Conference Agenda

Today, due to the rapid global changes, including technological innovation, intercultural collaboration, the integration of artificial intelligence, the teaching and learning of research methodologies in education are fundamentally reshaping. At the forefront of this transformation is generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), which enables faster management of scientific knowledge and sophisticated analysis of complex datasets (OECD, 2026). This technological shift is ushering in the era of big data and AI algorithms, capable of detecting various patterns and connections (OECD, 2026). Also, there is an increase a diverse of methods, such as experimental designs, cross-sectional quantitative studies, etc. (OECD, 2025). Under these conditions, researchers need to strengthen their research competence (European Commission, 2021), which can be achieved through continuous lifelong learning, as teaching and learning opportunities for researchers are increasingly expanding (OECD, 2024). For example, in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), research-based teaching and researcher training are considered essential components of academic quality assurance, in line with the Bologna Process’s provisions on integrating teaching and research (European Commission, 2024). In this way, the doctoral studies and professional development of researchers must be based on the ability to transfer knowledge of research methodology to others, thereby forming a new role of the "researcher-teacher" (European Commission, 2023). Given these expanding pathways, it becomes important to understand what is already known about teaching and learning of research methodologies.

Many aspects, such as the intrinsic and extrinsic motivation of educational researchers to learn research methodologies (Gough, 1998), the personality characteristics that determine the successes and failures of learning research methodologies (Pather, 2019), the use of research methods (Wang et al., 2019) have been sufficiently analysed. Other researchers (Park, 2020; Matos et al., 2023; Argote et al., 2021; Lewthwaite & Nind, 2016, etc.) focus on the teaching and learning of research methodologies. Lewthwaite and Nind (2016) emphasise that education researchers themselves often lack confidence in their methodological skills, which affects their ability to teach effectively. It aligns with Matos et al.'s (2023) insights that, in teaching, still-dominant pitfalls such as limited pedagogical innovation (e.g., reliance on textbook-based teaching), teacher biases that may restrict learners’ critical engagement with different methodological approaches, and insufficient methodological knowledge among teachers. Meanwhile, Argote et al. (2021) point out that members of organisations often learn better from failures than successes because failures encourage a deeper search for causes; thus, analysing methodological mistakes becomes an effective way for learning.

The year 2050 may be conceptualised as the threshold of a new era, marking the emergence of novel strategies, renewed visions that respond to evolving global, technological, and socio-cultural transformations.
Looking ahead, Park et al. (2023) notice that future research methodology teaching should focus more strongly on the active experience of the learner. Moreover, in the future, soft skills such as creativity, flexibility, holistic problem-solving, critical thinking, and collaboration will remain in teaching (Park et al., 2023). Similarly, Glenn et al. (2019) advise developing creativity, critical thinking, human relations, philosophy, entrepreneurship, art, independent work, social harmony, ethics, and values in future learning. However, there is a lack of empirical studies that would reveal the views of education researchers themselves on the prospects and future development of research methodology teaching and learning. Considering these transformations, unresolved challenges, and anticipated methodological shifts, it becomes necessary to investigate how educational researchers will learn and teach research methodologies in 2050.
The aim of the research is to discuss the teaching and learning of research methodologies for education researchers in 2050.

In recent years, European societies have been shaped by multi-crises omnipresent in the public discourses. Climate change, demographic aging, migration flows, refugee influx, and a changing world economy are only some elements of the multitude of structural challenges our societies are confronted with. Public discourses in Europe and other Western democracies suffer from continuous political polarization. In such conflictual times it is fundamental for democracies to enable its citizens to understand the living realities of their social environment and also potential future paths their societies and states could develop along. This study uses a novel methodological approach to simulate complex real-world socio-economic environments by letting participants experience personal living realities as a citizen of a fictional state. They make decisions as a person living through fictional situations embedded into a coherent narrative of an everyday life.

We apply this narrative in a pre-registered experimental case study to evaluate how people react to such a coherent narrative setup. Substantively, we test propositions grounded in a social contract model, which explains citizens’ behaviour towards the state within the context of their perceived reciprocal relationships between the state, other citizens, and themselves. We model how citizens behave if they perceive the social contract as being broken by the state, because it does not provide services of a decent quality anymore. By doing so, participants personally experience the consequences of deteriorating public services as a result of increasing pressure on public institutions, such as those which Western democracies are currently confronted with.

Introduction

The role of education in determining the values and principles that shape the character of society is fundamental. This fact is acknowledged by the EU in numerous policy declaration such as the Paris Declaration (2015) signed by the 28 EU ministers of education, which establishes as an educational priority in its first objective the acquisition of "civic, social, and intercultural competences, promoting democratic values and fundamental rights, social inclusion and non-discrimination, as well as active citizenship" (EACE, 2016). This declaration is a pivotal statement of the EU in recognizing the need for intercultural competencies for learners to achieve an inclusive European society. The study on teaching common European values (Veugelers et al., 2017) emphasizes the commitment required by the MS in order to teach tolerance and common values that guarantee the sustainability of the EU values highlighting the fact that “beside Tolerance concepts with more positive attitudes such as appreciation, pluralism, and respectful engagement should be used.( Veugelers et al., 2017)”. Teacher education for the development of intercultural and democratic competences thus is essential and requires teachers who value Human Dignity, Human Rights and acknowledge cultural diversity as an asset.

