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EULiST Student Conference 2025 in Douai, France: A Week of Collaboration, Innovation and Cultural Connections

15/07/2025

From June 30th to July 4th, 2025, the IMT Nord Europe in Douai, France, hosted the second edition of the EULiST Student Conference. Bringing together 200 students of all levels (undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD), with diverse fields of study, from across the 10 EULiST partner universities and countries, this marks the alliance’s largest student event.

On 30^th June, the conference opened with a warm welcome from the Mayor of Douai, Dr. Frédéric Chereau.

Day 1 – Opening and Thematic Workshops

On 1^st July, a hot sunny day in Douai, the conference officially began with an inspiring Opening Ceremony. Welcoming addresses were delivered by the Director of IMT Nord Europe, Céline Fasulo, the EULiST Secretary General, Dr. Natia Gamkrelidze, the IMT Vice-President for Academic and International Affairs and EULiST Management Board member, Dr. Frédérique Vincent, and the Chair of the EULiST Management Board and Director of Internationalization at URJC, Pablo Tomás Salvadores Alonso. In addition, the ceremony featured an engaging panel discussion with the former Rector of NTUA, Professor Andreas Boudouvis, and the Policy Officer for Higher Education at the European Commission, Ioana Dewandeler, who shared valuable perspectives on the role of university alliances in shaping Europe’s educational future. Students from the organising team also took the stage to welcome participants and encourage everyone to make the most of the diverse opportunities ahead.

In the afternoon, participants took part in seven interactive workshops designed to foster group work, critical thinking, and creativity – encouraging students to think “outside the room” both figuratively and literally. The thematic workshops, a central part of the conference, were held in two sessions, Session 1 on the first day, and Session 2 on the third day. A highlight was the EULiST Digital Campus workshop, where students tested the first pilot version of the Digital Campus platform and shared their feedback.

The workshops provided students with the opportunity to tackle key topics, solve problems collaboratively, and work with peers from different countries. Participants chose workshops aligned with their interests and joined mixed groups of students, researchers, and professionals. Together, they explored issues shaping the future of academia and society, aiming to develop solutions with real impact beyond the conference.

At the end of the day, the International Evening was a memorable event, where each country’s delegation brought traditional snacks and drinks for everyone to try, giving all participants the chance to experience different European flavours.

Day 2 – Pitch Sessions, Hackathon, and Cultural Activities

The second day of the EULiST Student Conference was filled with fresh perspectives and forward-thinking ideas. The EULiST Pitch Sessions gave students the opportunity to present their academic projects and innovative solutions to some of tomorrow’s most pressing challenges. Organised into three 45-minute rounds, the sessions encouraged lively exchanges and inspired new ways of thinking.

Hackathon teams also began developing ideas with real-world applications, setting the foundation for projects that will continue to grow beyond the conference.

Participants supported each other enthusiastically, creating a positive and collaborative atmosphere.

A true highlight of the day was the inspiring keynote speech by Marianne Heiß, former CEO, advisory board member, bestselling author, and advocate for female leadership and sustainable business. In her talk, Design Your Career in International Business, she encouraged students to be bold, clear, and authentic in shaping their professional paths. Her message resonated strongly with participants, offering honest insights and practical advice for navigating the international business landscape.

In the afternoon, participants stepped outside the classroom to discover Douai’s rich heritage — exploring historic mines, visiting the planetarium, and taking a guided walking tour through the heart of the city.

Day 3 – Thematic Workshops, Poster Session, and Closing Gala

On 3^rd July, the second round of thematic workshops took place. This was followed by the EULiST Poster Session, where participants had the chance to dive into exciting research, meet inspiring people, and spark new collaborations.

The day also featured a thought-provoking keynote by Dr. Tim Flohrer, Head of the Space Debris Office at the European Space Agency (ESA), and a leading expert on the growing challenge of space debris, who highlighted how science, policy, and industry must work together to ensure a sustainable and safe orbital environment.

Finally, a Closing Gala at the Louvre-Lens Museum brought together participants, partners, and guests from across Europe for a night of celebration, discovery, and connection.

