Review Week: UHasselt's Visit to Freiberg and Mittweida to Strengthen EURECA-PRO Collaboration
During the last week of September 2024, representatives from Hasselt University travelled to Freiberg and Mittweida in Germany as part of the ongoing EURECA-PRO collaboration. This trip was not merely a ceremonial visit but marked an important milestone in advancing the next steps of this ambitious joint effort. The Review Week allowed all partners to come together and reflect on the achievements so far while setting the stage for the alliance's future.
The Significance of this Review Week
Key objectives of the Review Week included:
- Evaluating milestones achieved in research collaboration, student and staff exchanges, and innovative educational programs.
- Planning the next steps of the project, with a focus on ensuring the sustainability and long-term impact of EURECA-PRO's initiatives.
- Expanding joint curricula and increasing mobility opportunities for students and staff across partner institutions.
- Exploring new IT infrastructures that facilitate working together over 9 universities, creating a digital campus for our staff and students.
WP 2: Development of a Compass Charter and Legal Entity Formation
In WP 2 Governance, discussions focused on the upcoming task of creating a Compass Charter. This charter will outline key policies essential to the EURECA-PRO alliance, including a sustainability policy, an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) policy, and an ethics policy. These guidelines will help steer the alliance’s activities in a responsible and ethically sound direction.
In addition, UHasselt is leading the critical task of forming the legal entity of the alliance. Establishing this legal framework will not only formalize the collaboration but also enhance its operational effectiveness by creating a unified structure for governance and decision-making across all member institutions.
WP 3: Advancing ELLA
Significant progress was made in WP 3 regarding the ELLA (European Lifelong Learning Academy) initiative. During the Review Week, the team successfully finalized the needs assessment questionnaire, which will soon be distributed to gather critical data. Additionally, the group explored how IT can support the ELLA initiative, reviewing example websites and discussing the registration process in detail, including the key do’s and don’ts.
WP 5: New Branding and Student Recruitment
A notable development during the Review Week was unveiling the new EURECA-PRO branding. This new branding reflects the evolving identity of the alliance and its commitment to responsible consumption and production. The new design is intended to enhance the visibility of EURECA-PRO across Europe and support its mission to engage a broader audience.
Additionally, concrete steps for student recruitment were discussed, aiming to attract more students from across Europe to take part in the opportunities provided by the alliance, including mobility programs, joint degrees, and internships. While these steps mark a vital progression, more detailed plans for both internal and external communications will follow when a comprehensive strategy is set to be unveiled.
Conclusion
UHasselt’s visit to Freiberg and Mittweida marked an important moment in the EURECA-PRO project’s trajectory. The Review Week provided a platform to celebrate the progress made so far and to refine the strategic vision for the future. With a renewed commitment to sustainability, interdisciplinary collaboration, and student mobility, UHasselt and its partners in the EURECA-PRO alliance are well-positioned to drive future impactful change in Europe’s educational and research landscape.
Through initiatives like EURECA-PRO, the universities involved are contributing to the development of a more sustainable and inclusive Europe, ensuring that the next generation of students and researchers are equipped to address the pressing environmental and societal challenges of our time.