Ihor Maslovskyi is a second-year Cybercrime and IT student at South East Technological University (SETU). Recently, he travelled to Valencia to participate in the EU-CONEXUS Student Research Hub titled AI at School: Research Applied to a Comprehensive Inclusion, hosted by the Catholic University of Valencia (UCV).
Background to the Student Research Hub
The Student Research Hub focused on empowering participants with the knowledge, tools and critical perspectives needed to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into inclusive educational practices. The hub explored how AI can support diverse learners, including those with disabilities, language barriers and socio-economic challenges. Topics included adaptive learning systems, bias in AI algorithms, personalised education and the role of teacher agency in technology-mediated instruction.
Students participated in hands-on workshops, collaborative projects and curated learning resources while engaging with real-world scenarios and reflecting on how AI can be harnessed to support all learners. The hub also encouraged critical inquiry into the social implications of AI in education, fostering a mindset of responsible innovation.
Reflecting on the opportunity, Ihor said:
“The central theme was AI at School, exploring how artificial intelligence is transforming education, teaching methods and the future of learning across Europe. As a Cybercrime & IT student, the topic hit closer to home than I expected. AI isn’t just changing the tools we use, it’s reshaping how we think, how we study and how we’ll work in cybersecurity and beyond.”
Learning Outcomes and Content
The programme’s learning outcomes included exploring AI tools that support inclusive pedagogies in the classroom, examining the most up-to-date ethical approaches to the use of AI in schools, identifying the Sustainable Development Goals that align with ethical and inclusive AI practices and designing learning activities that foster inclusive educational environments through the use of AI.
Ihor explained:
“The week was packed with lectures, workshops and collaborative sessions with students from partner universities across the EU-CONEXUS Alliance. We explored how institutions are integrating AI into teaching and assessment, discussed the ethics of AI in academic environments and looked at how different EU universities are approaching AI adoption.”
One highlight for Ihor was working alongside peers from different countries and academic traditions. He described the experience as “genuinely eye-opening”, explaining that seeing how other European students approached the same questions he encounters in his own studies gave him a completely new perspective.
Skill Development
Speaking candidly, Ihor explained how the experience helped him develop important life skills, with many of the real gains taking place beyond the classroom.
“Being dropped into a new city — navigating transport, language barriers, a tight budget and an unfamiliar environment — forces you to grow fast. I came back to Carlow more confident, more independent, and with a much clearer picture of what studying and working internationally actually looks like in practice.”
Networking and building new connections further increased his confidence. Ihor recognised the importance of forming friendships with students from across the Alliance, the kind of network that matters when building a career in fast-moving fields such as cybersecurity and AI.
From Carlow to Valencia
As part of the experience, students had free time alongside organised group activities. Between sessions, Ihor wandered through the Mercado Central, one of the largest markets in Europe, describing it as “buzzing with colour and life”.
The students also explored the city, and two of Ihor’s favourite locations were the City of Arts and Sciences, “that impossibly futuristic complex that looks like something from a sci-fi film”, and the Gothic heart of the city, including the Cathedral, the Torres de Serranos and the narrow streets filled with history.
Speaking about Spanish culture, Ihor particularly enjoyed Valencia’s food scene, saying:
“The paella and tapas were generous, affordable and extraordinary. I ate where locals eat, took the metro like a local, and for a few days felt less like a student on exchange and more like someone who genuinely belonged there.”
The EU-CONEXUS Experience
For Ihor, the opportunity to participate in the EU-CONEXUS Student Research Hub has been vital to his development both personally and professionally. Reflecting on the impact of the initiative, he said:
“EU-CONEXUS isn’t just a line on a CV or a stamp in a passport. It’s proof that European higher education, when it works, is genuinely special. As a Ukrainian student studying in Ireland, building a European identity — academically, professionally and personally — means more than I can easily put into words. Valencia gave me a week. I’m bringing that week with me for years.”
More information on EU-CONEXUS student research hub offerings available here.
