Conference Agenda

Universities while implementing a third mission which emphasizes cooperation with society and acceleration of social change, play an important role in building resilience in society to address different challenges and assuring sustainability in local settings, such as cities or local communities. Lithuania was and still is facing the challenge of emigration which affects sustainability of cities and local communities. Through developing partnerships among different stakeholders such as academia, governmental institutions, businesses and civil society organizations, these challenges might be addressed, making cities and towns comfortable, safe, flexible, sustainable (as targeted by SDG#11) and more attractive to live in. In this environment universities need to implement transformative changes to be more resilient and adaptive in changing conditions.

This paper will discuss the local contexts, barriers and framework conditions that affect the institutional transformation and stakeholders’ values, concerns, needs and expectations.

The paper also will share practices on how universities are implementing transformational changes towards strengthening capacities of academic staff to use innovative teaching methods. Kaunas University of Technology, while implementing Horizon Europe Project CATALISI is focusing on 3 intervention areas (IAs), where two of these three intervention areas are under the intervention domain ‘Human Capital’, one intervention area is under the domain of ‘Research Modus Operandi’: (1) Supporting talent circulation/ mobility; (2) Strengthening of human capital; (3) Public engagement with and outreach to society to solve social challenges. The transformational changes will be discussed in this paper.

The Government of Uganda is embracing Artificial Intelligence (AI) in its efforts to improve government operations which efforts are reflected in all its service sectors including the higher education sector. The center for Law and Innovation reported scarcity of policies that prioritise AI development and its application in Africa which report is collaborated by other authors who reported low AI regulatory awareness levels among users. AI legislation awareness therefore becomes imperative for researchers because regulation in terms of laws and policies are desired to address issues of ethics, accountability and liability, transparency and to build research trust. Since AI usage in research undertakings is considered a high risk undertaking and is increasing at unprecedented levels, this study investigated the AI literacy gap among graduate students at Uganda Management Institute. Sixty percent respondents participated in an online survey instrument, descriptive statistics were used to analyse data. Key informants’ views also supported the analysis. Approximately 89.9% of respondents indicated they were unaware of any AI-specific legislation. A small 10.1% mentioned the EU AI Act or plagiarism regulations related to AI confirming the awareness gap. Formal training was nearly nonexistent, with only 5.1% having attended sessions on AI ethics or legislation, whereas 94.9% referred to ICT or research integrity talks as the only proxy to AI legislation awareness. Recommendations pointed to the need for AI legislation awareness to ensure originality and guard against ethical considerations and academic dishonesty. Several respondents warned that unregulated AI usage could negatively affect academic independency and curtail critical thinking and inquiry all of which could undermine the quality of intellectual research and affect HEI credibility if AI usage is not legislated. Anticipation that HEI will develop clear policies that align with national/ international developments, and commit sufficient resources towards enabling infrastructure and software. The findings could inform policy makers to address AI legislation enactment and increase user awareness among researchers in order to tackle matters of critical thinking abilities, ethical considerations, intellectual property, appreciation for accountability and liability, truthfulness and risk mitigation in research. Further inquiry could investigate AI legislation awareness levels in all public Higher Education Institutions in Uganda and do comparative studies between public and private HEI.

In many public organizations, traditional training methods fail to identify the real gaps in knowledge and skills. At the Federal Public Service Policy and Support, we observe that some organizations invest considerable time, money, and effort in developing training courses and solutions, yet often see minimal improvement after the training is delivered. One major reason is that the training needs analysis (TNA) is not conducted properly. Common issues include unclear or irrelevant questions, insufficient information, and the tendency to retain training programs in the catalog simply because they have always been offered. This case study illustrates how we enhance the TNA process to ensure that our learning and development initiatives lead to meaningful transfer and impact.

This paper explores how we approach training needs analysis within the Learning & Development context of the Belgian Federal Public Service. Using practical workplace examples, we illustrate how we address common challenges by combining practical experience with theoretical models. We rely on frameworks that are well-established among both practitioners and academics. For instance, we have adapted the Kirkpatrick model to our specific environment. This helped us better assess the relevance of our training activities, identify gaps, and foster an environment where continuous learning is valued.

Our practical experience within the Belgian Federal Administration shows that using the Kirkpatrick evaluation model already in the training needs analysis phase helps align training requirements with learning outcomes. By applying other methods such as Toyota’s 5 Whys method, Ishikawa, and SWOT analysis, we can uncover the root causes of learning and development gaps and challenges and distinguish competency deficits from other influencing factors, such as unclear procedures, inefficient processes, or hardware-related issues. This approach demonstrates that better data collection and a more precise training and learning needs analysis lead to a clearer understanding of true training needs and help create more effective learning solutions.

Many public organizations struggle to design effective training because the training needs analysis (TNA) is not always well executed. This case study shows how a more rigorous, evidence-based TNA process leads to better learning outcomes. By using the right tools, organizations can improve their global curriculum design. Investing more time and resources in Learning Needs Analysis, despite its costs, will bring long-term benefits by enabling more targeted, impactful, and sustainable training initiatives.

J.W.M. Kessels, C.A. Smit, P. Keursten. (1996). Het acht velden model. Retrieved from https://www.kessels-smit.com/files/Het_acht_velden_instrument_NL_3.pdf

O. Serrat. (2017). The Five Whys Technique. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318013490_The_Five_Whys_Technique

D. Kirkpatrick. (2010-2024). The Kirkpatrick Evaluation Model. Retrieved from https://www.kirkpatrickpartners.com/the-kirkpatrick-model/