Co-Creating the Future of Teaching: EmpowerAId academy holds second TPM in Malta

The University of Malta with Dr Diane Vassallo, Dr Patrick Camilleri and Ms Darlene Schembri hosted the second Transnational Project Meeting (TPM) of the EmpowerAId Academy on 1–2 December 2025 at the Valletta Campus. Ten partner institutions from eight European countries congregated in Malta to discuss progress and plan the next stages of this innovative initiative.

The EmpowerAId Academy brings forth a diverse, collaborative network of European Initial Teacher Education (ITE) and Continuous Professional Development (CPD) providers. Its mission is to co-create inclusive, bottom-up training pathways that equip both pre-service and in-service teachers with the skills to use AI ethically and creatively in the classroom. Through strong partnerships among teacher educators, practitioners, and policymakers, the project is developing and piloting hands-on mobility-rich programmes, tailored towards enhancing different teaching contexts. These programmes focus on AI ethics, creative pedagogies, and digital competences. These are directed to help shape future-ready teacher education systems across Europe through real-world testing, policy dialogue, and sustainable synergies.

During the meeting, partners engaged in fruitful discussions on ongoing and upcoming work. The team reviewed findings from recent interviews, questionnaires, and focus groups, directed towards providing valuable insights and guide the development of project materials, such as the Train the Trainer Programme. The Community of Practice, which will kick off in the coming weeks, was also discussed in order to provide the best platform for discussion. The University of Malta is proud to form part of this project and therefore contribute towards a collaborative effort to support the creation of resources for the project’s target audiences.

For more information about the EmpowerAId project, please go to the website and/or contact Dr Diane Vassallo at the Faculty of Education, University of Malta.