Project ERASMUS 2025-1-IT02-KA210-SCH-000356565

THEMES

MACRO-THEME: the future challenges of the economy and the contribution of Artificial Intelligence, both in the commercial and industrial sector, and in the tourism sector;

Topic 1:

What is Artificial Intelligence, what impact does it have both in terms of the use of raw materials for the creation of intelligent machines and energy consumption;

What is artificial intelligence? What artificial intelligence systems are there?:

Definition of Artificial Intelligence and main categories of AI (Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Symbolic AI, Large Language Model, etc.);

Applications of AI in different sectors (e.g. healthcare, finance, industry, transport, education);

Resources needed to implement AI systems (hardware, software, data, specialized skills).

Topic 2:

What economic effects can the use of Artificial Intelligence produce both in the industrial and commercial fields;

Impact on production costs in terms of capital investment in the development of self-controlling systems and machines; impact on the work of personnel;

The economic effects of AI in production realities:

Implications of AI on the world of work (new skills required, automation, risks of technological unemployment);

Impact of AI on companies’ costs and their competitiveness;

Opportunities for innovation and increased productivity thanks to the use of AI;

Sectors most transformed by the adoption of AI in companies);

Theme 3:

Artificial Intelligence in tourism companies;

Impact on the work of staff in customer management and in the planning of tourist packages.

The impact of AI in the tourism sector: how AI is revolutionizing the work of Tour Operators and Travel Agencies;

The use of chatbots and virtual assistants for the personalization of the tourist experience;

The application of AI in dynamic price management and marketing strategies;

Examples of innovations in the tourism sector, such as facial recognition in airports or the use of AI in smart bookings).

TARGET AUDIENCE

Students between the ages of 16 and 19.

At ITCS Abba-Ballini, students in the Debate in English group take part in Hackathon activities, Debate sessions, final product creation, and participate in the mobilities to the Czech Republic and Spain.

ACTIVITIES

• From October 2025 to February 2026

The students involved began exploring the contents related to Themes 1, 2 and 3, developing the background knowledge needed for the subsequent phases of the project. In December, they took part in a logo contest, which led to the selection of the winning design.

During this period, initial contact with the partner schools was established through video calls and the sharing of materials on the eTwinning platform. Students also took part in the online preparation for the Hackathon, which was held in early February 2026 and coordinated by the Czech school.

• 18–19 March 2026 – ITCS Abba‑Ballini Economics Days

During the “Economics Days”, students attended conferences dedicated to the three project themes, delivered by economists from Confindustria and Confartigianato (morning of 18 March). The full recording of the conference is available online.

The activities continued with Debate sessions based on the topics addressed during the conferences, involving both the ITCS Abba‑Ballini debate group and the students from the partner schools hosted for the event (afternoon of 18 March and morning of 19 March). The recordings from the morning of 19 March include:

• • Semifinal 1
    
    

• • Semifinal 2
    
    

• • Final round
    
    

• Announcement of the winners
  
  

ITCS Abba‑Ballini organised the conferences and coordinated all Debate activities.

• From late March to 15 May 2026

In this phase, students reviewed and expanded the notes collected during the conferences, integrated them with additional research, and reported on the eTwinning platform the outcomes of the Debate sessions and the activities carried out throughout the project.

During the mobility in Spain, students also interviewed small local entrepreneurs, gathering insights into the challenges and opportunities linked to Artificial Intelligence in local productive contexts. Based on these interviews, they proposed AI‑based solutions to address small operational issues, applying analytical skills, problem‑solving and creative thinking.

During this period, the project produced the final video, documenting the activities carried out and the experiences gained by the participants.

The Spanish school coordinated the eTwinning project and the production of digital artefacts.

MOBILITY

Three mobilities of 2 teachers and 4 students from each partner school to each partner school:

1. Mobility to the Czech Republic – 3-4 February 2026 (Hackathon)
2. Mobility for Spanish and Czech partners in Brescia – 18-19 March 2026 (Conferences + Debate)
3. Mobility to Spain – 6-7 May 2026 (eTwinning project + digital artefacts)

FINAL PRODUCTS

The final products of the ECO-IDEA project reflect the learning, collaboration and innovation journey developed by the partner schools within the framework of the Erasmus+ Programme.

The main collaborative outcome is represented by the eTwinning project, which brings together activities, research, digital materials and outputs developed by students throughout the entire project, documenting the work carried out in international and interdisciplinary contexts.

Among the project outputs is the final project video, which documents the experience of the international mobilities, the collaborative activities carried out by participants and the main results achieved during the project.

The project also produced two operational resources:

• the Debate Handbook, which documents the methodology used during the debate activities and the competences developed by students;
• the Hackathon Handbook, which describes the organisation of the activity, the working phases, the preparatory activities and the methodological approach adopted during the international competition.

Additional project outcomes include digital presentations, materials developed within the eTwinning project and educational resources focusing on the impact of Artificial Intelligence on the labour market, the economy and future skills.

List of final outputs:

• • • eTwinning project
    • Debate Manual
    • Hackathon Manual
    • Final video  (student interview)
    • Digital Presentations and Materials Developed During the Project Activities.

DISSEMINATION

This is achieved by publishing the project on the eTwinning platform, posting videos on our school’s website, and promoting the ‘Days of Economics’ conference in the mass media

🇪🇺 Co-funded by the European Union.

Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them

Objectives

• Understanding future economic challenges and the role of AI in various sectors.
• Developing new skills to prepare students to be more competent, resilient and ready to face the ongoing digital transformations.
• Knowing the impact of AI on the labor market.
• Achieving up-to-date basic skills to better adapt to the rapidly changing job market.
• Giving students tools to understand and use AI through innovative and digital methods, including debates and hackathons.
• Promoting the use of eTwinning.
• Encouraging cooperation between European secondary schools, trade associations and companies to help students develop the skills currently required by the labour market.