EBU: Data Technology Seminar 2026
2026-03-10 09:00 - 2026-03-12 14:00 (Europe/Oslo) | European Broadcasting Union, L'Ancienne-Route 17A 1218, Grand-Saconnex / Geneva, Switzerland
The Data Technology Seminar 2026 brings together Europe’s public service media leaders, data experts, and technologists in Geneva to explore how data and artificial intelligence solutions are designed, governed, and deployed at scale – from foundational technologies to production systems and audience-facing services.
The seminar includes interactive sessions and demonstrations, where technology partners and broadcasters present production-ready AI and data solutions that showcase innovative strategies and automation across the media value chain, from production to archives.
Participants will gain practical insight into how media organisations transition from AI and data ambition to operational reality, focusing on data foundations, governance choices, architectural decisions, and scalable systems.
Date
10-12 March 2026
Venue
European Broadcasting Union
L’Ancienne-Route 17A
1218 Le Grand-Saconnex / Geneva / Switzerland
Tel +41 22 717 21 11
Organiser
European Broadcasting Union (EBU)
For more details, please visit the organisers’ website.
Our connection to the European Broadcasting Union is further reinforced through Professor Alexandre Rouxel, member of our International Advisory Committee and a Data Scientist and Project Coordinator at the EBU within the Technology and Innovation department.

Samia Touileb & Lilja Øvrelid at the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters
2026-03-11 18:00 - 20:00 | Det Norske Videnskaps-Akademi, Drammensveien 78, Oslo, Norway
Samia Touileb and Lilja Øvrelid from MediaFutures will participate as keynote speakers in a conversation at the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, as part of the Forskning og KI (Research and AI) series. The event will focus on the themes of research sovereignty and artificial intelligence, discussing their implications for the future of media and technology. It will provide valuable insights into how AI intersects with academic research and the importance of sovereignty in the rapidly evolving technological landscape.
Speakers:Samia Touileb is an Associate Professor in Language Technology at the Department of Information and Media Studies at the University of Bergen. She is a member of the Academy of Young Researchers and was honored with the Communication Award by the Faculty of Social Sciences in November 2025.
Lilja Øvrelid is a Professor at the Department of Informatics at the University of Oslo, where she leads the Language Technology Group. Her research focuses on text processing using machine learning techniques.
Date: 11th March 2026Location: Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters
For more details, please visit the official event page.

SFI MediaFutures Lunch Seminar: Meet Ryan Anthony Marinelli
2026-03-27 11:15 - 12:45 | MediaFutures, Media Futures HQ, 3rd floor, Bergen, 5008
Join us for a lunch seminar with our new postdoctoral researcher Ryan Anthony Marinelli, who will introduce himself and his work.
Ryan will present his previous research and current research interests, followed by his postdoctoral plan and project collaboration ideas with our industry partners.
All are welcome!
Date: 27 MarchTime: 11:15 – 12:45Venue: MediaFutures
Abstract:From Exploitation to Representation: Evaluating Secure AI and Norwegian EmbeddingsThis talk opens by exploring AI safety and security across different levels of abstraction. At the highest level, we examine how AI interacts with society and how filtering mechanisms can be applied to mitigate risks. In contrast, the lowest level is explored through mechanistic interpretability, focusing on how models memorize information and how they may be aligned with human values.The second part of the talk focuses on embeddings and recent evaluation efforts to understand the ability of large language models to function as embedding models. There is particular interest in embeddings within a news context, analyzing how to best support retrieval and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) in more specialized use cases, including Norwegian-language settings.

