general information
European Universities Alliances are emerging as a key higher‑education player in support of the EU Competitiveness Compass. Sixty‑five alliances now link more than 560 universities, embedding joint degrees, seamless mobility, shared research infrastructures and non-academic partnerships into single “inter‑operable campuses.”
CHARM‑EU, as one of the very first European university alliances, offers a living demonstration of what is already possible. In six years, the Alliance cleared cross‑border accreditation hurdles, pioneered a challenge‑based learning model, awarded one of Europes’s first fully joint mater’s degree by an Alliance, and contributed evidence to the Council process through the European Degree pilot ED‑AFFICHE.
The 2025 CHARM-EU Annual Conference will bring together alliances, universities leadership, policymakers, and societal actors, to present, discuss and translate high‑level discussions into actionable initiatives.
Sessions will cover topics such as:
- Professional development and Union of Skills
- Talent attraction and mobility
- Inclusion and competitiveness
- Interoperability between European universities
- Transdisciplinarity, internationalisation and regional development
Venue: Bar Beton, Pythagoraslaan 101, Utrecht, NL.
How to arrive: https://maps.app.goo.gl/FJP2TZGLpVmfnYWU6
Format: On-site with partial live streaming. The plenary sessions will be live streamed on the CHARM-EU YouTube Channel. On-site with plenary sessions live streamed on the CHARM-EU YouTube Channel. The workshops and afternoon sessions are designed as on-site sessions.
Speech-to-Text Reporters provide real-time captioning. Their expertise is essential to the Conference to cater to the greatest level of attendees’ access and participation needs. Inclusion by design means designing the environment from the beginning to the greatest extent of users (preventive) rather than a retrospective approach (fixing the environment afterwards). The hybrid feature is in line with the core values of CHARM-EU. The Speech-to-Text can be followed here.
Host of the CHARM-EU Annual Conference 2025: Utrecht University
Contact email: charm-euoffice@ub.edu
Programme
Morning Sessions | Plenary sessions
09:00–09:30 | Registration and coffee
09:30–09:45 | Opening
Wilco Hazeleger, Rector of Utrecht University
09:45–10:15 | Keynote Speech on Competitiveness, European University Alliances and Sustainability
10:15–11:15 | How the European Universities Alliances can be a key Competitiveness Driver in delivering an EU Union of Skills
In this high-level dialogue, experts discuss the importance of the Union of Skills and the role that
European Universities alliances can play to its delivery and creation of a competitive EU by helping to
addressing skills gaps, facilitating the portability of skills, creating stronger links between research,
education and innovation, collaborating within and outside of the EU and working to attract and
retaining talent through initiatives such as ‘Choose Europe’ whilst ensuring that all activities are set
against core principles of inclusion and diversity and sustainability.
11:15–11:45 | Coffee and first poster session
11:45–12:45 | Competitiveness in European Higher Education ecosystem from the practitioners’ point of view: daily challenges and the role of Alliances
This session will bring together experienced professionals from diverse sectors to discuss the practical challenges and opportunities shaping Europe’s competitive landscape. Through an engaging dialogue with each other and the audience, the practitioners will explore key issues such as skills gaps in education, barriers to international mobility, and the evolving demands of the labor market, providing insights grounded in daily realities, highlighting how institutions and individuals navigate competitiveness pressures. The session underscores the critical role of cross-sector and cross-border alliances in addressing these challenges, fostering innovation, and enhancing agility in a rapidly changing global environment. Audience participation will enrich the exchange, reflecting shared concerns and collaborative potential.
12:45–13:45 | Lunch
Afternoon Sessions | workshops
Open Science in European University Alliances: Pathways to Competitiveness
Open Science (open access, FAIR data, citizen science and transparent research workflows) has been a flagship of the European Research Area. Yet the EU’s renewed Competitiveness Agenda raises urgent questions. This workshop will showcase progress across European University Alliances to illustrate the momentum already under way addressing questions such as: Can openness and market‑driven innovation reinforce each other? How can university alliances translate their Open Science policies and practices into concrete pathways to competitiveness for Europe?
From Metrics to Merit: Reforming Research Assessment & Academic Careers to Power Europe’s Competitiveness
Europe’s new Competitiveness Deal positions world-class science and skilled talent as the Union’s next “engine room.” Yet traditional, metric-driven research assessment often undervalues open science, teamwork and societal impact— contributions the EU now needs. This workshop zooms in on how European University Alliances can adopt— and scale— such reforms to sharpen their competitive edge.
