Munster Technological University (MTU) strengthened its international academic engagement recently as Professor Muiris Ó Laoire and Dr Kristin Brogan participated in the Interconnected Learning and Teaching Conference (ILT) in Romania

The event brought together leading European universities to explore the future of foreign language education, intercultural communication, and the impact of artificial intelligence on teaching and learning.

Professor Ó Laoire delivered the conference keynote address, titled “Foreign Language Teaching and Learning and Intercultural Communication in an AI-Shaped World: From Acquired Knowledge to Vital Intercultural Fluency as a Lived Skill.” His presentation examined the significant shifts occurring in language pedagogy and highlighted the need for educators to foster intercultural fluency as a lived, practical competence.

Dr Kristin Brogan led an intercultural workshop, “Breaking Barriers and Building Relationships,” focusing on strengthening communication practices across cultural contexts and enhancing learner engagement. She was supported by MTU’s INGENIUM Romanian partners, Dr Evagrina Dîrțu and Dr Ioana Baciu, who contributed to the delivery and facilitation of the session. The keynote speech by my colleague Muiris was very well received and sparked a lot of discussion.”

The conference was co-organised by Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași, Iași University of Life Sciences, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iași, Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iași, and the George Enescu National University of Arts. The programme featured a wide range of presentations and workshops delivered in multiple languages, attracting academics and practitioners from across Europe.