EULiST |

Leibniz Universität Hannover visited BUT: EULiST offers many opportunities

22/09/2023

On 15 September, the Brno University of Technology (BUT) hosted a meeting of the partners of the European University Alliance EULiST. Rector of the BUT Ladislav Janíček welcomed the chairman of the board of the alliance and also the president of Leibniz Universität Hannover (LUH) Volker Epping and his coordinating team. The eve of the meeting was also enriched by the visit of the incoming Rector of the Technical University of Vienna, Jens Schneider. The meeting was a follow-up to the previous meeting of rectors and representatives of the two universities in Hannover in May 2023. The agenda included joint and bilateral discussions on cooperation opportunities in the fields of education, research or sustainable technologies. The guests from LUH also learned about the functioning of the CEITEC BUT university institute and toured the CEITEC Nano clean room laboratories.

The EULiST Alliance, which brings together 10 European universities with 200,000 students, recently succeeded in a call by the European Commission to become a European University. This result, which the President Epping mentioned at the beginning of the meeting, is proof of the joint strength of 10 universities: “We have achieved great success and received financial support that will allow us to strengthen our cooperation, for example in the development of innovative learning opportunities. It confirmed the importance of moving forward together, pursuing our vision and also asking ourselves where we want to be as partners in ten years’ time.”

Volker Epping pointed out some of the other opportunities for alliance cooperation. One is the removal of barriers and the creation of motivational conditions for student mobility within partner universities. The vision is one university campus made up of all members of the alliance for all its students. Science and research also offer a number of opportunities. Closer cooperation in this area can, among other things, contribute to readiness for EU project calls.

During his presentation, Epping also raised some unfavorable phenomena such as the decline in interest in technical education: ‘LUH has 28,000 students, but the number of people interested in mechanical or civil engineering is declining, while interest in computer science is growing. However, our society needs engineers. So we need to go into the schools and also motivate the parents of children, where it all starts.”

BUT has had a similar experience with a decline in interest in technical education. Rector Ladislav Janíček believes that cooperation within the alliance can be beneficial in this respect as well: ‘We are systematically addressing this issue at the BUT and we are well aware that this is a Europe-wide problem that affects Europe’s competitiveness and increases its dependence. Sharing international models and experiences with our partner technical universities, and therefore also with our partners in the EULiST alliance, is one of the ways that can help to change the situation.”

After the bilateral meetings of faculty partners from, for example, civil or electrical engineering disciplines and a visit to the CEITEC BUT laboratories, a final evaluation meeting was held. Rector of BUT Ladislav Janíček emphasized that besides common goals, cooperation in EULiST should also be about mutual support in achieving own goals at home universities.

Opportunities for this could include mutual coordination of selected practices, sharing and transfer of good practices and formulation of conceptual principles and approaches to address certain common themes, on which the individual partner universities can rely: “We have common themes such as promoting interest in technical fields, the development of sustainable technologies or even university management, and it is always inspiring to see how our partners are tackling similar topics. However, it is also important to take advantage of opportunities for bilateral cooperation and it is logical that the geographical and cultural proximity of some partners reflecting regional development opportunities will play a role in the cooperation,” said Janíček.

The Rector of the BUT also reminded that the next General Assembly of the EULiST Alliance will be held in May 2024 in Brno under the auspices of the BUT.

Leibniz Universität Hannover was founded in 1831 and has grown from a purely technical university to a university that also offers courses in the humanities and economics. Since 2006 it has been named after the famous German philosopher and mathematician G. W. Leibniz. LUH offers studies at 12 faculties with 28,000 students. In addition to the EULiST alliance, it is part of the CESAER or TU9 alliances. LUH’s research focuses on optical technology, biomedical or product engineering, among others. Currently, 18 ERC projects are underway at LUH.

More info and photos here

EULiST in the II Forum of European University Alliances

21/09/2023

The Spanish Presidency of the Council has taken up the cause and promoted the celebration of the II Forum of European University Alliances on September 14 and 15 in Barcelona. The goal is to open up a space for dialogue and exchange of ideas around the most important issues currently affecting European alliances. This event was attended on behalf of EULiST by María Luisa Humanes and Pablo Salvadores (from URJC), Christina von Haaren (from LUH), and Markus Auditor (EULiST central coordinator).

The primary objective of this forum appears to be creating a platform for dialogue and the sharing of ideas on crucial issues impacting European alliances in the field of higher education. This event likely brings together representatives from various European universities, policymakers, researchers, and other stakeholders to address topics such as academic collaboration, mobility programs, research initiatives, and educational innovation. The discussions may also touch on broader themes related to the European Union’s educational and research agendas, promoting internationalization, and addressing challenges in higher education. By organizing this forum, the Spanish Presidency of the Council is contributing to the ongoing efforts to strengthen European cooperation in higher education and research, ultimately aiming to enhance the quality and competitiveness of European universities on the global stage.

