ROUND TABLE
Experiential Laboratory Education: Challenges, Practices, and Future Directions
The transformation of higher education driven by digitalization, pedagogical innovation, and emerging technologies has brought renewed attention to one of its most critical dimensions: the effective design, delivery, and assessment of experiential and laboratory-based learning. Within the framework of the Special Session “Education 5.0: Next-Generation Training through Pedagogical Innovation and AI/XR Technologies”, this roundtable aims to foster a high-level academic and institutional discussion on the challenges, practices, and future directions of teaching laboratories and hands-on activities across contemporary university systems.
The roundtable brings together experts from diverse academic and institutional backgrounds, including representatives of public, private, and telematic universities, university leadership, and faculty members with direct experience in designing and implementing innovative in-person and online laboratory activities. The discussion will explore how practical learning can be supported and enhanced through remote and virtual laboratories, immersive Extended Reality (XR) environments, simulation-based platforms, digital twins, and cyber-physical educational systems. Particular emphasis will be placed on the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in enabling adaptive guidance, intelligent tutoring systems, learning analytics, and data-driven assessment of practical competencies, with the aim of enhancing both learning effectiveness and educational scalability.
Beyond technological solutions, the round table will examine pedagogical models for experiential learning, including project-based and problem-based approaches, competency-oriented education, and inclusive design principles. Key challenges, such as quality assurance, scalability, accessibility, faculty training, and the sustainability of laboratory infrastructures, will be critically discussed. By sharing real-world experiences and institutional perspectives, the round table aims to identify emerging best practices, highlight open challenges, and outline future directions for effective experiential laboratory education within higher education systems.
Host Institution Representative:
Emiliano Schena, UniversitĂ Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Italy
Roundtable moderators:
Francesco Picariello, Universitas Mercatorum, Rome, Italy
Alessia Teresa Silvestri, Universitas Mercatorum, Rome, Italy
