Highlights from Senior Winter School 2026: a Week of Innovation and Collaboration

The 6th edition of 10 Days of INGENIUM, the flagship event of the INGENIUM European University Alliance, took place between 26 January and 6 February 2026. Hosted by “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iași (Romania) and later by the University of Skövde (Sweden), this edition also included the Senior Winter School held in Iasi, an event that brought together master’s and PhD students, staff, mentors and experts from all ten partner universities for 5 days of intensive learning, exchange and collaboration.

“Welcoming the INGENIUM community to TUIASI and Iași has shown once again that European universities can redefine their future when they work together. These days were not just about meetings and workshops, they were about building trust, sharing values, and envisioning the future of higher education guided by innovation and solidarity.” TUIASI Rector Dan Cașcaval PhD

“Science Meets Industry” in Iași

The event opened on 26 January 2026 with the Senior Winter School – “Science Meets Industry” at the historic Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iași. The Official Opening Ceremony brought the INGENIUM community together, where institutional leaders and student representatives highlighted the importance of international collaboration, cross-disciplinary learning and the student voice in shaping the Alliance’s future.

In the afternoon, students began their intensive programme, being organized into three Blended Intensive Programmes (BIPs), each examining innovation from different angles such as creative convergence, ethical artificial intelligence, and industry challenge driven solutions. Although the themes varied, all BIPs shared a focus on bridging academic insight with real industry needs.

Over the following days, participants progressed through a combination of plenary lectures and hands-on workshops. Lectures explored the foundations of innovation, from co-creation and product design to understanding how ideas evolve into marketable solutions. A dedicated session on AI regulations prompted deep discussions on ethics and governance in emerging technologies.

The afternoons were dedicated to applied teamwork, where interdisciplinary groups tackled real challenges by prototyping, validating and iterating their solutions. Interaction with industry professionals, including sessions at Amazon and Aumovio, allowed students to test assumptions, refine business models and receive constructive feedback from practitioners. Through debates, design exercises, and feasibility assessments, students deepened their understanding of what it takes to translate research ideas into impactful outcomes.

Final Presentations and Outcomes

As the Senior Winter School concluded, teams presented their final projects, showcasing original and multifaceted solutions. What stood out was not just the technical quality of the work, but the collaborative spirit, resilience, and cultural exchange that defined the week. Students had moved from early ideation to refined pitches, demonstrating how international teamwork and real-world problem solving can accelerate learning and personal growth.

The closing ceremony celebrated not only the projects but the network of relationships forged over the intensive week — a testament to experiential learning and its transformative power.