International Days 2026

Three days of innovation, networking, and inspiration in education.

Join us for UCN’s International Days 2026, taking place 5–7 May, where educators, professionals, and innovators from around the world come together to explore the future of education through innovation.

Exploring Innovation in Education

This year’s theme, Exploring Innovation in Education, invites you to discover new perspectives, exchange ideas, and gain practical tools for shaping the learning environments of tomorrow.

During International Days, there will be two tracks for participants to follow. You can read more about the tracks below.

Two Dynamic Tracks to Inspire and Empower

Designed for educators and international partners eager to experience innovation in practice. Participants will engage with hands-on workshops, discussions, and case studies across four key themes:

Innovation in Health Education
Digital Innovation and AI
Innovative sustainability
Innovating International Mobility

The Explorer track is grounded in the Innovation Circle, providing participants
with structured yet creative approaches to rethink challenges and opportunities in education.

The Advanced Track is based on the overarching learning approach called Challenge Based Learning (CBL), which is characterized by taking its starting point in real, authentic challenges—often in collaboration with external partners and without predefined solutions. Through a facilitated process that moves through various creative, innovative, and entrepreneurial phases, participants develop new solutions to these challenges. CBL is a cornerstone of the European University Alliance, HEROES, and together with our partners in this project, we are co-creating a new shared guideline for this learning approach. Well-known didactic models for innovation development, such as the Innovation Circle and the Atom Model, will be integrated into CBL, why you will be introduced to them during the course.

The Advanced track is tailored for professionals who want to deepen their understanding of the Innovation Circle methodology. Participants will engage with theory, reflection, and practice to qualify as certified Innovation Circle Facilitators - equipped to lead and support innovation processes in their own institutions and organizations. The Advanced Track is highly participatory, and it is expected to engage actively.

The Innovation Circle and its phases: The Challenge, Exploration, Idea Generation, Prototyping, Action & Evaluation

5 valuable things you will take home

Fresh ideas and practical tools from workshops on educational innovation — concrete methods and models (such as the Innovation Circle and CBL) that you can immediately apply in your professional practice
Structured development of solutions to real-life challenges — through engaging sessions, you work with cases and gain hands-on experience with collaborative, innovative thinking
An international community and new collaboration partners — you will meet educators, practitioners, and experts from other countries who can expand your professional network
Inspiring input from frontrunners in AI, creativity, and innovation — including a keynote on collaboration between human and artificial creativity, offering new perspectives on learning and teaching
A diploma and materials documenting your participation - you receive an official certificate of attendance and a physical copy of The Innovation Circle to take home

Location and information

Place: Aalborg, Denmark
Venue: Campus Hobrovej 85, 9000 Aalborg (close to the city centre)
Dates: 5-7 May 2026
Registration deadline: 15 April
Price: €95
Funding: Eligible for Erasmus+ funding (contact your home institution for details)

Key Note Speaker

Christian Byrge

What happens when human creativity meets artificial creativity - not as a tool, but as an equal partner capable of generating those “why didn’t we think of that before?” ideas? Emerging research shows that AI now outperforms most humans on many of the abilities we associate with creative thinking, including originality, imagination, and perspective shifting. In this keynote, Christian introduces the newest insights on how to collaborate with AI in ways that expand - rather than replace - our human creative potential. You will discover how creative partnerships with AI can spark more motivating ideas and help imagine new interesting roles of AI in education. Christian Byrge is a professor of AI-supported creative thinking, and he has prepared a hands-on session offering practical tools you can use to begin a creative collaboration with AI the very next day.

Christian Byrge, expert in AI-supported creative thinking and keynote speaker at International Days 2026

All-Inclusive Experience – €95

For a participation fee of €95, you will not only gain access to inspiring sessions and networking opportunities but also enjoy a full package of added benefits:

A hard copy of The Innovation Circle
Full catering throughout the event
A festive networking dinner
An exclusive goodie bag
An official certificate of attendance
Opportunities to connect with like-minded professionals and members of the HEROES alliance

This combination ensures that International Days 2026 is both a rewarding professional investment and a memorable personal experience.

Please note that the registration fee is non-refundable.

Don't miss out - save your spot!

Practical information

Preliminary programme

How to get to Aalborg

Accommodation in Aalborg

Contact

Mette Brink Haslund

International consultant

E-mail:

mtj@ucn.dk

Phone:

72691360

Anja Uggerly Jørgensen