Conceptual framework:

Critical thinking is an essential skill for embracing cultural diversity and a key component in the development of intercultural and democratic competences. It is a fundamental tool for fostering intercultural dialogue and social cohesion.. Scholars acknowledge the challenge of reaching a consensual conceptual definition and consequently criteria for assessing the attainment of critical thinking. Following McPeck (1981) Critical thinking can only be properly developed when it is produced in relation to a specific subject or topic and, fundamentally, through the individual’s capacity to elaborate specific questions related to these same situations, thus linking the formulation of questions to the process of reasoning and assessment skills. Brookfield (1987) with his conceptual input contributes to the definition by identifying three key elements for the development of critical thinking: emancipatory learning, dialectical thinking and reflective learning. This author, aligned with Dewey’s definition of Reflexive thought, underlines the dimension of process in the attainment of critical thinking. The second approach represents an opposite perspective and originated in Freire’s critical pedagogy. In this case critical thinking is the origin for social change and transformation (Freire, 1998; Papastephanou and Angeli, 2007; Lim, 2015). However, both Burbules and Berk considered both views to be limited and proposed an expanded notion of criticality (Burbules and Berk, 1999; Barnett, 1997, 2000, 2003). It is worth mentioning Barnett (1997) provides a comprehensive view of critical thinking by placing it at the convergence of three elements: reasoning associated with knowledge, self-reflection centred on the subject, and critical action oriented towards the surrounding world. However, in this study a comprehensive definition is provided very much aligned with the conceptual understating of Criticality. The Intercultural Learning Exchange through Global Education, Networking and Dialogue (ILEAGEND) is a Joint program of the European Union and the Council of Europe which is focused on capacity building of young people through global and intercultural education aiming at developing a more inclusive society. In this context, the IMAGINE project: LEARNING TO LIVE TOGETHER (implemented between 2021-2025) was conceived. This seminar integrates intercultural education and non-formal pedagogy principles. More specifically, the IMAGINE seminar engages learners especially with the development of

The 21st century is unimaginable without media and information flow, and children who are currently learning have a different approach to learning and learning tools than their teachers or parents (Bakonis, 2014). These young people are already entering universities today. In recent decades, the world has focused on integrating information technologies into educational curricula to adapt to the changing technological world. Schools are being equipped with computers and software to engage students and make it easier for them to complete their assignments. However, the use of technology alone is not enough to ensure proper and high-quality teaching and learning. The changes are rapid and significant.

The concept of Education 5.0 is related to a new approach to education that reflects the changes emerging alongside the concepts of Industry 5.0 and Society 5.0. This educational paradigm emphasizes the rapid penetration of new technologies into all areas of human life. The result of this penetration is the collaboration between humans and advanced technologies to streamline learning processes and meet the changing needs of society and the labor market. The authors highlight the following aspects: personalized learning, the ability to work with technologies and data, sustainability, resilience, and social responsibility (Supriya et al., 2024; Vitanova, 2023; Sharareh et al., 2024; Yuliana, 2025). Education 5.0 encompasses various dimensions, including the ability to adapt to uncertainty, critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, and collaboration. This paradigm promotes higher-level thinking skills such as analysis, evaluation, and creation. It can be said that technological literacy is as important to today's students and teachers as reading, writing, and arithmetic were 150 years ago.

Technological literacy encompasses three interrelated dimensions: knowledge, ways of thinking and acting, and skills. The promotion of technological literacy characterises the characteristics of an organisation that provides its members with the necessary resources and knowledge required to work with information technologies (Kot, 2022). According to Kot (2022) today's working environment becomes very stressful due to the rapidly changing information and communication technologies (ICT) used in the work process.

According Ng (2019) some of the most important cognitive skills in the 21st century is information processing, i.e., data interpretation and data analysis (identifying, collecting, processing, and using relevant data to make decisions); critical, creative, and analytical thinking; problem-solving skills; scientific investigation; design thinking, creativity and innovation; computational thinking and ICT. In summary, this set of competencies is needed in our current and future lives and careers.

Education 4.0 and Education 5.0 are examples of the penetration of technology into the field of education. Thanks to technology, university intranet systems are being created. They enable students and teachers to collaborate in the virtual document management and learning environments of a particular university. Each university has its own virtual communication, document management, and learning environments, which can be described as specific virtual subcultures that are characteristic of a particular university. This creates new opportunities and new challenges. Communication can be fast and remote. The student community is a rapidly changing community, with new first-year students joining every year. They need to integrate into the community and use the community's virtual information systems. Summarising the insights of various authors, it can be said that Education 4.0 and Education 5.0 are characterised by technological change, which influences students' and teachers' activities and attitudes towards technology-based learning. Therefore, it is important to observe and study the human factor.

Aim: to reveal the attitudes of international students towards activities (adaptation) in the virtual communication and learning environment of a specialised university as a subculture.