On 15 and 16 October 2024, the University of Maribor hosted the now traditional University of Maribor Festival of Science – FestUM. In its second edition, the festival was once again held in a hybrid format as part of the pilot project ODVIj – Open Access for Lifelong Education, co-financed by the Republic of Slovenia, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation and the European Union – NextGenerationEU.

For the first time the festival was also included in the programme of Science Month 2024. The event was officially opened by Prof. Dr. Zdravko Kačič, Rector of the University of Maribor, who highlighted the central theme of this year’s festival in his welcoming address:

“For the second consecutive year, FestUM is being organised within the framework of the Recovery and Resilience Plan pilot project Open Access for Lifelong Education (ODVIj), implemented by the University of Maribor in cooperation with the University of Maribor Library. Through these pilot projects, the University of Maribor has the opportunity to support the sustainable and creative development of higher education activities that will provide the foundation for the professions and challenges of the future, thereby contributing to societal progress. As part of these efforts, we are actively developing the field of open science, which also encompasses open educational resources and the promotion of comprehensive knowledge about open-access practices. These themes are reflected in this year’s theme, Festival of Open Education. Over the course of two days, the programme explores the intersection of open science and artificial intelligence in higher education, focusing on both the opportunities and challenges brought about by the age of AI. We will discuss effective collaboration with artificial intelligence according to the principles of open science and reflect on how Slovenian public higher education institutions are preparing for and adapting to a landscape shaped by open science and artificial intelligence.”

The festival’s central programme featured two panel discussions. On the first day, moderated by Prof. Dr. Dean Korošak, Vice-Rector for Research of the University of Maribor, participants discussed Challenges and Opportunities for Higher Education at the Intersection of Open Science and Artificial Intelligence. On the second day, a panel on Challenges of Academic Publishing and Scholarly Communication in the Context of Open Science and AI Tools, moderated by Mag. Dunja Legat, Director of the University of Maribor Library, brought together experts from the field.

Throughout the two-day programme, participants attending in person and online were able to take part in a range of lectures and presentations. Topics included the ethical, social and emotional dimensions of artificial intelligence in education, open science and AI in scholarly publishing, and generative artificial intelligence in and for education, including practical demonstrations of its use.

As part of the session University of Maribor Recovery and Resilience Plan – Pilot Projects Up Close, visitors also had the opportunity to learn about nine pilot projects through which the University of Maribor is advancing research in artificial intelligence and contributing to digital, green, and sustainable development.

The accompanying festival programme complemented the main programme with a range of more relaxed activities, including an energising morning dance session, FestUMteka, an afternoon programme of student film screenings, a chess tournament organised as part of Student October, an evening concert entitled “Open Air under the Arcades” and a Digital FestUM Gallery showcasing all 23 Recovery and Resilience Plan pilot projects currently being implemented at the University of Maribor.

We look forward to seeing you next year, when we will once again celebrate science together at FestUM!

The project is co-financed by the Republic of Slovenia, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, and the European Union – NextGenerationEU.