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AIED Nexus Malta 2026 launches National AI in Education Network

University of Malta brings together education, government and industry leaders to shape the future of AI in Education.

The University of Malta's Department of Artificial Intelligence successfully hosted AIED Nexus Malta 2026, marking the official launch of the Malta AI in Education Network, a national initiative that aims to foster collaboration between academia, schools, government, industry, start-ups, and the wider educational community.

Held at the Faculty of ICT, the event brought together leading stakeholders from across Malta's education and technology sectors to discuss how Artificial Intelligence can be harnessed responsibly and effectively to enhance teaching, learning, research, assessment, and educational innovation.

The event was opened by Prof. Ing. Carl Debono, Dean of the Faculty of ICT, who welcomed participants and highlighted the University's commitment to leading innovation in Artificial Intelligence and digital education.

He emphasised the importance of collaborative partnerships in ensuring that Malta remains at the forefront of educational transformation.

AIED Nexus Malta 2026 was jointly led by Prof. Matthew Montebello, Head of the Department of Artificial Intelligence at the University of Malta, and Alexandra Markitan, representing SuperCharger Ventures, one of Europe's leading EdTech venture capital firms.

The initial founding collaborators also include Malta College for Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST), the Institute for Tourism Studies (ITS), the Directorate for Digital Literacy and Transversal Skills (DDLTS) and the Department of Technology and Enterpreunship Education from the Faculty of Education. This strong collaboration reflected the event's ambition to bridge academia, industry, entrepreneurship, and policy in developing a shared vision for AI in Education.

In his opening remarks, Prof. Montebello described the event as the beginning of a long-term national initiative rather than a standalone event.

"Artificial Intelligence presents one of the greatest opportunities to transform education, but this transformation cannot be achieved by any one institution acting alone. Through the Malta AI in Education Network, we are creating a collaborative community where educators, researchers, policymakers, industry leaders and innovators can work together to shape a responsible, human-centred future for AI in education."

Designed as an interactive networking event, AIED Nexus encouraged participants to move beyond presentations and engage in meaningful dialogue through facilitated roundtable discussions. Participants explored key themes including AI literacy, teaching and assessment, research and innovation, policy and governance, industry collaboration, and the future development of Malta's AI ecosystem.

One of the principal outcomes of the event was the official launch of the Malta AI in Education Network, which will serve as a national platform for collaboration, knowledge exchange, interdisciplinary research, pilot initiatives, and strategic partnerships.

Participants were all invited to register their intention to contribute to the development of the Malta AI in Education Network and join the founding collaborators in their shared commitment to continue collaborating through thematic working groups that will focus on advancing AI literacy, supporting educational innovation, strengthening research partnerships, informing policy development, and fostering closer engagement between education and industry, while promoting responsible, ethical, inclusive, and evidence-informed adoption of AI across the education sector.