Building Bridges: ChallengeEU Joins Summer University at ATU Sligo
During the Summer University, an interdisciplinary Blended Intensive Programme (BiP) on the theme “Sustainable Future” was organised by MIUN and ATU Sligo (Ireland), together with three other European universities. Caroline Hanras from ECAM LaSalle was invited by Mid Sweden University (MIUN) to join colleagues in Ireland and job-shadow the organisation of the BiP, which has been running for over 10 years as part of the Summer University cooperation among the five universities. The visit also offered a great opportunity to exchange experiences with another European University Alliance – EU GREEN, of which ATU Sligo is a member. “Grateful to MIUN and ATU Sligo for the invitation and hospitality and exchanging perspectives on short-term mobility design and comparing approaches with colleagues – and looking forward to bringing these insights back into ChallengeEU future short term mobilities” – says Caroline Hanras. Featured in the main photo are Caroline Hanras (ECAM LaSalle), Cathrine Gladh (MIUN), and Frances Lucy (ATU)
ODEI Programme in Action
From June 20 to 30, members of Work Package 5 from the ChallengeEU Alliance conducted an innovative pilot training on Openness, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The immersive Blended Intensive Programme (BIP), hosted by Universidade Europeia, brought together participants from all partner universities, offering a unique opportunity to develop and refine their teaching skills on key ODEI topics. After several weeks of in-depth preparation, the training provided a dynamic platform to put their knowledge into practice. The training was structured into six interactive modules, each addressing key aspects of ODEI: A standout feature of the training was the ODEI simulation, where participants engaged in experiential learning by observing actors role-playing real-life scenarios involving discrimination and microaggressions. This powerful exercise sparked deep discussions, allowing attendees to analyze these situations and collaboratively explore solutions. While the opening and closing sessions were held online, the core of the training took place in a hybrid format, combining virtual participation with an in-person gathering in Lisbon, Portugal. This blended approach not only made the program accessible to a wider audience but also provided an invaluable opportunity for participants to network, exchange ideas, and strengthen cross-university partnerships. The training employed diverse, interactive methods – including experiential learning, Mentimeter polls, group discussions, and brainstorming sessions – to ensure active participation. The final evaluations reflected high satisfaction with the content, materials, and facilitation methods, demonstrating the program’s effectiveness in deepening ODEI competencies. Building on this successful pilot, the next phase will involve rolling out the training to students and staff across all ChallengeEU universities. This expansion will further embed ODEI principles into institutional cultures, empowering more individuals to champion inclusivity and equity in their communities. This initiative marks a significant step forward in creating more inclusive, aware, and collaborative academic environments – a testament to the power of shared learning and collective action.
For Better Communication: Internal Training at SEEU
Effective internal communication is key to the success of any international alliance — and the ChallengeEU Alliance is no exception. With this in mind, the Work Package 6 (WP6) team, which leads communication and dissemination efforts across the Alliance, organized a dedicated internal training session at South East European University (SEEU) on 2 July. The training, titled “Internal Communication Tools and Effective Collaboration”, aimed to strengthen coordination among different teams involved in the ChallengeEU project at SEEU and to establish a more unified and effective communication culture across all university departments engaged in the initiative. The session was led by Edlira Palloshi Disha, communication specialist and researcher at the Max van der Stoel Institute (MVDSI), who introduced key tools, techniques, and principles for impactful communication within a complex, multi-stakeholder environment. Drawing from practical experience, Nerodia Selimi from SEEU’s Public Relations Office shared valuable best practices and examples from the university’s communication strategy. The training brought together a diverse group of participants representing all SEEU work packages involved in ChallengeEU, including colleagues from Participants included representatives from the International Relations Office, Career Center, the Pro-Rector for Digitalization, Business Innovation Center, MVDSI’s Project Coordination Unit, deans, and other academic staff and administrative offices across the university. This broad participation created a dynamic environment for knowledge-sharing and collective reflection. One of the session’s main objectives was to initiate a more standardized internal communication framework across SEEU’s project teams, ensuring smoother collaboration, clearer messaging, and improved responsiveness. Participants actively engaged in discussions on: The training session laid the groundwork for more efficient collaboration within SEEU and, by extension, within the broader ChallengeEU Alliance. By aligning internal communication practices, the university is taking a critical step toward ensuring that the Alliance functions as a truly integrated and collaborative ecosystem. This event highlights how internal capacity building can directly contribute to the success of international cooperation — reinforcing ChallengeEU’s core mission to bring European universities together to tackle shared challenges through joint innovation, research, and education
Student Voices Shaping the ChallengeEU Talent Academy
In June, the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies (LBTU) became a hub of dialogue and collaboration as staff and students came together for two dynamic focus group discussions organised within the framework of the ChallengeEU project. These meetings marked a key step in ensuring that the voices of students are at the heart of shaping future educational initiatives across the Alliance. The focus groups brought together doctoral and master’s students from a variety of disciplines, creating a safe and open space for them to share their experiences, challenges, and ideas for improvement related to their academic journey. The atmosphere was both reflective and constructive, with participants offering thoughtful feedback on many aspects of university life. What did they talk about?Discussions explored a wide range of topics, including: Each perspective shared during the sessions provided valuable insight into the lived experiences of early-career researchers and postgraduate students. Their suggestions and reflections are already proving to be essential in the development of one of ChallengeEU’s key initiatives — the Talent Academy. Why does it matter? The Talent Academy is being designed to support (early-career) researchers in acquiring both methodological capacities and entrepreneurial skills, enabling them to conduct socially relevant research and translate findings into real-world impact. The feedback collected during these sessions will directly inform its structure and priorities, helping to ensure that it reflects the true needs of students and young researchers. This type of participatory engagement is at the core of ChallengeEU’s values: building inclusive, challenge-driven, and impactful education and research ecosystems. By listening closely to students, the Alliance aims to co-create a more supportive and effective learning environment — one that empowers students to grow, thrive, and reach their full potential. These focus groups are just one of many ongoing efforts to build bridges between universities and their communities, and to ensure that the transformation of higher education in Europe is driven by collaboration, inclusion, and dialogue.
