WORKSHOP No. 1
TITLE: LEAN Didactics: How to use lean thinking in teaching?
Joanna Czerska, Gdansk University of Technology, LeanQ Team sp. z o.o., Poland
Abstract: Can Lean principles be as effective in education as they are in business? How can we apply Kaizen, Hansei, and Yokoten to improve the teaching process and engage students? During this workshop, we will explore the 10 Kaizen principles in the context of didactics, analyzing both successes and failures in their implementation. We will discuss how to create an environment that fosters reflection, experimentation, and learning through practice. This will be an opportunity to exchange experiences and find solutions that make teaching more effective and engaging. Join to the workshop if you want to look at education through the lens of Lean Thinking and discover how to adapt Japanese practices to modern didactics!
WORKSHOP No. 2
TITLE: Lean Coffee Workshop on the Future of Lean

José Dinis Araújo Carvalho, University of Minho, Portugal
Workshop Overview
90-minute workshop, Lean Coffee style, to explore and discuss topics related to the future of Lean and Lean education. This interactive session will bring together interested parties to share their insights, challenges and ideas about the evolution of Lean principles and practices.
What is Lean Coffee?
Lean Coffee is a structured meeting format without an agenda. It allows participants to get together, build an agenda and start discussing the different topics in order of importance to the group. This format encourages equal participation and focuses on the topics that are most relevant to the participants.
Potential Topics
Some potential topics related to the future of Lean might include:
- Integration of Lean with Industry 4.0 technologies
- Digitalization in Continuous Improvement
- Digitalization in learning organizations
- The use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in continuous improvement and Lean environments
- Adapting Lean for remote and distributed teams
- How Industry 4.0 can be useful in shaping leadership and respect for people
- Lean in service industries: evolving applications and challenges
WORKSHOP No. 3
TITLE: Applying Artificial Intelligence in Problem-Solving and Innovation Development within the Framework of Industry 4.0 Technologies
Tomasz Żabiński, Rzeszów University of Technology, Thumos Investments, Anatropi
Workshop Overview
The rise of Industry 4.0 technologies has transformed the landscape of innovation and problem-solving, placing Artificial Intelligence (AI) at the core of many industrial and organisational processes. However, while AI offers powerful analytical capabilities, it is human creativity, critical thinking, tacit knowledge, and contextual understanding that continue to provide a unique and irreplaceable advantage.
This interactive workshop explores how to effectively apply AI in solving problems and developing innovation, without losing sight of the human factor. Participants will engage with the Business Model Canvas as a tool to structure and communicate AI-driven innovation ideas, while also reflecting on the evolving competences required in an AI-driven world. Through practical exercises and discussions, we will explore how to stimulate creativity, leverage tacit knowledge, and define the role of the Human 4.0 – a professional capable of coexisting and collaborating with intelligent systems.
Join us to discover how humans and AI can complement each other in the pursuit of sustainable, valuable innovation.