Overall, the 2nd EULiST Student Conference in Douai was an enriching experience for everyone involved, providing countless opportunities for personal growth, academic development, and intercultural exchange. It was a week that embodied the shared vision of all partner institutions — fostering collaboration, innovation, and meaningful connections while shaping the future of higher education and society in Europe together.

For the full program of the Student Conference, please visit its website.

First EULiST In-Person PR Unit Meeting: Three inspiring days in Athens

14/07/2025

The first in-person EULiST PR Unit meeting was successfully hosted by the National Technical University of Athens from 23 to 25 June 2025 in the vibrant city of Athens, Greece.

Representatives from nearly all ten EULiST member universities gathered to meet each other and work face-to-face for the first time on shaping the future of the alliance’s communication and outreach. This meeting was also the first in-person gathering attended by EULiST’s new Secretary General, Dr. Natia Gamkrelidze — an honour for the entire team.

The agenda focused on strategic alignment, message harmonisation, communication tools, and joint campaigns to showcase the strength and impact of EULiST — 10 universities, 200,000 students, and 20,000 staff across Europe.

On the first day, each university presented its local PR structure, followed by a fruitful exchange of best practices and a presentation of the FOREU4ALL alliance.
The second day included discussions on the alliance’s strategic positioning, project flagships, work package deliverables, and the overall narrative. LUT University (Finland) also shared an update on the progress of the new logo and branding. Finally, the team reviewed existing EULiST communication channels and explored ideas for new ones to enhance outreach and engagement.

On the final day, discussions focused on the PR Unit’s contribution to several major upcoming events, including the 2^nd EULiST Student Conference (30 June – 4 July), the EAIE Conference and Exhibition in September, and the 1^st EULiST Global Conference in Madrid this November. Next implementation steps were defined in line with the EULiST Communication and Dissemination Strategy, alongside the upcoming recruitment of a Communications Manager.

Beyond the working sessions, many social events — including dinners and outings in the centre of Athens with breathtaking views of the Acropolis — gave members the chance to build strong personal connections and set the foundation for more direct and effective collaboration in the months ahead to further enhance EULiST’s visibility and impact across Europe.

The energy, creativity, and dedication of each participant were invaluable. Together, we continue to build a stronger EULiST — linking society and technology for a sustainable, inclusive, and connected Europe!

Detailed Agenda

Second Language Services Working Group (LSWG) Meeting in Athens

07/07/2025

Hot temperatures and cool ideas: Report from the 2^nd meeting of the Language Services Working Group (LSWG), 12-13 June 2025, Athens

The Language Services Working Group (LSWG) has just had its second meeting – this time at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA). Despite the unusually hot weather for June, we set about discussing and clarifying the scope and goals of the five subprojects defined at the first meeting at the Leibniz University Hannover (LUH) in October 2024. These five subprojects were given the green light by their respective WPs and include both tandem- and project learning, creating a glossary and offering a blended intensive programme. We also began a sixth subproject: the creation of a EULiST language centre with 20 language courses, which has been defined as one of the key performance indicators (KPI) within EULiST.

It was great to see that eight of the ten EULiST universities were able to participate, either in person in Athens or online. The meeting, meticulously organised by our colleague Goni Togia (NTUA), began with a warm welcome by Professor Athanasios Zisis, Management Board Co-Chair and Vice Rector for Academic Affairs and Life-Long Learning, Professor A. Zisis. He was followed by the NTUA Executive Director, Dr. M. Vardaki and the EULIST Scientific Coordinator, Professor Emeritus K. Adam. The presence of local members of various EULiST WPs helped in connecting our discussions to ideas in the wider project.

We then continued with progress reports from the five subgroups, starting with subgroup 2 on the EULiST tandem platform, led by Klaus Schwienhorst (LUH). We plan to open the tandem platform to all EULiST students in October 2025 and hope to solve any challenges we face until then. This involves creating a short tandem video, organising webinars for teachers and workshops for tandem counsellors, editing texts in the interface and adding new functionality.