SFI MediaFutures Industry Stakeholder Workshop Day
2026-04-29 10:00 - 17:00 | MediaFutures, Media Futures HQ, 3rd floor, Bergen, 5008
We are happy to confirm the date for our first SFI MediaFutures Industry Stakeholder Workshop Day, co-hosted with our colleagues at Medieklyngen Bergen.
Date: Wednesday, April 29th, 2026
Time: 10:00–17:00 (+ dinner afterwards approx. til 22:00)
Venue: SFI MediaFutures Research Centre, Media City Bergen
The purpose of this event is to create a space for more conversation and project-ideation, bringing together representatives from each industry and user partner organization alongside our work package leaders and senior researchers.
Here is the agenda for the day:
10:00–10:15 | Coffee, Welcome, & Opening (15 min) @ SFI MediaFutures
10:15–11:15 | Slot One (60 min) @ SFI MediaFutures

Presentation 1 (10 min) Are Tverberg // TV2
Presentation 2 (10 min) Mehdi Elahi // SFI MediaFutures

Table discussion (25 min)
Plenary feedback (15 min)

11:15–12:15 | Slot Two (60 min) @ SFI MediaFutures

Presentation 1 (10 min) JC Lopez, Victorina Demirel, & Anna Lunde // Schibsted
Presentation 2 (10 min) Samia Touileb & Ryan A. Marinelli // SFI MediaFutures

Table discussion (25 min)
Plenary feedback (15 min)

12:15–13:15 | Lunch & Networking (60 min)
— ca. 15 min. walk to TV2 // Meeting point: MCB Atrium, next to ping pong table —
13:30–14:15 | Site Visit One // @ TV2 (45 min)

Guided Tour + Q&A on the spot (30 min) Are Tverberg & Snorre Alvsvåg // TV2
Presentation + Q&A on the spot (15min) Yuki Onishi, Nataliya Nymo, & Snorre Alvsvåg // SFI MediaFutures, Vizrt, & TV2

— ca. 15 min. walk to TV2 // Meeting point: MCB Atrium, next to ping pong table —
14:30–15:00 | Site Visit Two // @ NRK (30 min)

Guided tour (20 min) + Q&A (10 min) Medieklyngen & NRK

— ca. 15 min walk to Medieklyngen // Meeting point: MCB Atrium, next to ping pong table —
15:15–16:00 | Slot Three (45 min) @ Medieklyngen

Presentation 1 (5 min) Jan Stian Vold // BT
Presentation 2 (10 min) Emily LaRosa // SFI MediaFutures

Table discussion (20 min)
Plenary feedback (10 min)

16:00–17:00 | Slot Four (60 min) @ Medieklyngen

Presentation 1 (5 min) Kajsa Garmann Lønrusten / Faktisk.no
Presentation 2 (5 min) Vinay Setty / Factiverse
Presentation 3 (10 min) Hina Afridi / SFI MediaFutures

Table discussion (25 min)
Plenary feedback (15 min)

17:00–17:10 | Wrap-up & Close (10 min)
17:10–18:00 | Reception@ Medieklyngen
19:00–22:00 | Dinner & Networking // @ Colonialen Sann Restaurant
We are already very much looking forward to hosting you all in Bergen at our Centre. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions in the meantime.
MediaFutures Consortium members are welcome to join the event.

Call for Participation: Workshop Tracking Eyes and Mind
2026-05-04 10:00 - 2026-05-06 14:30 | University of Bergen, venue TBA
From May 4th to 6th, the University of Bergen, in collaboration with MediaFutures, is organizing Workshop Tracking Eyes and Mind.
To view the updated program and register for the event, please visit the official organizer’s website.
Registration Deadline:
30.03.2026 – 23.55
Workshop Goals:
The workshop focus on demonstrations of eye tracking designs in Linguistics and Human Computer Interaction.
Introduction to Intermediate Level + Network building
Invited Poster presentations.
Target Audience:
Advanced MA students and Ph.D. Scholarship students
Researchers in Linguistics and/or Human Computer Interaction and/or
AI/NLP who want to use Eye Tracking in their Research.
Invited Lecturers:
Andrew Duchowski
Mauro Manassi
Agnieszka Konopka
Professor Andrew Duchowski is a world-leader in the field of eye tracking.
Local Team:
Christer Johansson
Morten Fjeld
Maki Kubota
Jade Sandstedt
Associate Member
Oana Geman (Chalmers)
Organizers:
Professor Christer Johansson, Department of Linguistic Literary and Aesthetic Studies (UiB)
Professor Morten Fjeld, Department of Information Science and Media Studies (UiB) and WP-leader in SFI MediaFutures
Sponsors:
the Bergen University Fund
HCI Infrastructure Grant, UiB
Accessibility Lab, UiB
SFI MediaFutures, UiB
To view the updated program and register for the event, please visit the official organizer’s website.

