Workshops by CUAS: Pioneering Insights into AI Technologies
The School of Management at CUAS presented two workshops, delivered by FH-Prof. Dr. Svetlana Buko and Dr. Bernhard Guetz, BA MSc. Both sessions were met with enthusiastic responses and attracted a large, diverse audience.
1. Workshop: "Transforming Project Management" by FH-Prof. Dr. Svetlana Buko
In her workshop, Dr. Svetlana Buko focused on the transformation of project management through AI technologies. She demonstrated real-world examples of how AI can revolutionize project workflows, increase efficiency, and enhance decision-making processes. Webinar included a very diverse group of 170 attendees, including students, alumni, PM educators, PM professors, junior PM managers, PM experts, and team leaders. Participants were provided with examples of AI integration in PM certifications, recent research data on the role of AI in PM tasks, and innovative tools recommended by PMI (Project Management Institute) that could be directly applied in their professional practice. Following the webinar, experts discussed the evolving landscape of AI in project management. They emphasized the continued importance of human judgment and decision-making, even as AI tools become more sophisticated. Educators echoed the need for educational institutions to adapt their curricula to integrate AI into PM courses and case studies. This webinar underscored the growing synergy between AI and project management in both academia and industry.
2. Workshop: "Intelligence Meets Intuition: The Revolution through AI Technologies" by Dr. Bernhard Guetz, BA MSc
In his workshop, "Intelligence Meets Intuition", Dr. Bernhard Guetz explored how the combination of human intuition and AI technologies can drive innovation across various industries. The session attracted over 300 participants, reflecting broad interest in the topic. Dr. Guetz presented real-world examples of AI enhancing human decision-making in fields like marketing, finance, and healthcare, showing how AI tools can support predictive analytics and problem-solving while leaving space for human judgment. He emphasized the concept of augmented intelligence, where AI empowers professionals to make better decisions without replacing human creativity. Ethical considerations and the limits of AI were also discussed, highlighting the importance of intuition in interpreting complex situations. The workshop included live demonstrations and interactive discussions, offering participants a hands-on view of how AI can complement and enhance human expertise.
Strengthening Partnerships for Future-Ready Skills
Commenting on the significance of such international collaborations, FH-Prof. Dr. Thomas Fenzl, Dean of the School of Management, emphasized:
"In an ever-faster changing work environment that requires continuous and agile adaptation to a shifting demand of skills and qualifications, including digital skills and AI-preparedness, it is vital for us to keep close ties to regionally and internationally active companies and organizations. Such sustaining partnerships are an important pillar to ensure practice orientation in our training and study programs, which benefits both our students and our partners: Students are prepared with state-of-the-art practical skills relevant to the labor market, and companies and organizations get access to talents that possess the competencies they need."
These partnerships, as demonstrated through the Google Summer Academy, ensure that CUAS remains a leader in providing practical, market-relevant education that benefits both students and industry.
“We're proud to be the pioneer in Carinthia for Google Academy and Google's career certificate program. We're grateful to Evelyn Leu (Lead Education Projects & Industry Manager @Google) for her continued support. Our partnership highlights how universities can align their courses with industry needs and produce job-ready graduates.”
FH-Prof.in Project Management, Dr. Svetlana Buko
Looking Ahead: CUAS's Commitment to Innovation
The workshops presented by the School of Management at CUAS were a resounding success, with participants praising the interactive and forward-thinking nature of the sessions. Through continued collaboration with leading companies like Google, CUAS is committed to delivering practical, future-oriented education that empowers both students and professionals.
CUAS is committed to the FH 2030 strategy, focusing on digitalization and internationalization of the curriculum. Josef Anibas, CUAS CDO highlights the strategic importance of digital skills:
“With the creation of the digital strategy of CUAS, we ensured that digital skills were incorporated in all our study programs. Our 2030 strategy is amongst others focusing on further educational opportunities, in which digital skills will of course further play an important role. I am happy that people at CUAS, be it students or alumni, have the great opportunity to participate in programs in cooperation with leading technology providers in the field.”
The participation in the Google Summer Academy 2024 highlighted CUAS's dedication to staying at the forefront of technological advancements, ensuring that students are equipped with the skills needed for tomorrow's workforce.
Feedback from participants, experts and students:
"I found it particularly helpful to find out about the opportunities for self-paced online training in AI and agile project management so that I can better position myself on the job market with a certificate from Google."
Katja Knörr, Agile Product Developer, Villach, Austria
“As a frequent user of various LLM Apps in my daily work on strategy development and rollout, I was delighted to find a kindred spirit in Kärnten who recognizes the synergy between AI, human experience, judgment, and project management approaches. I appreciated the additional inputs, valuable resources, and opportunities for further learning and training provided during the workshop. It reinforced my belief in the transformative power of AI when combined with human expertise in the field of project management. What truly excites me is that AI is not just enhancing efficiency. I believe it's empowering humans to tackle grand challenges that were previously left untried. As the fear of failure diminishes with AI support, we're now more willing to approach ambitious projects and innovative solutions. This shift in mindset opens up new possibilities for growth and innovation in project management and beyond. Thanks to Svetlana Buko for this exciting learning experience."
Patrick Hanhart, edupreneur and strategy consultant, Zurich, Switzerland
„I am very grateful to CUAS for the opportunity to improve my knowledge in Digital Marketing/E-commerce via the Google Career Certificate Program. I’m committed to continuing with further certifications to deepen my understanding in a field I’m so passionate about”
Arsenia Kaloian, Intercultural Management BA international student from Ukraine.
"Completing this certificate helped me to refresh and expand my project management knowledge, which I acquired during my semester abroad in Belgium through projects with various partners. The different ways in which the content is taught and reviewed supported my learning process immensely. Hearing about the experience of real project managers working at Google and how to apply the acquired knowledge in real-life situations was also really interesting. I am very grateful that CUAS can offer students the opportunity to develop and acquire new skills through this partnership with Google. This certificate helped me during my current internship at BKS Bank, and I am certain that it will also help me throughout my future professional career.”
Gavran Helena, Intercultural Management BA graduate, Intern at BKS Bank, Klagenfurt, Austria.