ChallengeEU Meets with Partners at FHNW
Strengthening regional partnerships is one of the key ways the ChallengeEU Alliance ensures that its work creates tangible impact in local communities across Europe. These partnerships bring the Alliance’s mission closer to reality by connecting higher education institutions with the people, institutions, and industries that shape their surrounding ecosystems. In June, this commitment took a meaningful step forward during a special meeting at Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz (FHNW) in Switzerland. The ChallengeEU team, together with FHNW President Prof. Crispino Bergamaschi, had the pleasure of presenting the Alliance’s current initiatives to a group of associated partners from the Northwestern Switzerland region. The meeting sparked engaging discussions and laid the foundation for exciting future collaborations. Topics ranged from the evolving needs of students and early-career professionals, to major challenges and opportunities in digitalisation, robotics, artificial intelligence, and diversity. A particularly meaningful part of the exchange focused on the topic of neurodiversity and how schools and employers can better support individuals with diverse cognitive profiles. Initial ideas for joint projects and synergies are already emerging, and all participants shared a strong interest in shaping initiatives that are creative, sustainable, and truly future-oriented. This meeting clearly demonstrated the added value of close cooperation between universities and their regional environments — a core principle of the ChallengeEU Alliance. We are excited to continue these conversations and turn them into concrete, impactful action.
ChallengeEU at the European University Alliances Forum in Wrocław
Representatives of the ChallengeEU Alliance are taking part in the 3rd European University Alliances Forum, held in Wrocław, Poland. The event is organized under the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union and serves as an important platform for exchange, dialogue, and knowledge sharing among university alliances and key stakeholders. Our delegation (Prof. Dr. Tobias Hagen, HSO’s Vice-Rector for Internationalization and Managing Director of ChallengeEU, Prof. Dr. Paweł Wielgosz, Vice-Deputy Director of ChallengeEU and Rector’s UWM representative for EUI, Sofiia Hecker, Secretary General and Agata Głowacka-Gil, Project Office Coordinator) will gain valuable insights and inspiration through meetings with representatives from other alliances across Europe. The Forum opened with welcome speeches by: Already during the first panel, it was emphasized that European University Alliances are at the very top of the European political agenda Key topics of the Forum included: Participation in the Forum marks another important step in strengthening ChallengeEU’s position within the European academic landscape – and a new opportunity to shape the future of higher education in Europe. >>> 3rd European University Alliances Forum: Summary
International Experience in Sustainable Gastronomy
From May 13–17, the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies (LBTU) hosted the Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) course “Sustainable Restaurant Service”, bringing together students and academic staff from Latvia, Croatia, Portugal, Poland, and Bulgaria. This international course was a valuable opportunity to exchange knowledge and best practices in the field of sustainable gastronomy. The event was made even more impactful thanks to the active involvement of ChallengeEU alliance partners – Universidade Europeia and the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, whose participation reinforced the spirit of international collaboration and innovation. The course was especially valuable thanks to the participation of the ChallengeEU partners – Universidade Europeia (Portugal) and Uniwersytet Warmińsko-Mazurski w Olsztynie (Poland) – strengthening international cooperation in sustainable gastronomy. Before arriving in Latvia, participants joined virtual sessions to explore sustainability in restaurant operations, AI solutions, and cross-border teamwork. During the on-site week, students explored:Sustainable restaurant managementGastronomic tourism & local cuisineStudy visits to producers & Michelin Guide restaurantsInspiring talks with chefs & hospitality professionals The course concluded with a practical workshop and a festive lunch showcasing sustainable food service. All participants received certificates — and a shared commitment to future collaboration in sustainable gastronomy. The organizers extend their congratulations to all partners, students, and lecturers who contributed to the success of this event.