Further information, agenda and concept notes from the different pannels can be found in the following link: Program II Forum European Universities Alliances.

Moreover, this event has been widely publicised. In the magazine Canal Europa it has been highlighted that in this Forum it has been communicated that the European Union is moving forward in a joint university degree for students of European universities. This was announced by the European Commission’s Vice-President for the promotion of the European way of life, Margaritis Schinas, during a meeting with the press as part of the with the press in the framework of the of the 2nd European University Alliances Forum. of European Universities. The press release can be found in the following link European Alliances 18-09-2023

(via https://eulist.urjc.es/eulist-in-the-ii-forum-of-european-university-alliances/)

SEED 2023 Call (Call 2), open August 1st – September 30th, 2023, we invite talented doctoral candidates to apply for 8 open positions.

06/09/2023

The research themes are:
• Metal recovery by 3D-printed porous structures and their use as catalysts
• Open science community technologies for environmental measuring
• Collaborative working capital management in low carbon products and technologies
• Study of defects in lithium and sodium-ion batteries
• Uncertainty quantification and parameter identification in electric motors
• Systemic design and innovation in waste management
• Urban socio-digital innovations for better air quality
• Novel industrial processes for bioeconomy
____________________________________

The call for applications opens on 1 August 2023 and closes on 30 September 2023, at midnight, Finnish local time (UTC +3 h).

See the SEED webpage for additional detailed information on the SEED programme: https://www.lut.fi/en/seed

SEED Management Team: LUT.SEED@lut.fi

SEED 2023 Call Summary

All information about your start of studies at Leibniz University Hannover in one app

06/09/2023

Here we go: All information about your start of studies at Leibniz University Hannover in one app

Lots of questions pop up when you start university. To ensure a smooth start Leibniz University launched a new app today: Start Smart!

Start Smart provides a quick overview of important topics and helpful contacts for new students starting at Leibniz University. The app is available in German and English.

You can download the App here:

Studienstart LUH on the App Store (apple.com)

Studienstart LUH – Apps on Google Play

EULiST recognised by the EU Commission as a “European University Alliance”

12/07/2023

On July 3, 2023, the European Commission granted EULiST the title “European University Alliance” and awarded the Alliance funds in the amount of 14,3 million euros for the next four years to pursue its mission. In its assessment of the proposal, the European Commission recognised EULiST as presenting “a promising approach to benefit other higher education institutions in Europe through its focus on inclusion and excellence, for example through creating a new digital infrastructure, which would facilitate open data sharing”.

For the Alliance, it is a major milestone on its way to achieving its mission of transforming European higher education and strengthening a common European identity. As reflected in its name: European Universities Linking Society and Technology, EULiST seeks to harness the research capacities of its ten member universities to empower responsible change agents to address societal and global challenges, including climate change and social cohesion, by identifying innovative ways of integrating social sciences, humanities and technology.

As Markus Auditor, EULiST’s central coordinator noted, “EULiST is much more than a project, it is a profound transformation of our universities”. To achieve this, EULiST strives to generate a unique and creative EULiST Academic Ecosystem of sustainable development open to the public. Informed and driven by the exchange of ideas between society, science, and technology, this academic ecosystem will support inter- and transdisciplinary learning, research and outreach to enable student and academic staff participation and interaction with society through an EULiST Campus and the EULiST flagships “Digital Knowledge Hub”, EULiST Agora for Education”, Research and Innovation Academy (ERIA)” and “Co-creation cluster”.

EULiST’s ten member universities consist of Leibniz University Hannover (DE), as coordinating university, Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology LUT (FI), Jönköping University (SE), Institut Mines-Télécom (IMT) (FR), Brno University of Technology (CZ), Technische Universität Wien (AT), Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava (SK), Rey Juan Carlos University (ES), University L’Aquila (IT), and National Technical University of Athens (GR).

The creation of EULiST is part of a broader European initiative, the European Universities Initiative, formally launchd by the European Commission in 2018 with the goal of initiating and fostering unprecedented levels of systemic, structural and sustainable cooperation between European higher education institutions. Today 50 European University Alliances involving more than 430 higher education institutions are working to advance the mission of the EUI. Within the framework of this initiative, EULiST began to take shape in 2020, establishing itself as a transnational network of higher education institutions in May 2021.

Even prior to its recognition and funding by the EU, the EULiST members demonstrated a steadfast commitment to their cooperation. The commitment to EULiST was reiterated during the most recent annual EULiST General Assembly, hosted by NTUA, from June 25 – 27, 2023, in which sixty-five representatives from all ten universities participated, including the rectors and vice rectors, professors, administrative staff, and students.