After an excellent lunch, we continued with subgroup 3 on project-based learning and language courses, led by Ben Hill (IMT). This group aims to compile a good-practice guidebook and conduct a survey on project-based learning, followed by a pilot programme in 2025-2026. We also discussed how we could contribute to the EULiST student conference in Douai, which had been requested at very short notice. We welcomed the request, and agreed that Ben would discuss our ideas with the organising committee. In the evening, NTUA invited us to a fabulous outdoor dinner at a tavern not far from the Acropolis.

The second day started with a presentation by Professor Mitrou from the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, NTUA, on controlled vocabularies and subject classification. This provided an excellent introduction to subgroup 4, whose goal is to create a EULiST glossary and select a standard variety of English to be used in EULiST. The subgroup is led by Joy Reid (LUH), assisted by Chris Schubert (TUW). Jolana Tlukova (BUT) will coordinate a more short-term project on the compilation of a glossary for Erasmus student journeys to facilitate student exchanges. The whole LSWG agreed that British English should be used consistently throughout all EULiST documentation (e.g. the website, brochures, announcements, protocols). This involves mostly spelling, but also choice of vocabulary. We will inform the relevant WPs shortly.

After lunch, we moved on to subproject 5 which plans to set up a Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) on global citizenship education and languages in intercultural communication. This BIP is organised by Pasi Puranen (LUT) together with Dagmar Schimmel (LUH) and Natalja Zabeida (LUH). The group plans to have all promotional materials ready by October 2025, so that the BIP can take place as planned in early 2026.

We then also discussed subproject 1, which would compile all language services by EULiST partners on a web site by October 2025. WP 3 will define how the language services can be linked to the EULiST course catalogue. Klaus Schwienhorst leads this subgroup together with Goni Togia .

We also turned our attention to a new subproject (no. 6) which deals with the creation of 20 language courses, one of the key performance indicators (KPI) within EULiST. Magda Sučková (BUT) leads this subgroup and will arrange a first online meeting to discuss the framework for these language courses. The goal is to enable students from all EULiST universities to achieve rudimentary language skills in all EULiST languages to facilitate exchanges and other study visits. It was encouraging that several LSWG could start as early as winter semester 2025. Finally, the group nominated Klaus Schwienhorst as LSWG coordinator, and Ben Hill as assistant coordinator. Additional NTUA participants in the second day’s discussions included: Prof. E. Dimopoulou (Task 2.1 lead), E. Skordalaki (Task 2.5) and A. Iliakis (Task 5.4).

The second LSGW meeting ended with a delicious meal in Athens’ old town. Many thanks to Goni Togia for the great preparation, fabulous hospitality and excellent organisation of the meeting. The next LSWG meeting is planned for early December 2025 in Madrid where will hopefully be able to review how our first projects have been implemented.

From left to right: Joy Reid (LUH), Klaus Schwienhorst (LUH), Verónica Morgade Cuña (LUH), Chris Schubert (TUW), Magda Sučková (BUT), Tushar Chaudhur (LUH), Eleutheria Skordalaki (NTUA), Pasi Puranen (LUT), Ben Hill (IMT), Goni Togia (NTUA), Eva Karasová (STU), Benjamin W. Doty (STU)

The 2nd Student Conference Kicks Off in Douai, Northern France!

01/07/2025

The 2nd EULiST Student Conference officially launched in Douai, hosted by IMT Nord Europe, welcoming over 200 participants and esteemed guests to a vibrant international gathering.

What’s Ahead:

Participants can look forward to engaging workshops, inspiring keynote speakers, and a dynamic program designed to foster cross-university collaboration and shared innovation. Stay tuned for more updates throughout the week!

Day 1 Highlights – Arrival & Welcome

Welcoming Our 2025 Cohort

We were thrilled to reconnect with the brilliant EULiST students whose energy and passion continue to drive our shared mission forward. This year, we placed a stronger emphasis on sustainability, highlighting the importance of collaboration across institutions and shared learning experiences across borders.

Reception at Salle Anchin & Welcome Address from the Mayor of Douai

The day concluded with a warm reception at the historic Salle Anchin, where we were honored to be welcomed by Dr. Frédéric Chereau, Mayor of Douai. His inspiring address emphasized the city’s support for the European University Initiative and its commitment to regional and European collaboration.

