16/06/2026
A pressing need. Two years of research. And the first real-world project of its kind in Italy.
On 10 June, the University of Siena unveiled ABACUS.
ABACUS is not a chatbot.
It is a conversational avatar designed to guide and support students at the University of Siena with services, well-being, equal opportunities and appointment booking with the psychology team. Students can access it by text or voice, directly from the University’s website.
The project started out within a degree programme and grew through the collaboration between the University and QuestIT, by Vection Technologies. It was built with rigour from the ground up: two years of research, design, development, content validation and full compliance with European privacy regulations.
The result? The University of Siena is the first in Italy to roll out a solution of this kind.
The project also made its way to CRUI, the Conference of Italian University Rectors, where it was presented as a model of innovation that can be replicated elsewhere.
This project reminds us why we do what we do.
AI should not just streamline business processes. It can also look after people and become the first port of call for a student who is struggling.