MediaFutures

MIX Innovation Day 2026
2026-05-08 10:00 - 12:30 (Europe/Oslo) | 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.
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.

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.
