The 5th Teaching Innovation Conference addresses the challenges of artificial intelligence and university transformation 3 June 2026
The event, which runs until 29 May, brings together lecturers and specialists to reflect on new teaching methodologies, academic staff training and the adaptation of universities to technological and social change
The University of Cádiz inaugurated the 5th Teaching Innovation Conference on Wednesday at the School of Engineering (ESI) on the Puerto Real Campus. The event, which continues until Friday 29 May, brings together lecturers, researchers and specialists to discuss the main challenges and opportunities facing higher education in today’s technological and social context.
Organised by the Vice-Rectorate for Academic Staff, the conference provides a space for reflection and the exchange of experiences on teaching methodologies, staff training and educational innovation. The programme includes keynote lectures, presentations and working sessions focused on improving the quality of higher education and adapting universities to the evolving needs and expectations of students.
During the opening session, the Rector of the University of Cádiz, Casimiro Mantell, stressed the need for universities to address the profound changes resulting from the emergence of artificial intelligence and new ways in which students access information. He highlighted the importance of creating spaces for debate and reflection on the future of higher education and on the tools needed to adapt teaching to new generations of learners.
The Rector also emphasised that research and teaching innovation must progress hand in hand to ensure high-quality education, while reaffirming the value and commitment of university teaching staff.
For his part, the Vice-Rector for Academic Staff, José Antonio Perales Vargas Machuca, underlined the importance of strengthening the role of teaching within university activity and highlighted the growth of initiatives linked to educational innovation at the University of Cádiz. In this regard, he referred to the recent creation of new teaching innovation groups and praised the commitment of academic staff to building a more dynamic, efficient and forward-looking university.
He also thanked the scientific committee and all those involved in organising the conference, as well as the large number of participants attending this fifth edition.
The opening keynote lecture was delivered by Francisco Imbernón, Professor of Didactics and Educational Organisation at the University of Barcelona and a leading figure in teacher training and educational innovation. During his presentation, he reflected on the evolution of university teaching and the impact of generational changes among students, arguing for the need to analyse both the strengths and weaknesses of higher education through the lens of experience and educational research.
Imbernón highlighted that one of the most significant transformations in higher education in recent years has been the changing profile of students and noted that much of teaching practice is built through the shared experience of lecturers and learners.
The 5th Teaching Innovation Conference will continue until Friday with a range of activities and presentations aimed at sharing experiences, promoting new methodological strategies and fostering the continuous improvement of university teaching.
Among the programme highlights is the keynote lecture by Eduardo Sierra, from the University of Málaga, who on Wednesday afternoon will deliver the plenary session Three Tensions in University Life: Notes for a Conversation. On Thursday morning, Paula Ruiz, from the University of Cádiz and winner of the 2026 UCA Teaching Innovation Award, will present a session on the use of podcasts as a teaching innovation tool in Social Psychology. The conference will conclude on Friday with the presentation of the UCA Teaching Innovation Awards.