Nordic Media Days (Nordiske Mediedager)
2026-05-06 - 2026-05-08 | Grieghallen
Nordic Media Days (Nordiske Mediedager) is the biggest media conference in Northern Europe, bringing together journalists, editors, media leaders, researchers, and industry professionals to discuss key developments in journalism, media, and communication.
The event offers insights into both current challenges and emerging trends in the media landscape.
Nordic Media Days is relevant for media professionals, researchers, students, and others interested in the role of media in society and the future of journalism.
Date: 6-8 May 2026Location: Grieghallen, Edvard Griegs plass 1, 5015 Bergen
For more details, please visit the organisers’ website.

MIX Innovation Day 2026
2026-05-08 10:00 - 12:30 | Media City Bergen, Lars Hilles gate 30, Bergen, 5008, Norway
Date: 8th May 2026
Time: 10:00-12:30
Venue: Media City Bergen: Atlantis, Atriet
Innovation Day has traditionally been an event where bachelor’s and master’s students in Media and Interaction Design (MIX) showcase the prototypes they have developed throughout the semester. This year, they are taking the event a step further by inviting more courses to participate and present their semester projects.
The event highlights innovation, knowledge sharing, and the development of digital services, and provides students with a valuable arena to showcase both their academic expertise and creative solutions. It is a unique opportunity to demonstrate what the students, and the courses they represent, have to offer.
The event is organized by the Department of Information Science and Media Studies at the University of Bergen (UiB).
To view the updated program and register for the event, please visit the official organizer’s website.

MediaFutures Series Seminar: Soheila Molaei "From Graphs to Graph Neural Networks: Applications in Multi-Modal Heterogeneous Real-World Data"
2026-05-08 13:00 - 14:00 | MediaFutures, Media Futures HQ, 3rd floor, Bergen, 5008
MediaFutures warmly welcomes Soheila Molaei talk on:
“From Graphs to Graph Neural Networks: Applications in Multi-Modal Heterogeneous Real-World Data”

All are welcome! Lunch will be served.

Date: 8 May
Time: 13:00-14:00
Venue: MediaFutures

TitleFrom Graphs to Graph Neural Networks: Applications in Multi-Modal Heterogeneous Real-World Data

AbstractIn this talk, I will introduce the basic ideas behind graphs and graph neural networks (GNNs), and discuss why they have become powerful tools for modelling complex, structured, and heterogeneous real-world data. I will begin with an overview of graph-based representations and the core principles of message passing and graph representation learning, before moving to a range of AI applications where GNNs provide advantages over conventional learning approaches. In particular, I will discuss applications in heterogeneous and multimodal settings, including privacy-preserving federated learning, neuro-symbolic modelling, and emerging graph-based methods for spatial and multi-modal data integration. Overall, the talk aims to connect the foundations of graph learning with current AI challenges involving structure, heterogeneity, and multi-source data.

Speaker’s bioSoheila Molaei is a senior researcher in the Department of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford. Her research focuses on artificial intelligence and machine learning, with a particular emphasis on graph neural networks, federated learning, neuro-symbolic AI, and learning from multimodal and heterogeneous data. Her work explores how graph-based methods can support robust, interpretable, and privacy-aware AI systems across complex real-world applications. She has also collaborated with researchers at the University of Bergen on graph-based and neuro-symbolic learning research.

Public lecture by Luciano Floridi
2026-05-20 15:30 - 16:45 | Storsalen, Nygårdsgaten 5 (første etasje)
Welcome to a public lecture with our new honorary doctor professor Luciano Floridi.
Date: 20.05.2026
Time:15.30–16.15
Venue:Storsalen, Nygårdsgaten 5
Please arrive five to ten minutes before the starting time.

