Courses / Department of Informatics Engineering

Training Course: Exploring Artificial Intelligence: From Concepts to Real-World Applications

General Objectives of the Course

The course aims to provide a clear and accessible introduction to the world of
Artificial Intelligence (AI), explaining in simple terms how these technologies work and the main ways in which intelligent systems "think" and "learn". It presents the core ideas behind different AI approaches and shows how they are applied in real-world contexts such as art, communication, healthcare, education, and services. Participants will also have the opportunity to experiment with tools and platforms that allow them to explore AI in practice, even without advanced programming knowledge. In addition, the course will address the ethical and social implications of adopting AI, such as issues of privacy, bias, and the impact on human work—preparing students to understand, evaluate, and keep up with the growing role of Artificial Intelligence in society and intheir professional fields.

Admission Requirements

Young people and adults who have a degree or are currently attending a degree course in non-STEAM areas.

Candidates should check the admission requirements available on this site, in addition to the information provided here.

Mode of Study

E-learning

Teaching / Evaluation language(s)

Portuguese

Examination Regulations, Assessment and Grading

Qualitative Evaluation in a Scale of pass or fail. Passing the course requires attendance at least two-thirds of the theoretical–practical classes and the submission and defense of a practical assignment with a positive evaluation.

Learning Objectives and Intended Skills

Students will be able to explain in detail the theoretical and historical foundations of AI, recognizing the five main approaches proposed by Pedro Domingos. They will implement fundamental algorithms of symbolic AI and connectionist AI, leveraging their programming knowledge. They will be able to identify the advantages, limitations, and suitable applications of each approach, including ethical and security considerations. They will be able to propose hybrid or integrated solutions by combining different approaches for concrete problems. They will justify modeling and implementation choices in practical projects, evaluating criteria such as performance, interpretability, and bias.

Qualification Requirements and Regulations

Academic Regulation of the University of Coimbra

Study Programme

Unraveling Artificial Intelligence: From Concepts to Real-World Applications

Academic year
2025-2026

Course Type
Non Degree Course

Qualification Awarded: Diploma/Certificate

Duration: 1 Trimester(s)

ECTS Credits: 3.0