Unlocking Potential: How Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Drive Competitiveness in Higher Education
In a global race for talent, research excellence, and societal relevance, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are no longer optional—they are strategic essentials. For CHARM-EU, inclusion is not just a value; it’s a pillar of its identity as an innovative, transnational university model.
This interactive workshop explores how embedding DEI into strategy, governance, and daily operations strengthens institutional performance and reinforces CHARM-EU’s leadership in the European Higher Education Area. Participants will engage in a hands-on activity (role-play) to co-create actionable strategies and leave with practical tools to advance DEI as a driver of excellence, innovation, and social impact. Join us to discover how inclusion, when embedded by design, becomes a competitive advantage in higher education.
Building future-proof skills with alumni: stories and strategies
In an era of rapid transformation and increasing complexity, having future-proof skills—particularly in sustainability—is more important than ever. This interactive workshop will bring together CHARM-EU alumni and conference participants to explore how graduates have transitioned from learning sustainability competencies in the classroom to applying and further developing these skills in their professional lives. The workshop is designed to be dynamic and engaging, creating a space for dialogue, peer learning, and mutual inspiration. Through a combination of icebreakers, speed-dating conversations, and a World Café setup, participants will gain firsthand insights into the real-world application of skills across diverse career paths. Alumni will share concrete examples of how they have utilized their CHARM-EU education in their jobs and have continued to build their professional toolkits.
Transdisciplinarity in Innovation, Internationalisation and Regional Development
This interactive workshop explores how transdisciplinary collaboration between universities and local communities can strengthen territorial attractiveness and contribute to sustainable development. Participants will engage with the core challenges—economic, cultural, environmental, social, and educational—facing local regions, and examine how to connect them through one of CHARM-EU’s key themes: Water, Food, Health, or Energy.
Interoperability in Higher Education, Joining Forces by connecting IT-Systems
CHARM’s IT-team has recently taken large steps forward by connecting its IT ecosystems through a joint platform, developed by SURF, the Dutch national organization for IT in education. Through this platform, users from any of the CHARM institutions can log in with the credentials of their home institution to make use of designated IT-service. In this break-out session, several IT decision makers from the CHARM-EU partner universities will participate in a podium discussion about questions such as: How can interoperability between IT systems make partnerships stronger? What limitations or challenges do we see? How has the Alliance’s work helped the IT decision makers in their own institution?
13:45–15:15 | Parallel Workshops
Workshop 1: Open Science in European University Alliances: Pathways to Competitiveness
Workshop 2: From Metrics to Merit: Reforming Research Assessment & Academic Careers to Power Europe’s Competitiveness
Workshop 3: Unlocking Potential: How Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Drive Competitiveness in Higher Education
Workshop 4: Building Future-Proof Skills with Alumni: Stories and Strategies
Workshop 5: Transdisciplinarity in Innovation, Internalisation and Regional Development
Workshop 6: Interoperability in Higher Education, Joining Forces by connecting IT-Systems
15:15h–16:00h | Coffee, second poster session
16:00h–16:30h | Concluding Plenary & Adoption of Key Messages
16:30h–17:00h | Artistic action “The sound and power of collaboration”
17:00-18:00h | Farewell drinks
Speakers and Panelists
Wilco Hazeleger
Rector Magnificus, Utrecht University
Wilco Hazeleger is Rector Magnificus of Utrecht University since 26 March 2025 and professor of Climate System Science. As rector, he is responsible for research, education and student affairs at UU. His mission is to make the university open and accessible to society. He does this by stimulating scientific disciplines, connecting them and actively collaborating with societal actors. For him, an accessible university means that everyone can be given the space to study and research at the university.
Hazeleger studied meteorology at Wageningen University and Reading University (UK). He obtained his PhD in physical oceanography at Utrecht University in 1999. He then worked at Columbia University (New York) and at the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI). He was also professor of Climate Dynamics at Wageningen University. From 2014 to 2019, he was director of the Netherlands eScience Center, focusing on the application of digital technology and data science in all scientific domains.
Hazeleger was dean of the Faculty of Geosciences from 1 July 2019 to 1 March 2025. There, Hazeleger was closely involved in promoting diversity and inclusivity and in inter- and transdisciplinary research focused on sustainability transitions. His research focuses on climate research and applications of AI and data science in it.