The University of Bergen has appointed Professor Luciano Floridi of Yale University as an honorary doctor, following a nomination from the Faculty of Social Sciences and the Department of Information Science and Media Studies.
Professor Floridi will give a public lecture drawing on his foundational contributions to information ethics, the philosophy of AI, and digital society. The title of the lecture is: “What is the impact of AI on Democracy?”. You can read more about the lecture here.
Through his role on the MediaFutures International Advisory Committee, Professor Floridi actively contributes to shaping the centre’s research agenda on responsible media technologies and AI-driven innovation, strengthening the bridge between cutting-edge research, industry needs, and societal values.
The honorary doctorate will be formally conferred at a ceremony in the University Aula on 21 May 2026. The appointment of Professor Floridi further strengthens MediaFutures’ international profile and underlines the University of Bergen’s commitment to advancing responsible and trustworthy media technologies.
Read more about Professor Floridi and his role at MediaFutures here.
On the occasion of his appointment as an honorary doctor, Professor Luciano Floridi was interviewed by Innovation Coordinator at MediaFutures Christopher Senf and Communication Officer at the Infomedia Department Malgorzata Anna Pacholczyk. Read the interview here.
The lecture is open to the general public. Everybody is welcome!

Workshop & Debate: Luciano Floridi on AI and social futures
2026-05-20 17:00 - 19:00 | Media City Bergen, Lars Hilles gate 30, Bergen, 5008, Norway
Date: 20.05.2026
Time: 17.00–19.00
Venue: Media City Bergen, Lars Hillesgate 30
Our honorary doctor Luciano Floridi will be the main guest at a workshop on the topic “AI and social futures” in Media City Bergen. The workshop will engage staff, students and stakeholders at Infomedia in a discussion of core challenges for the future of academia. The event is by invitation only.
The event is intended to engage people at the Infomedia department in a dialogue with professor Luciano Floridi about central challenges for academia posed by generative AI.
We invite our academic and administrative staff, our PhD candidates, and master and bachelor students, and we also invite stakeholders and partners associated with Infomedia. We will engage in a structured roundtable discussion on societal challenges brought on by AI.
The workshop will be held in the “Redaksjonsrom” in Infomedia’s campus at Media City Bergen, Lars Hilles gate 30. The doors will be open and we will look for our guests as they arrive.
You can read more about the workshop here.
Through his role on the MediaFutures International Advisory Committee, Professor Floridi actively contributes to shaping the centre’s research agenda on responsible media technologies and AI-driven innovation, strengthening the bridge between cutting-edge research, industry needs, and societal values.
The honorary doctorate will be formally conferred at a ceremony in the University Aula on 21 May 2026. The appointment of Professor Floridi further strengthens MediaFutures’ international profile and underlines the University of Bergen’s commitment to advancing responsible and trustworthy media technologies.
Read more about Professor Floridi and his role at MediaFutures here.
On the occasion of his appointment as an honorary doctor, Professor Luciano Floridi was interviewed by Innovation Coordinator at MediaFutures Christopher Senf and Communication Officer at the Infomedia Department Malgorzata Anna Pacholczyk. Read the interview here.

UiB AI Seminar: AI Alignment
2026-05-28 09:00 - 15:45 | Storsalen, Nygårdsgaten 5, first floor, Nygårdsgaten 5, Bergen, 5015, Norway
Date: 28th of May 2026
Time: 09.00–15.45
Venue: Storsalen, Nygårdsgaten 5, 5015 Bergen (first floor)
The event brings together experts, researchers, and industry professionals to explore, discuss, and advance our understanding of the challenges and solutions related to aligning artificial intelligence systems with human values and goals.
The seminar is organized and moderated by Samia Touileb, an Associate Professor in the Department of Information Science and Media Studies at the University of Bergen and co-leader of the Norwegian Language Technologies research stream at MediaFutures.
Among the speakers is Ryan Marinelli, a postdoctoral researcher at MediaFutures, who will give a presentation on safety or security.
To view the updated program and register for the event, please visit the official organizer’s website.
