Building the universities of the future
The European Commission invites you to join its event on the European Universities Initiative on 7 November 2019, from 14:00 to 18:00, at SQUARE - Brussels Convention Centre, Place du Mont Des Arts, 1000 Brussels, Belgium.
European Universities are transnational alliances promoting European values, and working to revolutionise the quality and competitiveness of European higher education. Through the initiative, the Commission is making a key contribution to building the universities of the future.
Ministers, representatives of the 17 European Universities, students and academics will explore a range of topics related to the future of higher education at the event, including:
- the need for the next generation of students, teachers and researchers to find solutions to contemporary societal challenges
- preparing young people for the jobs and society of the future
- accelerating the transformation of Europe's higher education institutions to ensure their quality, inclusiveness and international competitiveness
The event will include an information session on the second call for proposals for the European Universities Initiative, due to be launched this autumn. This will be complemented by a closed morning dialogue with the selected European Universities and an informal dinner between EU ministers responsible for higher education.
Background
The event will mark nearly two years since the Gothenburg Social Summit for Fair Jobs and Growth of November 2017 and the European Council meeting of December 2017. At the latter, EU Heads of State and Government called on member states, the Council and the Commission to continue to work towards the creation of a European Education Area by 2025.
Since then, progress towards this vision has continued with the European Universities Initiative inspiring higher education institutions across the EU.
Different models for cooperation are currently being tested through two calls for proposals under the Erasmus+ programme.
Event photos
© European Union, 2019
© European Union, 2019
© European Union, 2019
© European Union, 2019
© European Union, 2019
© European Union, 2019
© European Union, 2019
© European Union, 2019
Programme
13:00 - 14:00 | Registration
14:00 - 14:15 | Welcome
- Themis Christophidou - Director-General, Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC), European Commission.
Join this information session for further details on the 2020 Erasmus+ call for proposals on the European Universities Initiative.
14:15 - 14:45 | Presentation of the second call for proposals
- Sophie Beernaerts - Head of Department, Erasmus+ and EU Aid Volunteers, EACEA.
- Vanessa Debiais-Sainton - Head of Unit B1 - Higher education policies and programmes, DG EAC.
14:45 – 15:00 | Tips and tricks from two European Universities
- Daniela Trani - Managing Director of the YUFE European University.
- Jose Antonio Muñoz-Cueto - Rector's Delegate University of Cádiz and Coordinator of the SEA-EU European University.
15:00 – 15:30 | Questions and Answers
15:30 - 16:00 | Coffee break
16:00 - 16:15 | Introduction to the panel discussions
- European Commissioner responsible for higher education.
16:15 - 17:45 | Panel discussions on the transformative role of the European Universities Initiative
16:15 - 16:45 | Round 1: Vision for European Universities
- Hanna Kosonen - Minister of Science and Culture, Finland.
- Manuel Heitor - Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education, Portugal.
- Astrid Söderbergh Widding - President, Stockholm University, CIVIS European University.
- Costas Georgiades - Student from Maastricht University, representing the YUFE European University.
- Jean Chambaz - President, Sorbonne University, 4EU+ European University.
16:45 – 17:15 | Round 2: Implementing European Universities
- Eugenijus Valatka - Rector of Kaunas University of Technology, representiong the ECIU European University.
- Kostis Giannidis - President, Erasmus Student Network.
- Petra Schaper Rinkel - Vice-Rector, University of Graz, ARQUS European University.
- Stéphane Lauwick - President, European Association of Institutions in Higher Education (EURASHE).
- Wolf-Dieter Lukas - State Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Germany.
17:15 - 17:45 | Round 3: Building the European Education Area and the universities of the future
- Blaženka Divjak - Minister of Science and Education, Croatia.
- Gohar Hovhannisyan - Vice-President, European Students’ Union (ESU).
- Joan Elias - Rector, University of Barcelona, CHARM-EU European University.
- Michael Murphy - President, European University Association (EUA).
- Tiziana D'Acchille - Director of the Academy of Fine Arts of Rome, representing the EU4ART European University.
17:45 - 18:00 | Closing remarks by Hanna Kosonen, Finnish Minister for Science and Culture
Blaženka Divjak
Minister of Science and Education, Croatia.
Biography
Hanna Kosonen
Minister of Science and Culture, Finland.
Biography
Manuel Heitor
Minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education, Portugal.
Biography
Astrid Soderbergh Widding
President, Stockholm University, CIVIS alliance, representing the CIVIS European University
Biography
Costas Georgiades
Student, Maastricht University, representing the YUFE European University
Biography
Daniela Trani
Managing Director of the Young Universities for the Future of Europe (YUFE)
Biography
Eugenijus Valatka
Rector of Kaunas University of Technology, representing the ECIU European University
Biography
Gohar Hovhannisyan
Vice-President, European Students’ Union (ESU).
Biography
Jean Chambaz
President of Sorbonne, representing the 4EU+ European University
Biography
Joan Elias
Rector, University of Barcelona, CHARM-EU European University.
Biography
José A. Muñoz-Cueto
Rector’s Delegate University of Cádiz & Coordinator of the SEA-EU European University
Biography
Kostis Giannidis
President of the Erasmus Student Network
Biography
Michael Murphy
President of the European University Association (EUA)
Biography
Petra Schaper Rinkel
Vice-Rector for Digitalisation, University of Graz, representing the ARQUS European University
Biography
Sophie Beernaerts
Head of Department, Erasmus+ and EU Aid Volunteers, EACEA.
Biography
Stéphane Lauwick
President of EURASHE
Biography
Themis Christophidou
Director-General, Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC), European Commission.
Biography
Tiziana D'Acchille
Director of the Academy of Fine Arts of Roma, representing the EU4ART European University
Biography
Vanessa Debiais-Sainton
Head of Unit B1 - Higher education policies and programmes, DG EAC.
Biography
Wolf-Dieter Lukas
State Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Germany.
Biography
Eac Page Gallery
Practical information
Date
7 November 2019Location
Mont Des Arts, 1000 Brussels, BelgiumFind out more
- European Universities Initiative
The aim of this initiative is to bring together a new generation of creative Europeans able to cooperate across languages, borders and disciplines to address societal challenges and skills shortages faced in Europe.
- European Education Area
The Commission is developing initiatives to help establish a European Education Area enabling all young people to benefit from the best education and training, and to find employment across Europe.
- Erasmus+ programme
Erasmus+ is the EU's programme to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe. Its budget of €14.7 billion will provide opportunities to over four million Europeans to study, train, and gain experience abroad.
- 'First 17 European Universities selected'
Press release (26/6/2019): The European Commission has today announced the higher education institutions from across Europe that will form part of the first 'European Universities' alliances.
- 2018 Information Session: European Universities
Past event: On 18 December 2018, an information session on European Universities took place in Brussels.
- Call for proposals (EAC/A03/2018): European Universities
This call for proposals is now closed, but past details can be found on this page.