Cyprus Interaction Lab

We're proud to share that our very own co-director, Antigoni Parmaxi, was recently interviewed by ACM-W (ACMW: ACM's Women in Computing), reflecting on her journey and the values that guide her work.

What came through is exactly what we strive for at the Cyprus Interaction Lab: research grounded in social inclusion, human-centred design, and a genuine sense of care for the people and communities our work serves.

The May 2026 edition of ACM-W Connections is here!

As we move into summer, we continue to celebrate the people and stories that shape ACM-W’s global community.

In her Message from the ACM-W Chair, Rukiye Altin reflects on the energy, care, and dedication that ACM-W volunteers bring to our work every day, and on the joy of finally meeting in person and online in Edinburgh for Global Executive Committee and regional communications meetings.

We also celebrate service and leadership, and congratulate Jodi Tims on receiving the ACM Outstanding Service Award.

🎙️ In Voices of ACM-W, we hear from Lynda Hardman. Her journey across hypertext, multimedia, standardisation, and human-centred AI invites us to think about how computing environments shape society and how they should be designed to work for everyone.

🌱 This month’s U-RISE feature introduces Antigoni Parmaxi, whose path from classical studies to human-centred educational technology shows that there is no single route into computing.

🏳️‍🌈 As Pride Month approaches, “We Are More Alike Than We Are Different” offers a thoughtful reflection on gender identity and inclusion. It is a reminder that our community is strongest when people are seen, respected, and supported.

✨ In ACM-W Above and Beyond, we spotlight Dr Charu Kalra, an ACM-W scholar whose journey has taken her through compiler and optimisation research to her current work on next-generation AI-powered logistics technology.

Across these stories, there is a common thread: visibility, service, and community matter. Whether through leadership, scholarship, research, advocacy, or storytelling, ACM-W continues to support, celebrate, and advocate for women in computing around the world.

📖 Read the May 2026 ACM-W Connections Newsletter and explore the full stories.
https://women.acm.org/2026/05/

CYENS Centre of Excellence is proud to be part of RAISE-UP, a European project funded under ERASMUS-EDU-2025-PI-FORWARD-DIGITAL-AI, which aims to support the responsible, ethical, and pedagogically meaningful use of Generative AI in higher and vocational education.

We kicked off RAISE UP as a hybrid event at CYENS on April 16-17!

Bringing together partners from Cyprus, Latvia, Germany, Malta, and the Netherlands, the project responds to a growing need across Europe: helping universities and VET institutions move beyond ad hoc AI adoption toward more strategic, inclusive, and evidence-based approaches. The CYENS (via EdMedia Andri Ioannou, Cyprus Interaction Lab of the Cyprus University of Technology / Τεχνολογικό Πανεπιστήμιο Κύπρου) team is leading the work on mapping current practices, institutional readiness, governance challenges, and stakeholder needs across the countries of the consortium.

At the core of RAISE-UP is a shared commitment to:
• Understand how students, educators, leaders, and policymakers are currently using and perceiving Generative AI
• Identify gaps in readiness, policy, governance, and assessment practices
• Develop practical tools/AI sandboxes, guidelines, and recommendations that support responsible AI integration in education
• Strengthen AI literacy and institutional capacity across the higher education sectors

Running from 2026 to 2028, RAISE-UP will generate research-based insights and practical outputs to help educational institutions and systems respond to the opportunities and challenges of Generative AI with confidence, responsibility, and vision.

During the meeting, we were especially honoured and grateful to welcome Skourides, Chief Scientist for Research, Innovation and Technology of the Republic of Cyprus, who also leads the national AI Taskforce driving the country’s strategic direction on AI. His presentation brought valuable insight and helped frame our discussions within the broader national AI agenda.

Finally, sincere thank you to all the participants (onside and virtual) for their energy, openness, and collaboration during the kick-off, Rivera, Mezerins, Greitans, Milan, Graage, K.azarjan, Balla, Stergioulas, Camilleri, Keti Mavri, Dremova, Antigoni Parmaxi but also to other colleagues who has contributed to parallel discussions and connections before and during this meeting Chatzichristofis, Chatzis, Petroudi. The quality of discussions and shared commitment made these two days truly productive and set a strong foundation for what lies ahead.

At CYENS Centre of Excellence, we are proud to contribute to a project that places people, pedagogy, and public value at the centre of educational innovation, and we look forward to building on this collaboration.