We are grateful to the city of Douai and to IMT Nord Europe for their outstanding hospitality and continued partnership within the EULiST Alliance.

Fabio Graziosi is the New Rector of the University of L’Aquila

26/06/2025

Professor Fabio Graziosi has been elected as the new Rector of the University of L’Aquila for the 2025–2031 term.

Born in L’Aquila on July 28, 1968, Professor Graziosi graduated with top honors in Electronic Engineering from the University of L’Aquila in 1993. He is currently a professor of Telecommunications at the Department of Information Engineering, Computer Science and Mathematics (DISIM), where he also serves as director. He will officially assume office on October 1, 2025.

Professor Graziosi’s scientific work initially focused on performance evaluation of wireless systems in complex propagation environments. Over time, his research has expanded to include topics influenced by interdisciplinary collaboration with the fields of electronics, computer science, and automatic control. His work in this area includes research on sensor networks and, more broadly, networked embedded systems.

EULiST Alliance Welcomes Dr. Natia Gamkrelidze as Secretary General

25/06/2025

The EULiST European University Alliance is excited to announce that Dr. Natia Gamkrelidze has officially assumed the role of Secretary General.
In this role, Dr. Gamkrelidze will lead the strategic and operational coordination of the alliance across ten member universities, working closely with all governance bodies and institutional partners to further establish EULiST as a model for transnational collaboration in higher education.
Dr. Gamkrelidze brings a broad background and experience in international education, policy expertise, and operational coordination. She holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Linnaeus University and has completed a postdoctoral fellowship in International Security at the Belfer Center, Harvard Kennedy School. Her previous research affiliations include Malmö University, Columbia University, Harvard University, and the University of Oxford.
A decade ago, Dr. Gamkrelidze was herself an Erasmus Mundus scholarship holder. She understands firsthand the transformative power of European cooperation in education—and strongly believes in its lasting impact on individuals and society.
We are happy to welcome her to the EULiST community, and we look forward to this next chapter of shared growth, innovation, and connection.

EULiST startups shine at VivaTech 2025

24/06/2025

The 2025 edition of VivaTech broke all records: 180,000 visitors, 14,000 startups, 171 nationalities, and 640,000 business connections. Amidst this thriving innovation ecosystem, the IMT showcased its dynamism by presenting 36 cutting-edge entrepreneurial projects—among them, six startups from the EULiST alliance.

Innovation and impact: EULiST startups take the stage
EULiST, committed to bridging technology and society through sustainable innovation, spotlighted six of its affiliated startups:

DynaNIC Semiconductor (Brno University of Technology) – a deep tech university spin-off specializing in flexible, high-speed backbone connectivity solutions for the telecom and data center sectors. We are currently seeking seed funding to accelerate our go-to-market strategy.
Factorymaker (TU Wien) – develops novel AI-design agents to maximize costs, sustainability and efficiency of industrial production, logistics and warehouse buildings.
FlexCo (TU Wien) – Developing sustainable flexible composite materials for future mobility.
BIOM Research Project (Brno University of Technology) – a modular system for future cities combining smart infrastructure, vertical agriculture, and clean energy, to create self-sufficient and sustainable urban environments.
JOULZEN (Vienna University of Technology) – transforms old oil tanks into intelligent thermal batteries. We capture surplus renewable energy as heat when it’s cheapest, reducing heating costs by 94% while increasing energy independence to 87%. Don’t worry, heat happy!
PRINSUS (National Technical University of Athens) – provision of services to the agri-food sector to develop innovative products, to upgrade and evolve into innovative technologies and business models.
MYTHAMIN (Slovak University of Technology) – creates personalized packs based on your lifestyle or blood test results – no guesswork, just real support for your energy, focus, and long-term health. Feel the difference.

These startups exemplify the EULiST vision: leveraging interdisciplinary collaboration to create high-impact, deeptech solutions addressing Europe’s most pressing challenges—from climate action and digital transformation to social cohesion.

