Digital Marketing & AI Beyond the Hype Autumn School: Impressions from students from University of Mauritius

From October 6th to 10th, 2025, Mehreen Zeadally, Humairaa Hosany, and Harsh Gungah, students from the University of Mauritius had the incredible opportunity to participate in the Erasmus+ Mobility Programme hosted by Academia. The autumn school, titled “Digital Marketing & AI Beyond the Hype”, focused on combining creativity with innovation in the age of artificial intelligence.

Before traveling to Slovenia, they completed online courses to familiarize themselves with ChatGPT and other free AI tools. These sessions helped them understand how AI can be integrated into marketing to create authentic and impactful campaigns. Once in Maribor, their classes began with a real-world challenge: a local company struggling with a limited marketing budget. Working in diverse teams, they had to propose AI-driven strategies to help improve the company’s market reach and visibility.

Throughout the week, they learned how to use AI responsibly—not as a replacement for human creativity, but as a support tool for decision-making. They explored how to craft compelling marketing slogans, generate visuals and videos using AI, and develop strategic campaigns informed by data.

What made the experience even more exciting was that this was not a simulation; they presented their ideas directly to a company representative and staff from different universities across Europe and beyond, including Poland, El Salvador, Spain, and Slovenia.

Working in international teams was another highlight. Each group paired students from different countries, creating a truly cross-cultural experience. They tackled challenges together, learned from one another, and saw how diverse perspectives enrich creativity. Ultimately, every group worked hard to deliver a strong presentation pitch.

Beyond the classroom, they had a group tour where they explored the beautiful city of Maribor. They visited historical landmarks and enjoyed peaceful walks along the Drava River. The town felt like a warm hug to them. As the name suggests—sLOVEnia—they believed it’s true: the country truly embodies love in everything it does.

“They left Maribor with knowledge, friendships, and inspiration that will stay with them for years to come. It made them reflect on how AI might shape the marketing world more than they ever imagined. They were deeply thankful to the organisers, lecturers, their home university, and Academia for making this journey a reality. They extended their heartfelt thanks to Maribor for its warmth and unforgettable memories.”