In mid-March 2025, ten TUL students took part in the ECIU AI Assistant Hackathon, one of the consortium's key annual student-focused events. Read the article to find out what this experience was like, and why you too should join the Hackathon next year!
In mid-March, ten students from Lodz University of Technology embarked on an exciting journey to Finland to participate in the ECIU AI Assistant Hackathon hosted by Tampere University. Armed with creativity, determination, and a passion for technology, they were ready for long nights of coding, intense brainstorming sessions, and, of course, freezing walks to admire Finland's breathtaking nature — including the northern lights.
Over three intense and inspiring days, 39 students from 8 universities worked in international teams to tackle three AI challenges:
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Develop a chatbot using Microsoft Co-Pilot
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Create an AI Avatar for VR with Unity and Microsoft Mesh
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Wildcard challenge - design a completely new type of AI assistant using any tools of choice
We are incredibly proud to share that TUL students participated in all three challenges, demonstrating extraordinary innovation and teamwork — and winning 4 out of 6 awards!
🏆 Conceptual Novelty Award
🏆 Best Prototype Award
🏆 Responsible Use Award
🏆 Audience Award
These achievements highlight not only the technical skills of our students but also their ability to think innovatively and work effectively in international teams. The hackathon provided a unique opportunity for our students to collaborate with peers from across Europe, enhancing their technical skills while developing valuable intercultural competencies. This hands-on experience with cutting-edge AI technologies represents exactly what the ECIU network strives to offer — innovative learning experiences beyond traditional classroom boundaries.
But don’t just take our word for it — here’s what our participants had to say:
Eliza Podsiadła (ECIU Lead Ambassador, Business Studies student):
After two years as an ECIU Ambassador, I can confidently say that no two ECIU opportunities are ever the same - you never stop learning, growing, and meeting incredible people. As a business student, I initially wondered, what will I even be doing at a hackathon? But in this environment, everyone felt useful and welcomed. I dove into AI from a user-centered perspective, ensuring our chatbot was not just technically impressive but also practical and engaging. Beyond that, we developed a gamified concept for the engage.eciu platform, which could take skill development to the next level!
Of course, the hackathon wasn’t just about work. It was about collaborations, the laughs, and the unforgettable moment after a fun karaoke session when we stepped outside to see the northern lights with friends I had just met. I truly can’t wait to see these people again!
Daniyar Zhumatayev (ECIU Lead Ambassador, Information Technology student):
The hackathon in Tampere was truly a highlight of my academic journey so far. Our team created an AI assistant called PathFinder that helps students discover personalized learning opportunities across the ECIU network. What made it special was combining Microsoft's tools with our own dataset based on ECIU courses to create something genuinely useful for students. The atmosphere was electric - teams from different countries all tackling AI challenges in their own unique ways. I was especially proud seeing our university with such strong representation there. Beyond the technical skills, I took away valuable connections and memories - like stepping outside at midnight to catch the northern lights with teammates I'd just met days before. These kinds of experiences are what make the ECIU network so valuable for students like us.
Hubert Pacyna (Information Technology student, Responsible Use Award Winner):
This was my first ECIU activity, and it was truly a great pleasure and a unique opportunity to meet new people. I had the chance to work with amazing individuals, but honestly, everyone I met would have been a great teammate. I am very proud of my team and our AI Assistant, ECOPilot, for winning in the Responsible Use category - it is a huge honor for me.
After completing our project, we got to experience Finnish karaoke and even see the Northern Lights. These past few days have truly opened my eyes to new possibilities, and I hope this won’t be my last trip with ECIU!
The success of our students at the ECIU AI Assistant Hackathon exemplifies the innovative spirit of Lodz University of Technology and the value of international collaboration fostered by the ECIU network. These experiences prepare our students not just for academic success, but for meaningful contributions to technological advancement on a global scale.
Stay tuned for more opportunities and achievements from TUL's ECIU community!