A ministerial visit and a vision for the future
The highlight of the event was the visit of Eric Lombard, the French Minister of the Economy, Finance, and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty, who discovered firsthand the entrepreneurial energy of the IMT incubators, including EULiST-aligned ventures. This moment underscored the alignment of EULiST with national strategies for economic sovereignty and digital innovation.

EULiST: from local roots to european reach
With its 10-university consortium spanning Europe, EULiST is building a unique academic and innovation ecosystem. Rooted in local regions and committed to transdisciplinary collaboration, EULiST supports student entrepreneurship as a key driver for regional development, European cohesion, and global sustainability.

BIP Staff Week at IMT Mines Albi, 17-21 November 2025

23/06/2025 Deadline: August 20, 2025

Are you eager to connect with colleagues from around the world and exchange best practices in higher education and all this within an EULiST institution?

Look no further! IMT Mines Albi is thrilled to invite you to our annual Staff Week, a dynamic event designed to foster collaboration and innovation in academia.

Hosted on our campus in the city of Albi (France), our Staff Week offers a unique opportunity to engage with a diverse community of educators, administrators, and researchers.
Through interactive workshops, insightful presentations, and networking sessions, participants will learn how to manage cultural differences in higher education, share valuable insights, and forge lasting partnerships.

Why attend the IMT Mines Albi BIP Staff Week?

Exchange ideas and expertise with peers from international institution
Discover innovative approaches to teaching, research, and student support services
Explore the surroundings of Albi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Expand your professional network and cultivate collaborative opportunities
Experience the renowned hospitality and cultural richness of France

Dates: 17-21 November + Virtual opening on the 7th of November, at 10am (CET)

Location: IMT Mines Albi Campus, Albi, France

Pre-registration for Eulist members only (until August 20th): by email at international@mines-albi.fr

Don’t miss this exceptional opportunity to enhance your professional development and be part of a global conversation in higher education.

Join us at the IMT Mines Albi Staff Week and let’s shape the future of learning together!

Brno International Week, 20th – 24th October 2025

20/06/2025 Deadline: June 30, 2025

Following up in a nice tradition and success of previous years, the Faculty of Business and Management, Brno University of Technology, is proud to invite you to Brno International Week from October 20th – 24th 2025.

Brno International Week is an unique opportunity to share your experience with students, discuss the latest knowledge and exchange ideas with colleagues from your area of expertise and to find partners for your further research or pedagogic cooperation.

The focus of the BIW 2025 is on global issues in business, management, digitalisation, system engineering and informatics.

In parallel with this year’s edition of BIW, the Innovation and Enterpreneurial Festival will also take place.

This event will offer topics focused on fostering entrepreneurship at BUT within the framework of the contriBUTe innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem.

BIW participants will have the opportunity to attend selected parts of the festival program.

Further details about this year’s edition will be announced soon.

We would be very delighted if you save the date for Brno International Week in your schedule and come to give a lecture in your teaching field. We will be able to accept you under the Erasmus+ teaching programme.

For registration please use the on-line Registration form and complete it by June 30th 2025.

For any further information, please contact:
Martin Očko (Martin.Ocko@vut.cz) or
Zuzana Šimberová (Zuzana.Simberova@vut.cz)

World Refrigeration Day (WRD) at NTUA, 26 June 2025, in the framework of the BIP “Carbon Footprint Reduction Initiatives in EULiST Universities”

18/06/2025

🎉❄️ Cool Skills for a Cooler Planet! ❄️🎉

📍 National Technical University of Athens 📅 June 26, 2025

This summer, Athens gets cooler — and not just because of the AC.

For the first time, Greece is hosting World Refrigeration Day, and (NTUA) is leading the celebration!

Laboratory of Applied Thermodynamics of NTUA proudly organizes a full-day event packed with knowledge, innovation, and Cool Skills.

Cold chain logistics
Vocational training & workforce evolution
Green tech & natural refrigerants
Inspiring talks & interactive sessions
And yes… there’s a quiz with prizes!

📥 Download the full program and dive into what’s coming

Whether you’re an engineer, a student, a policymaker, or just curious about the world of cooling — this is your day.

Let’s make June 26 the coolest day of the year —

Environmentally. Professionally.