Pilsen hosts an international conference of nine EUPeace universities. On AI or even women’s health

Nearly 200 experts from nine universities and seven European countries will be hosted from September 22–24 by the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen. The EUPeace alliance conference at Parkhotel will focus on artificial intelligence in education and research.

How does AI affect areas linked to social conflicts, migration, human rights, or health? These are the questions and topics for the European alliance of nine universities, EUPeace. From September 22 to 24 in Pilsen, scholars from the Czech Republic, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Turkey, and Bosnia and Herzegovina will look for answers.

“As universities, we must reflect not only on what artificial intelligence can make easier, but also on what it can cause. Membership in the EUPeace alliance gives us space to contribute to the deployment of AI and potentially even influence the rules of the game,” said Josef Basl, Vice-Rector for Strategy of the University of West Bohemia (UWB). According to him, participation in the alliance is not only a matter of prestige, but above all a commitment.

The Monday program of the international meeting will begin with several lectures by AI experts. The UWB will host Lukáš Benzl, Director of the Czech Association for Artificial Intelligence, who will present the current possibilities of AI technologies in both the Czech and European contexts. He will be followed by Miloslav Konopík from the Faculty of Applied Sciences at UWB, who will speak about the development of AI at the university and its connection to teaching and research. Political scientist Přemysl Rosůlek will then add an ethical perspective, specifically on political campaigns in the age of artificial intelligence.

The universities are meeting for a joint alliance conference for the second time, and for the first time in Pilsen. The uniqueness of the Pilsen meeting will be highlighted by the Wednesday program entitled Creative Spaces, which will offer open spaces for interdisciplinary scientific discussion. The NTC Research Centre, together with the Ladislav Sutnar Faculty of Design and Art, will present research focused on artificial intelligence and women’s health. The goal is to develop a smart device capable of detecting weak pelvic floor muscles and possible injuries.

The European University Alliance EUPeace (European University for Peace, Justice and Inclusive Societies) was founded in November 2023. “One of the alliance’s long-term goals is, for example, the creation of joint study programs. Membership in the alliance also significantly broadens the opportunities for our students and academics to go abroad,” added Ondřej Benda, coordinator of UWB’s membership in EUPeace. The conference in Pilsen is made possible thanks to the financial support of the Pilsen Region.