Dr Ing. Lawrence Farrugia Caruana is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Technology and Entrepreneurship Education, Faculty of Education, at the University of Malta and a warranted mechanical engineer. He is also Co-ordinator of the Technical Design and Technology programmes at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. His research focuses on design science, human-centred design, and educational technology, including the role of emotion in design decision-making within manufacturing and learning contexts, and the integration of augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and artificial intelligence (AI) in education.
He explores the intersections between human-centred design, emotional and cognitive processes, and technology-enhanced learning, with particular interest in academic emotions in higher education and constructionist approaches to learning. Driven by a strong commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration, Dr Ing. Farrugia Caruana has led and contributed to several EU-funded research projects. His published work spans design theory, user experience, emotion in design, and the innovative integration of digital technologies to improve educational outcomes.
Further details about his research interests, publications, and EU-funded projects are available on his personal webpage.
For a complete list of projects please refer to: https://sites.google.com/view/drfarrugia/research-projects
CARS (2023-2026)Principal Investigator of the Erasmus+ project in school education entitled "Children as Creators of Augmented Reality Stories". The Erasmus+ project was intended to foster constructionist learning through the use of Augmented Reality.
GreenToC (2024 - ongoing)Local Coordinator for the Erasmus+ project in higher education intended to create synergies between Higher Education Institutions and the labour market for developing sustainability capabilities for green transformation strategies through the use of AI.
Smart-AI TEACH (2026 - ongoing)Co-applicant for the Erasmus+ project in school education intended to professionalise primary teachers' use of generative AI through executive-function-informed SMART routines.
CATCH (2024)Co-applicant in the project funded by the Malta Digital Innovation Authority. The project aims to develop a means to systematically assess customers' tolerance towards AI chatbots.
Programme Co-ordinator for Design and Technology