As part of the ACTI-K² Summer School 2026, supported by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and jointly organised by Kherson State Agrarian and Economic University (KSAEU) and Kiel University (CAU), participants had the opportunity to present the final projects they had developed throughout the two-week programme. The presentations marked the culmination of the Summer School, providing each team with the opportunity to demonstrate the knowledge, practical skills and collaborative experience they had gained over the course of the programme.
Applying Data Science in Practice
Working in international teams, participants addressed a variety of real-world data science challenges. The projects covered topics including Data Scientist Salaries, Apartment Prices, Divorce Predictors, Employee Productivity, Education and Career Success, Medical Insurance Costs, and Household Energy Consumption.
By combining statistical methods, programming with R and modern data analysis techniques, the teams transformed raw datasets into meaningful analyses and presented their findings to fellow participants and lecturers. The presentations demonstrated not only technical competence but also the participants’ ability to communicate complex results in a clear and structured manner.
Learning Through Collaboration
Throughout the Summer School, Prof. Dr. Kai Carstensen closely followed the progress of each project team, supporting participants through discussions, constructive feedback and regular exchanges of ideas. Particular emphasis was placed on communication, collaborative problem-solving and learning from one another — skills that are essential for successful work in data science.
Reflecting on the participants’ achievements, Prof. Dr. Kai Carstensen remarked: “Over the past two weeks, I have seen remarkable progress in every team. Beyond the technical skills, what impressed me most was the willingness to communicate, exchange ideas and solve problems together. These are the qualities that make successful data scientists.”
By the end of the programme, every participant could confidently say that they had developed valuable practical experience in working with large datasets and applying modern data science methods to real-world problems.
A Successful Conclusion
The final presentations marked the successful conclusion of the ACTI-K² Summer School 2026 and highlighted the remarkable progress achieved by all participants. Over the course of two weeks, they strengthened their knowledge of statistics, programming and data science while building international friendships and gaining valuable experience in interdisciplinary teamwork.
We congratulate all participants on their successful completion of the Summer School and thank everyone who contributed to making this international educational initiative such a rewarding experience.
