Introduction:
Faculty development is more crucial than ever for the renewal and innovation of university teaching. This study explores the training needs of academic staff at a trilingual university in Northern Italy. In January 2025, a questionnaire comprising both multiple-choice and open-ended questions was distributed to the faculty. The responses were used to identify themes for future training courses. The questionnaire focused on the use of digitally integrated teaching to enhance student participation, as well as the faculty's training needs, including AI.

Methodology:
A total of 123 out of 250 faculty members responded to the questionnaire, with 107 consenting to the use of their data for research purposes. Among the participants, 53% were professors, while the remainder were researchers. The distribution by faculty was as follows: 35% from the Faculty of Education, 22% from the Faculty of Economics and Management, 21% from the Faculty of Engineering, and 16% from the Faculty of Agriculture.
The analysis combined descriptive statistics for multiple-choice responses and thematic analysis for open-ended questions. The 53 open-ended responses were analyzed inductively by the co-authors, who independently categorized the data before comparing and refining their categories through multiple rounds of discussion to ensure data trustworthiness. One response could be classified into multiple categories.

Results:
Descriptive Statistics:
Results report the mode value from five frequency descriptors ranging from never to always:
- 33% of respondents never use an LMS
- 60% never use web-based applications for collaborative work (e.g. Padlet)
- 54% never use interactive presentation software (e.g. Mentimeter)
- 60% never use quizzes (e.g. Kahoot)
- 33% use shared files (e.g. Word)
- 60% use Teams

Additionally, 50% of respondents identified one of their main challenges as designing engaging, effective, and inclusive teaching and learning methodologies. Regarding AI in teaching and learning:
• 50% of faculty would like to use AI for creating teaching content
• 25% see AI as a tool for automated assessment
• 31% consider AI useful for gamifying learning

Qualitative Thematic Analysis:
An open-ended question asked participants about the topics they would like to see covered in faculty training. The responses indicated:
- 19% would like training on innovative pedagogies
- 17% want to improve their teaching practices
- 14% seek guidance on AI in education
- 8% are interested in using AI for research purposes
- 8% report having no time for training courses
- 8% express a need for skills to detect AI-generated plagiarism

Discussion and Conclusion:
Preliminary results suggest that faculty members make only limited use of digital tools. This may explain why one of their biggest challenges is designing engaging, effective, and inclusive teaching and learning methodologies. The qualitative analysis highlights two main faculty perspectives: some express a desire to learn about active pedagogies, while others aim to improve their teaching practices. While the latter group points to teaching, the former points to learning, indicating a possible difference between teacher centred and student centered view. While faculty members are taking initial steps toward integrating AI into their teaching practices, the survey highlights various intended uses: supporting teaching and learning, aiding research, and addressing concerns related to AI-enabled plagiarism.

Keywords: Faculty development, digital tools, AI, teaching and learning, survey.