eQualPRO in Romania: Gender equality in the age of AI

On 24 October 2025, CESI and its Romanian member organisation USLIP Iași hosted a national eQualPRO conference in Iași, bringing together education professionals, trade union representatives, academics and policymakers to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping gender equality in the workplace.

Held under the title “L’égalité de genre à l’ère de l’intelligence artificielle – Défis et opportunités”, the event opened with contributions from USLIP Iași President Laviniu Adrian Lăcustă, leading local education authorities, and a video message from the European Parliament. A dedicated morning session also honoured retired USLIP teachers for their lifelong contribution to education.

In the afternoon, participants engaged with expert insights on the European framework for gender equality, the risks of AI-driven bias, and the opportunities new technologies offer to promote fairness in education. Speakers from the University “AL. I. Cuza” and the teaching profession highlighted how digital transformation can both challenge and enable equality if supported by strong policies and social-partner engagement. CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger addressed the audience via video message, underlining how the eQualPRO project equips workers’ organisations to respond to emerging risks and ensure inclusive labour markets.

The conference concluded with reflections from national trade union leaders and short interviews on how eQualPRO continues to strengthen capacity-building and dialogue across Europe.

With its strong participation and forward-looking discussions, the Iași event marked an important national milestone in the project’s mission to support gender equality in a rapidly digitalising world.