IDA Education, EADL and FLUID Conference: Innovate with AI – Putting Humans at the Centre

Join us for two days of networking and information about the latest trends in learning.
Speakers will come from Denmark, Norway, Ireland, Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands and the USA. 

This year’s focus is on AI's role in distance and digital learning, mainly focusing on the interface between humans and AI. Furthermore, innovative technological and behavioural developments influencing learning pedagogy, delivery and marketing will be highlighted.  

You will be presented with a strong blend of keynotes, presentations, discussions, and workshops.

The conference is held in collaboration with EADL and FLUID.

Conference Highlights – May 8–9, 2025

Explore the future of learning, technology, and human-machine collaboration.

Thursday, May 8 – Rethinking Systems, Intelligence & Interaction

We kick off with a keynote by Jens Christian Bjerring, PhD in philosophy and professor at Aarhus University. With two decades of experience bridging logic, epistemology, and real-world complexity, he’ll challenge your assumptions about how we know what we know—and what that means for AI, education, and intelligent systems.

Technical sessions throughout the day include:

AI & Human-Centered Learning Design
Designing systems where algorithms augment, rather than replace, human judgment. A deep dive into making AI tools more adaptive, ethical, and user-aware.

AI & Video: From Automation to Insight
Explore how machine learning intersects with video technology—from deepfake detection to AI-generated explainer content.

Creating Learning Videos with AI
Discover toolchains and workflows where AI handles editing, scripting, and personalization—freeing up your time for innovation (or that long-overdue coffee break).

Dr. Poornima Luthra explores how AI can enhance creative problem-solving and ideation—think of it as a turbo-charged whiteboard session. Then, Philipp Hoellermann breaks down scalable AI-assistants in education: Everybody Gets a Bot—your own tireless, logic-driven teaching companion.

Friday, May 9 – The Future of Learning

We begin with a keynote by Leah Matthews, Executive Director at DEAC. Gain a systems-level understanding of the U.S. distance learning landscape—what’s performing well, where the friction points lie, and how engineering principles can help optimize large-scale learning ecosystems.

Workshops for those who like to build, test, and iterate:

Human-Centered Marketing for Technical Content
How to communicate complex systems in a way that engages stakeholders—and doesn’t get lost in the noise.

Efficient Communication Strategies
Compressing information without compromising clarity. Tips for engineers who want to get their message across without a 50-slide deck.

100% Online Learning: Infrastructure, Interaction & Impact
Analyzing the mechanics of fully digital education—from latency to learner engagement—and the engineering challenges in between.

Norwegian Models for Flexible Learning
Case studies from Norway's evolving learning tech sector—what we can learn from a country where adaptability meets precision.

Final Session: Andreas Refsgaard – Let the Computer Do the Learning
Engineer, artist, and coder Andreas Refsgaard will show how AI can go beyond automation to creativity—tools that learn with you, not just for you.

Programme  

Thursday the 8^th May 

Kl. 9.30 Registration

Coffee, tea and bread 

Kl. 10.00
Welcome by John Trasker 

Kl. 10.15 Keynote: Jens Christian Bjerring 
Jens holds a PhD in philosophy from the Australian National University and currently lectures at Aarhus University in Denmark. His research interests span epistemology, the philosophy of language, logic, the
mind, and metaphysics.
As a speaker for 20 years, Jens will be giving the keynote at the conference.   

Kl. 11.00
Coffee break

Kl. 11.15 Roy de Vries
AI and Human Centred Learning Design
Linkedin  

12.00 Ilona Boomsma, L&D Consultant, Bureau Reuring  
AI and Video

Linkedin

Kl. 12.45
Lunch 

Kl. 13.45 Roy De Vries, aNewSpring 
Application of human-centred learning design. 

Kl. 14.30 Ilona Boomsma, L&D Consultant, Bureau Reuring 
Producing learning videos with AI. 

Kl. 15.15
Coffee break 

Kl. 15.30 Dr. Poornima Luthra 
Using AI as a sparring partner in learning. 
Linkedin  

Kl. 16.15 Philipp Hoellermann, Chief Transformation Officer, DWG, Germany
Everybody gets a bot. How to provide AI-supported teaching assistants.

Friday the 9^th May 2025 

Kl. 09.30 Registration
Coffee and Tea 

Kl. 9.45 Keynote: Leah Matthews, Executive Director at the DEAC, the American sister organisation to the EADL. 
Dr. Matthews has extensive experience in research, writing and speaking on topics such as higher education quality assurance, the federal and state roles in U.S. higher education, for-profit higher education and distance education for higher learning. 

A regular speaker at the EADL conference, Dr Matthews gives a detailed look at the current state of the distance learning market in the USA. 

10.30 Workshops

Workshop 1. 
Corjan Bast, Marketing Lead, Aviation Solutions - by Schiphol Group 

Human Centred Marketing 

Workshop 2.

Hrobjartur Arnason, Assistant Professor Director of Academic Development. University of Iceland. 

Perspectives on online learning – Readings from a Nordic project on 100 pct online learning. 

Kl.11.15

Coffee and Tea

Kl. 11.30 Workshops 

Workshop 3. 

Ellen Gunning, Chief Executive Officer, Mettacomms 

Innovative communication strategies 

Workshop 4.

Eleni Simeou Askim, Chief Executive Officer, Fleksibel Utdanning Norway
Is Norway keeping up? 

An overview of the trends in Norway’s flexible learning community
 
Kl. 12.15

Lunch 

Kl. 13.30 Andreas Refsgaard  

Let the computer do the work – Let the computer do the learning
Linkedin  

Kl. 14.20 Andrea Feddersen and Ger  
Wash-up sessions 

Kl. 14.50 Closing words 

The social evening is free of charge for members of IDA Education, FLUID, and EADL (please indicate which membership when registering).  

For non members of these associations please purchase the social evening as an add-on when registering for the conference. 

If you have already registered for the conference and would like to add the social evening, please email enquiries@eadl.info