Paving the Way for the Talent Academy: ChallengeEU at ISCBE 2025
The 8th International Scientific Conference on Business and Economics (ISCBE), hosted by South East European University (SEEU), provided an excellent platform for international dialogue and innovation. As part of the event, a dedicated Networking Event brought together international students and industry experts to co-create the vision for the Talent Academy – one of the key initiatives within the ChallengeEU alliance. The session served as an inspiring forum for exchanging ideas and aligning academic ambition with practical realities. Participants emphasized the importance of strengthening the bridge between higher education and the labour market. Key outcomes included: 🔹 Aligning academic programs with real-world industry needs🔹 Focusing on hands-on learning, internships, and mentoring🔹 Enhancing cooperation between universities, businesses, and institutions🔹 Improving accessibility through flexible, inclusive learning opportunities – including online formats🔹 Promoting a culture of continuous improvement driven by feedback The insights gained during the event will play a crucial role in developing a future-ready Talent Academy that is inclusive, innovative, and closely connected to the evolving demands of the job market. The ChallengeEU Talent Academy will provide early-career researchers and lifelong learners with bothmethodological capacities and entrepreneurial skills, enabling them to undertake socially-relevant research and/oreffectively translate research findings. Reciprocal learning with and from stakeholders, as well as transdisciplinarylearning, will support and foster the open innovation processes within the Alliance.
Branding, or building identity. Workshops in Poland
Representatives of the nine universities forming the ChallengeEU alliancemet at the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn (Poland) to discuss how to communicate and disseminate the alliance’s activities, which aim to open new opportunities for members of the academic community. To discuss the image of the ChallengeEU alliance and strategies for reaching various target audiences, representatives from all partner universities gathered in Olsztyn. Among them, the largest group consisted of those responsible for communication within the project. Also present were leaders of other work packages and the Secretary General of the alliance. All had the opportunity to connect with UWM staff involved in other parts of the project. The workshops were also attended by Prof. Paweł Wielgosz, UWM’s Representative for European Universities. Branding – Building the Identity of the Alliance The identity and future of ChallengeEU will be shaped by those who co-create it and seize the opportunities it offers. However, its image—especially in the eyes of individuals or companies potentially interested in collaborating with the universities—will also play a vital role and should be considered from the very beginning. Working on the alliance’s identity means also working on its visual communication and messaging—key elements that ChallengeEU will use to connect with others. Learning from One Another and Combining Our Strengths The second day was equally productive, featuring workshops and a working meeting held at the UWM Center for Marketing and Media. “A very important part of the visit was the opportunity for our guests to explore various units of UWM — including the editorial offices of the university media, the Office for International Cooperation, the Student Affairs Office, the Center for Cooperation with the Socio-Economic Environment, as well as selected faculties,” explains Dr. Marta Śliwa. “It was a great opportunity to present UWM’s educational offer and scientific potential, but also for our community to learn more about the ideas and objectives of the ChallengeEU alliance.” – “The meeting in Olsztyn was very highly rated by all participants, which is a great joy for us. We feel that thanks to this event, ChallengeEU has truly found its place within our university’s academic space.” Participants of the workshops in Kortowo also emphasized how meeting in person made them realize how strong their relationships have already become — and how positively this strengthens their collaboration. Together with all those involved in the project, they are gradually building the foundation for a shared, open, and inclusive campus.
Together for the European Cross-Border Region on the Upper Rhine
Thanks to the ChallengeEU project, Hochschule Offenburg (Offenburg University of Applied Sciences) played a leading role in bringing together representatives from business, academia, civil society, and different generations from across the Upper Rhine region. In an open and appreciative atmosphere, participants took the time to jointly identify key issues – particularly in the context of reimagining tourism. The aim of the activities undertaken by the members of the ChallengeEU alliance is to closely link research and innovation with regional stakeholders and, as a first step in a creative process, to collaboratively identify regional challenges. These identified challenges are then categorized into key thematic areas: Health & Wellbeing, Smart Digitalisation, and Sustainable Development. The ideas and solutions developed are subsequently integrated into further research and innovation activities to create sustainable and practical outcomes for the region. Students benefit especially from this European network: they have the opportunity to connect internationally and collaborate on innovative solutions. In addition to exciting projects and win-win situations for both regional businesses and students, valuable partnerships and friendships are also formed across national borders. Together, we are committed to a strong, innovative Europe and a sustainable future for the Upper Rhine region. The first workshop in the ChallengeEU Meetup Mission series was made possible thanks to the collaboration with Black Forest Innovation, an associate partner of the alliance, who hosted the participants at their premises.
