Data School at SUA in Nitra: Modern Tools for Research, Data Analysis and AI

The Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra (SUA), through its Doctoral School, provides a platform for the systematic development of doctoral students’ professional, research and personal competencies. Its mission is to enhance the quality of doctoral education, foster interdisciplinary and international cooperation, and prepare early-career researchers to address current challenges in research and professional practice.

The Doctoral School at SUA supports learning beyond individual study programmes and creates opportunities to acquire new knowledge and practical skills through specialised courses, workshops and other professional development activities. An important part of its work involves organising and coordinating educational events that respond to the current needs of the research community and promote the professional and career development of doctoral students.

“I am pleased that, since its establishment, the Doctoral School at SUA in Nitra has been introducing innovative approaches to education that respond to the current needs of the research environment. Our ambition is to develop the Doctoral School into a modern platform for excellent doctoral education, bringing together high-quality research, interdisciplinary cooperation, and the development of both specialist and transferable skills. We place particular emphasis on independence, creativity, and preparing doctoral students for careers in academia, the public sector and the private sector. Data School is a practical example of this vision in action and demonstrates how we aim to systematically prepare early-career researchers for the challenges associated with digitalisation, data analytics and artificial intelligence,” said Professor Adriana Kolesárová, Vice-Rector for Research and Science at the Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra.

One of the Doctoral School’s current educational initiatives is Data School – Modern Tools for Research, Data Analysis and AI, an intensive five-day course organised in cooperation with Codebridge College. This educational format is being offered as part of a doctoral school for the first time at the Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra.

The course took place from 19 to 23 October 2026 at the Slovak Agricultural Library at SUA in Nitra, bringing together 31 doctoral students and research staff from the university.

Data School focuses on developing practical skills in data analytics, statistics, data visualisation and artificial intelligence. Its aim is to introduce participants to modern digital tools that can support the processing, analysis and evaluation of research data.

The five-day programme combined theoretical knowledge with hands-on exercises. Participants explored the fundamentals of AI-assisted data analysis, the creation of interactive charts and maps, statistical methods, and hypothesis testing. The programme also covered more advanced topics, including machine learning, complex data processing and the critical evaluation of analytical models.

The course culminated in a final hackathon, during which participants applied their newly acquired knowledge and skills to real-world research problems.

Responsible use of artificial intelligence in scientific research was another key element of the programme. Although modern AI tools can significantly simplify data processing, even for

users without advanced programming skills, the correct interpretation of results still requires an understanding of statistics and research methodology, as well as the ability to critically evaluate the outputs generated.

The implementation of Data School is a practical example of the Doctoral School’s mission to expand educational opportunities for doctoral students and research staff through cooperation with external expert partners. It also demonstrates the university’s commitment to responding to the rapid development of digital technologies and the growing importance of data analytics and artificial intelligence in modern research.