Establishing and further developing the EULiST visual and conceptual brand, structuring the approach to collaboration and communication, and deepening the connections between the ten member universities has been a focus of the Alliance’s work for the past couple years. These efforts build on and reflect the great pillars on which EULiST, now an official European University, will continue to grow and thrive.

EULiST General Assembly in Athens

05/07/2023

The annual 2023 EULiST General Assembly was successfully hosted by the National Technical University of Athens between 25^th-27^th June 2023 in Athens. The committed and enthusiastic cooperation among the EULiST Members was evidenced by the sixty-five representatives from all ten universities who participated in the EULiST General Assembly, including the Rectors and Vice Rectors, Professors, Administrative Staff, and Students.

During the first working day, the General Assembly included meetings of the Coordination Office, the Student Board, the Management Board and the Governing Board. In particular, in the Governing Board participated Prof. Volker Epping (LUH President), Prof. Andreas Boudouvis (NTUA Rector), Prof. Juha-Matti Saksa (LUT Rector), Prof. Agneta Marell (JU President), Frédérique Vincent (IMT Vice-President), Prof. Ladislav Janíček (BUT Rector), Prof. Oliver Moravčík (STU Rector), Prof. Jens Schneider (TUW designated Rector), Prof. Javier Ramos López (URJC Rector), Prof. Maria Benedetta Mattei (UNIVAQ Vice-Rector).

An Open session with the title “EULiST towards linking Society and Technology” was held on Monday June 26^th afternoon, also livestreaming, where the EULiST strategy was presented, combined with focus presentations on the sustainable campus and the transfer of innovation in education and research. Τhe key-note speech on the European Universities Initiative was presented by Mr Jacques Comby, advisor at the French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation. The EULiST Blended Intensive Program “Monitoring clean energy in the EULiST Universities”, organised by NTUA in the framework of the General Assembly in cooperation with six EULiST Universities, was enthusiastically presented by its students.

During the second working day, within the General Assembly, the critical role of students in strengthening the societal engagement across the universities of the Alliance was highlighted. The need for integration of EULiST in the academic activity of each partner University was emphasized. In addition, it was pointed that while EULiST has been designed and organised in a bottom-up approach, the activities planned for the next funded steps, now reflect the overall strategy, and common procedures, platforms and recognition developed among the ten universities.

The General Assembly was held at Zografou Campus, and it included separate hybrid meetings of WPs, a fascinating cultural Sunday walk in the historic center of Athens, two lively social dinners and an engaging visit to selected NTUA laboratories and the central Library.

Attachments

General Assembly Agenda

Open Session Agenda

Open Session Live Stream

Photos from the Event

URJC attending the 2023 EUA-CDE Annual Meeting, hosted by the Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology (LUT)

19/06/2023

The 2023 EUA-CDE Annual Meeting, hosted by the Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology LUT, was held from 14 to 16 June. This university is a partner of the URJC in the EULiST University Alliance. The 2023 EUA-CDE Annual Meeting will focus on the different dimensions of communication in doctoral education and developing comprehensive approaches to including communication in doctoral education strategy and practices.

The event has been a success of attendance where very interesting topics have been discussed such as Strategic Communication in Doctoral Education or the new approaches to the modern doctorate, taking into account the “skillfication” of the doctorate, and the bottom-up process leading to the reform of doctoral education in Europe. Through workshops and sessions in various formats, participants have explored the topic of communication as an integral part of the doctoral candidate’s journey. At the same time, they will discuss communication skills as valuable assets for several career paths, inside and outside of academia, as well as how doctoral candidates can better communicate their competencies to the broader public.

You can access the programme and presentations of the 2023 EUA-CDE Annual Meeting through the following link.

On behalf of the URJC, Professor Brezo Díaz-Caneja Martínez (Deputy Director of Internationalisation of the International Doctoral School) and Dr. Juan Manuel García Camús (Local Coordinator of EULiST) attended the event. In addition to the lessons learned and the relationships established with other universities, the representatives of the URJC have held meetings with our Finnish partners of EULiST to strengthen cooperation both in terms of doctoral studies (co-supervision, mobility, etc.), as well as other departments and units. In this regard, the support and involvement of the Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation of the LUT, Professor Jari Hämäläinen, has been remarkable.

EULiST General Assembly to be held in Athens

10/06/2023

Following the invitation by NTUA Rector, Prof. Andreas Boudouvis, and the confirmation by the EULiST Governing Board, the next EULiST General Assembly will be held in Athens, organized by the National Technical University of Athens, on June 26^th-27^th, 2023.

The first day of the General Assembly includes meetings of the Coordination Office, the Student Board, the Management Board and the Governing Board.

