Edu Tech Fest 3rd edition: Technology, ideas and inspiration for the education of the future

Edu Tech Fest 3rd edition took place on April 10 and 11, 2025 in Iasi and brought together around 1000 participants, teachers, pupils, students, entrepreneurs and technology specialists, in an event dedicated to transforming education through innovation. Hosted in the emblematic space of the "Pașilor Pierduți" Hall and the "Carmen Sylva" Aula of the "Gheorghe Asachi" Technical University of Iasi, the festival brought Artificial Intelligence in education to the forefront and became a meeting point for brave ideas, cutting-edge technological solutions and clear visions for the future of education in Romania.

The official opening of the Edu Tech Fest 3rd edition was marked by the speeches of distinguished guests from the academic, institutional and private sectors, who expressed their support for the digitalization of education. They included Prof.univ.dr.dr.ing. Irina Lungu, Vice-Rector for International Relations at TUIASI, Claudiu Cristian Gorea-Zamfir, School Inspector for Informatics, Cătălin Boghiu, Director for Digital Transformation and Smart City Implementation Iasi, Paul Butnariu, President of the Iasi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Viorel Delinschi, Chief Commercial Officer at Quartz Matrix. The moderator of the event former conf. dr. dr. eng. Andrei Stan, representative of the Faculty of Automation and Informatics, who facilitated the dialog between the main actors of education and technology.

Edu Tech Fest 3rd edition: event agenda and discussion topics

The event's agenda was dynamic, including interactive workshops, thematic presentations and networking sessions addressing the latest trends in digital education. One of the highlights was the workshop dedicated to personalized artificial intelligence, entitled "Private GPT: Your AI, your rules" by Quartz Matrix specialists, Costi Andriescu and Lucian Olaru, who explained how artificial intelligence can be used safely and effectively in education. Also, conf. univ. dr. eng. Adrian Alexandrescu, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Automation and Informatics, held a workshop on "Why Blockchain?", which provided an insight into the potential of blockchain technology in digitally certifying competences and ensuring transparency in academic assessment.

On the second day of the festival, the program continued with two high-impact presentations:

• Social Robots - presentation by Prof.univ.dr.ing. Ioan Doroftei, Director of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics and Robotics at TUIASI
• Innovation in education: how AI is transforming school. - Timotei Popescu, Solution Architect at IBM Client Engineering

The two interventions brought to the audience valuable insights on the applicability of robotics and smart solutions in education and industry, reinforcing the idea that the development of digital competences is an essential pillar of today's vocational training.

In addition to the theoretical sessions, participants had the opportunity to explore the latest innovations in the exhibition area, where more than 18 exhibitors showcased smart devices, AI applications and technological solutions adapted to modern classrooms. TUIASI faculties and technology companies answered questions from curious young people, providing them with relevant information about the educational and professional opportunities currently available.

The atmosphere was lively, with visitors eager to discover how technology can be applied in practical ways to teaching and learning. Live demonstrations and hands-on experiences completed the picture of an edition entirely dedicated to connecting innovation and education, illustrating how students and teachers can collaborate through smart digital tools.

With almost 1000 registered participants, the 3rd edition of Edu Tech Fest reconfirmed the importance of technology as an essential factor in the transformation of education, highlighting that digitization is no longer a future option, but a reality that requires a strategic approach, tailored to the concrete needs of students and teachers. The event offered not only the opportunity to discover innovative solutions, but also a genuine framework for collaboration between representatives of the academic, institutional and private sectors, consolidating its status as a national platform dedicated to digital education. Edu Tech Fest 3rd edition has demonstrated that through dialog, partnerships and access to cutting-edge technology, solid prospects can be opened for the formation of a generation ready to face the challenges of the future.