengthen collaboration through applied research, joint initiatives, and knowledge exchange.
Following the round table discussion, participants joined the official virtual presentation of the eight UNINOVIS Excellence Hubs established across all institutions of the Alliance. At Kauno Kolegija, the Logistics and Cybersecurity Excellence Hub was officially launched.
The Eight UNINOVIS Excellence Hubs
Smart and Sustainable Environments
University Sorbonne Paris North, France
Health and Wellbeing Systems
University of Málaga, Spain
Artificial Intelligence and Robotics
THWS, Germany
Wellness Technologies and Systems
TAMK, Finland
Responsible AI for Society
THUAS, Netherlands
Logistics and Data Science applied to Statistics
University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Italy
ICT Technologies and Languages
University of Tirana, Albania
Logistics and Cyber Security
Kauno Kolegija HEI, Lithuania
The UNINOVIS Excellence Hubs will serve as key structures for fostering closer cooperation both within and between the hubs. Operating through working groups, they will support increased student and staff mobility, joint research projects, and the development of double degree and joint study programmes.
The conference was further enriched by the active involvement of the associated UNINOVIS European University Alliance partner Interdisciplinary Transformation University Austria, who contributed to the dissemination of the event, delivered scientific presentations, and participated in networking activities thereby strengthening the conference's academic content, international dimension, and overall visibility.