Moreover, an Open Session – Panel Discussion on “EULiST towards linking Society and Technology” is foreseen on Monday June 26^th at 16:30-18:30 local time. In this Open Session, addressed to the NTUA community and the wider society, EULiST strategy will be presented by the Work Packages leads and coleads, followed by presentations of case studies at NTUA.

The second day includes the General Assembly meeting, as well as WP meetings among EULiST partners, and a tour to NTUA laboratories and the Library.

Delegations from EULiST partners including Presidents, Rectors and Vice-Rectors, WP Leads and co-Leads, Local Coordinators and members of the Student Board have already confirmed their participation in the EULiST General Assembly in Athens, with the aim to further discuss and develop the join strategy and the next activities of the Alliance in Studying and Learning, Research and Innovation, Campus, Outreach, Engagement and Transfer, Linking Society and Technology.

Brno University of Technology Visits Leibniz University Hannover: The Future of Technical Education

05/06/2023

A delegation from Brno University of Technology, consisting of Rector Ladislav Janíček, Vice-Rector for International Affairs Iveta Šimberová, and BUT Local EULiST Coordinator Mariana Tesařová, visited Leibniz University Hannover on May 4, in order to discuss further collaboration in the EULiST Alliance.

The delegation of the technical university first visited the Einstein Elevator at the Hannover Institute of Technology (HITec). The Head of the Work Group, Dr.-Ing. Christoph Lotz (Institute for Transport and Automatisation Technology, LUH), demonstrated the functions of the active drop tower that allows research under weightlessness and partial gravity conditions. His presentation on Quantum Physics and Additive Manufacturing under Space Conditions using the Einstein-Elevator gave the delegation insight into one of Leibniz University’s excellent research facilities.

Following, Leibniz University Hannover President Prof. Dr. Volker Epping welcomed the delegation at his office. BUT Rector Janíček expressed his gratitude to President Epping for leading the consortium. He stressed that the main goal of visiting other EULiST Member institutions is to learn about each institution’s functioning and to discuss joint projects to become a true European University.

The two leaders quickly recognized their two universities’ common challenges, which include the need to revolutionize technical education at universities in order to face the practical technological, but also societal and environmental challenges of tomorrow.

Next to highlighting the benefits of a more generalized, rather than too specialized, approach to Master programmes in STEM subjects in order to meet the needs of the market, both university leaders emphasized the need for close cooperation with industry: While BUT is currently preparing a model contract for companies, LUH cooperates with local Chambers of Crafts. In a similar line, the study projects already underway at EULiST universities offer students a hands-on, challenge-based approach.

The Rector and the President further discussed plans for sharing and jointly developing life-long learning courses within the EULiST alliance: To meet the growing demand for skilled workers and the continuing education of practitioners and professionals and to thus ‘train-the-trainers,’ Prof. Dr. Elke Katharina Wittich (LUH) developed micro-credential courses that she presented to the delegation. These courses are transferable and can be extended with online materials from other EULiST Members.

To conclude the successful exchange of ideas and potential areas of cooperation, Volker Epping and Ladislav Janíček agreed to hold another bilateral meeting in Brno in autumn.

Representatives from EULiST in NAFSA

02/06/2023

Representatives from JU, LUH, IMT, STU and URJC, all partners of the EULiST University Alliance, met at the Annual Conference & Expo at NAFSA, held in Washington between 30 May and 2 June 2023.

NAFSA is the world’s largest non-profit association dedicated to international education and exchange. NAFSA serves the needs of more than 10,000 members and international educators worldwide at more than 3,500 institutions, in more than 160 countries.

At the conference forum, EULiST representatives had the opportunity to discuss the major challenges facing EULiST, such as student mobility, new forms of education, and in general all that is involved in working to advance policies and practices that build global citizens with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in today’s interconnected world. One of the major challenges for EULiST is promoting and facilitating student mobility within the European Union and beyond. This involves addressing issues such as administrative barriers, recognition of qualifications, language barriers, cultural integration, and financial support for students. By streamlining processes, providing adequate support systems, and fostering collaboration among educational institutions, EULiST can enhance student mobility and promote a more inclusive and diverse learning experience.

On the other hand, the advancement of technology has led to the emergence of new forms of education, such as online learning, blended learning, and competency-based education. EULiST needs to address the challenges associated with incorporating these innovative approaches into traditional education systems. This includes ensuring access to quality digital infrastructure, supporting teachers in adapting to new pedagogical methods, addressing concerns about the digital divide, and ensuring the quality and recognition of online learning experiences.

Finally, in today’s interconnected world, it is essential to equip students with the knowledge and skills they need to become global citizens. EULiST should focus on fostering global competence, intercultural understanding, and the development of critical thinking, empathy, and problem-solving skills. This involves integrating global perspectives into the curriculum, providing opportunities for international collaboration and exchanges, and promoting cultural diversity and inclusion within educational institutions.