Experiencing the future: More than 1,200 visitors explored IT:U
IT:U transformed its Education Campus into a vibrant hub for science, study, and innovation. On April 24, 2026, the university opened its doors for a full-day program dedicated to studying, research, and innovation. Seamlessly transitioning into Austria’s nationwide “Lange Nacht der Forschung”, the event created a unique two-in-one experience that attracted more than 1,200 visitors eager to discover the university’s interdisciplinary approach.
From morning until late evening, the IT:U Education Campus at Science Park 4 in Linz became an open space for exploration, experimentation, and exchange. Guided tours through the university’s LearnLabs and interactive research stations offered hands-on insights into both academic programs and cutting-edge research. Visitors engaged directly with researchers, explored study opportunities, and experienced how learning at IT:U connects theory with real-world challenges.
Rethinking the university experience
“The positive response confirms our ambition to rethink university: interdisciplinary, project-based, and closely connected to the complex realities of our time. At IT:U, we bring together people, disciplines, and technologies, and we don’t just impart knowledge; we make it tangible by learning through real-world challenges. This is exactly what visitors were now able to experience for themselves.”
Christina Nyström, Founding Director Learning
Hands-on research: From disaster response to space technologies
The entire campus, along with the Digital City Studio in Linz’s city center, turned into an interactive experience space. Visitors could actively participate in research: from testing AI-supported learning systems to exploring the role of social media in disaster response and experimenting with technologies for autonomous driving and energy-efficient AI for space applications. Additional projects addressed topics such as AI-assisted support for people with dementia and fairness in AI-driven customer service.
A glimpse into the future of higher education
The event underscored how closely education, research, and societal challenges are interconnected, and how this connection can shape new models for the future of learning. IT:U’s study programs are designed to be interdisciplinary and project-based:
- Students from diverse backgrounds join the Master’s program in “Interdisciplinary Computing”
- At doctoral level, the “Computational X” program extends this approach by combining computer science with natural, social, and humanities disciplines. The PhD track “Digital Transformation in Learning,” developed in collaboration with the Johannes Kepler University Linz, focuses on the role of AI in educational processes.
By the end of the day, one thing was clear: IT:U represents a bold, forward-looking model of higher education. One that connects disciplines, empowers learners, and makes science accessible through experience.
