The Library and Information Centre (LIC) of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) participated in designing and delivering the CIVIS Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) titled “Transformative Libraries and Participatory Culture” (IMOTION) implemented in two parts — online and in-person — from 3 June to 10 July 2026.
This initiative is particularly significant for the CIVIS European University Alliance: it is the first BIP in the Alliance’s history designed exclusively for the training of academic library staff. This choice highlights the importance of librarians’ continuing professional development and the pivotal role of Academic Libraries in the digital transformation of education, research and services.
A European collaborative educational initiative
Coordinated by Aix-Marseille Université (AMU), four Institutions, members of the CIVIS Alliance, joined forces, each covering a complementary pillar:
Aix-Marseille Université (Host-France): User Experience Design (UX)
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Greece): Information Literacy & Artificial Intelligence in Academic Libraries
Paris Lodron Universität Salzburg (Austria): Open Science
Sapienza Università di Roma (Italy): Cultural and Social Activities in Libraries
Each Institution’s contibution was based on related previous expertise, thus creating a complete training programme.
The NKUA LIC Partication
For the implementation of the programme, the Library Directorate assembled a dedicated working group, comprised of the following librarians:
Kyriaki (Kiki) Papadopoulou — Team Leader, Library of the School of Philosophy
Chrysoula Doumentzianou — Deputy Team Leader, Library of the School of Science
Efi Zoumpouli — Team Member, Library of the School of Education
Maria Katsea — Team Member, Library of the School of Law
The LIC delegation designed and delivered the material on Information Literacy & Artificial Intelligence in Academic Libraries, via online meeting and in-person workshops, focusing on the challenges and opportunities created by artificial intelligence (AI) for Academic Libraries, information literacy, and in supporting education and research.
For the means of the programme, the LIC team designed and delivered seven specialised sessions:
Welcome & Introduction to the Program — An overview of the module’s objectives
Copyright, CC & AI Licensing — Legal frameworks, intellectual property, and Creative Commons licensing in the age of AI
AI, Fake News & Deepfakes — Hands-on detection of misinformation using AI tools
AI in Bibliographic References — Practical solutions for reference management
AI Ethics Workshop — Interactive analysis of ethical considerations
Advanced Prompt Engineering Workshop — A specialised workshop on prompt design for librarians
Action Planning — Network building and planning for future collaboration
The sessions combined a theoretical approach, practical application, collaborative activities, and experience exchange. Upon completion, participants had formed personalized action plans for integrating the gained knowledge and selected tools into their daily work practice. All the materials that were produced during the workshops will be part of the forthcoming e-book “ON LIBS”, where the results and experiences will be presented.
The In-Person Component
The in-person phase of the programme took place from the 22nd to the 26th of June 2026 across Aix-Marseille Université’s campuses in Marseille and Aix-en-Provence, as part of an international Staff Week.
The programme included a series of workshops, study visits to state-of-the-art AMU library facilities — Palais du Pharo, Pauliane Economics & Management Library, Fenouillères Library, Bibliothèque Saint Charles, Bernard du Bois, and the Luminy Learning Centre — and cultural and networking activities for the participants (Cosquer Cave, Calanques National Park).
An investment in international cooperation and the development of Libraries
The participation of the LIC to the first CIVIS Blended Intensive Programme for Academic Library staff confirms the constant presence of NKUA in the shared educational initiatives of the CIVIS Alliance and showcased the contribution of the NKUA Library and Information Centre in creating modern approaches for the development of Academic Libraries.
The experience and the know-how that were gained through the collaboration with other European universities, will be utilized in designing future activities for the NKUA LIC to further develop the provided services, further develop the Information and AI Literacy courses, and support the educational process, research and life-long learning.
Useful Links
CIVIS BIP Team – Linktree NKUA
