Academic Events
AI & Antiquity, with the support of the Center for the Innovation of Ancient Worlds (CIAW) and in collaboration with institutions such as the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) and the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), coordinates three major annual academic programmes. These initiatives aim to foster methodological renewal, promote inclusive teaching, and strengthen the public presence of Ancient History in the digital age. Together, they constitute the core of our commitment to reimagining how the ancient world is studied, taught, and communicated in the twenty-first century.
1. International Conference on Innovation and Technology in Ancient History Education
This annual conference explores the intersections between Ancient History education and emerging technologies. Its aim is to provide a platform where scholars, instructors, technologists, and educational designers can exchange perspectives on how innovative tools—particularly generative AI, immersive environments, assistive technologies, and digital-humanities methodologies—are transforming teaching and learning across the ancient-world disciplines.
The first edition, held in May 2025, laid the foundations for this international meeting. It offered a broad overview of current trends in digital pedagogy, inclusive design, and technological innovation in Ancient History instruction.
The proceedings of this inaugural conference were published in AI & Antiquity Volume 1, Issue 1 (2025), thereby establishing the long-term publication framework for the series.
2. Ancient World Today — Annual Seminar Series
The Ancient World Today seminars, held once a year, examine the ways in which Ancient History is interpreted, disseminated, and engaged with in contemporary society. Each edition brings together historians, educators, communicators, and digital-humanities practitioners to reflect on how narratives about the ancient world are constructed and how they can be responsibly shared with diverse publics.
Seminar topics include digital storytelling, ethical communication, multimodal outreach, and the evolving role of historians in online spaces. The inaugural seminar was held on 27 November 2025 at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), focusing on digital communication, media platforms, and strategies for the accessible dissemination of ancient-world research. The contributions presented during this first edition will be published as a supplementary section in AI & Antiquity, Volume 2, Issue 1 (early 2026).
3. Neurodivergence in Ancient History — Annual Online Symposium
AI & Antiquity also organises a yearly symposium devoted specifically to neurodiversity and inclusive teaching practices in Ancient Studies. This programme addresses how ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and other cognitive profiles can reshape university pedagogy, assessment models, and student engagement—particularly in historical disciplines traditionally structured around neurotypical learning standards.
Each symposium examines topics such as accessible course design, sensory and creative approaches to learning, assistive technologies, emotional/cognitive engagement with material culture, and the responsible implementation of AI tools for neurodivergent learners.
The next edition, scheduled for 5 March 2026, will take place online via Microsoft Teams and is organised by the Center for Innovation in Ancient Worlds (CIAW), with the collaboration of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), and other partner institutions. As in previous editions, selected contributions will be published in future issues of AI & Antiquity, specifically in Volume 2, Issue 2 (late 2026).
Symposium. Neurodivergent Perspectives in Teaching Ancient History: Innovation, Empathy, and Access (Provisional Programme)
Organised by: Center for Innovation in Ancient Worlds (CIAW)
With the support of: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Date: 5 March 2026 (CET – Spanish time)
Format: Online (Microsoft Teams)
09:00 – 09:15 | Welcome and Introduction
Carlos Heredia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
09:15 – 09:45 | The Positive Contribution of Neurodivergence to Ancient Studies
Jenny Read-Heimerdinger, Institut Catholique de Toulouse
09:45 – 10:15 | Neurodivergent Approaches to Chronology and Narrative in Historiography
Kenneth Arthur, University of St Andrews
10:15 – 10:45 | The Neurodiverse Teaching the Neurodiverse: Case Studies and Reflections of a Dyspraxic
Julia Tomas, The Open University
10:45 – 11:15 | The Relaxed Tutorial Project: Neurodivergent Pedagogy in Classical Studies at The Open University
Cora Beth Fraser, The Open University
11:15 – 12:00 | Break (45 minutes)
12:00 – 12:30 | Somewhere in Time: An Experience in “Living” History (Historia Viva)
Borja Antela-Bernárdez, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
12:30 – 13:00 | The Case Study of the ‘Simulacrum’ in the Latin Learning Process
Sebastián Altamirano, Universidad de Costa Rica