Vanessa Debiais-Sainton
Member of Cabinet of Executive Vice-President at European Commission, Social rights and skills, quality jobs and preparedness
Vanessa Debiais-Sainton is a member of cabinet of Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu at the European Commission, where she is responsible for all levels of education & training, Union of Skills, digital education and Erasmus+.
Previously, she acted as Head of Unit in Higher Education, shaping European policies and programme to reform and transform higher education. Among her responsibilities were the co-creation, launch and supervision of the European Universities initiative, paving the way towards the universities of the future. Responsible for the higher education dimension of the European Education Area, including the European Degree, the European Approach to Micro-credentials, the automatic recognition of higher education qualifications and learning periods abroad, the EU Student Card initiative and the higher education strand of Erasmus+.
Before moving to the European Commission, Vanessa spent eight years working for several companies. She studied Chemical Engineering in France (Institut National Polytechnique de Lorraine).
Marcos Ros Sempere
Member of the European Parliament
Marcos Ros Sempere has been a Spanish Member of the European Parliament since February 2020. He is the shadow rapporteur for the EPBD on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) committee which is responsible for giving its opinion to the leading committee (ITRE). He is also a member of Industry, Research & Energy (ITRE), Culture and Education (CULT) and Regional Development (REGI) committees.
On the CULT committee, he is the co-rapporteur for the own initiative report on the New European Bauhaus which brings together interdisciplinary solutions including the decarbonisation of buildings for integrating the green transition into the lives of EU citizens.
Prior to his role in the European Parliament, Mr. Ros Sempere spent eleven years as a Professor of Urban Planning at the School of Architecture of Cartagena. He has a PhD in architecture, specialise in urban planning issues and a long experience in the rehabilitation of the architectural heritage.
Meritxell Chaves
Secretary General of European University of CHARM-EU
Meritxell Chaves has more than thirty years of experience in the higher education sector, in four universities of the Catalan university system, in different functional areas of the University such as academic management, strategic planning, quality and accreditation, and international relations in different organisational cultures.
As Secretary General of European University of CHARM-EU since the start of the initiative in 2019 she has been leading CHARM-EU team.
Doris Alexander
Associate Director of European Engagement, Trinity College Dublin
Doris Alexander has worked in Research Management Administration since 1994, taking up her current post as Associate Director of European Engagement in 2019 and is responsible for the development of strategies of engagement, working to get early insight on new EU policy/initiatives so as to maximise the opportunity space for Trinity. She is currently engaged in the implementation of aspects of the ERA policy agenda.
She has been involved in several EC stakeholder groups including the co-creation of the European Universities initiative, is the co-director of CHARM-EU alliance in Trinity College and a member of the Executive Board. She was Chair of the R&I subgroup of the FOREU1 network (the network of the 17 European Universities alliances funded through the first Erasmus+ pilot call) and is currently chair of the R&I Topical Group (part of FOREU4ALL) for all alliances.
Doris holds a BA in Mathematical Science and an MSc in Computer Science (Health informatics) from Trinity College Dublin.
Elena Del Giorgio
4EU+ Secretary GeneraL
Prior to this appointment as Secretary General of 4EU+ Alliance, Elena Del Giorgio has served as 4EU+ Policy Officer and as Policy Officer at the University of Milan supporting the university’s European and international institutional partnerships such as LERU and U7+.
With the University of Milan becoming a member of the 4EU+ Alliance in November 2018, she was involved in 4EU+ almost since its creation. In her role as seconded 4EU+ Policy Officer, she worked on the development of the new 4EU+ strategy 2025- 2035.
She has most recently served as Interim Secretary General, playing a key role in overseeing the establishment of the 4EU+ Secretariat in Brussels and relocating the Alliance’s legal entity to Belgium. She holds a PhD in Political and Social Sciences from the European University Institute in Florence, Italy.
Early in her career, she served as a research fellow in the framework of several EU-funded projects.
Harriet Klåvus Head of International Cooperation and CHARM-EU manager at Åbo Akademi University, Finland
Harriet Klåvus is Head of International Cooperation and CHARM-EU manager at Åbo Akademi University, Finland, and Lead of WP6 Mobility for CHARM8. Furthermore, she is the Institutional Erasmus Coordinator as well as the Coimbra Group representative at Åbo Akademi University. She has been working at the International Affairs since 1995. She is also a representative in both national and regional committees and has been the founding member of both the Nordlys Student Exchange Network and the Coimbra Group Student Exchange Network. Both of them are multidisciplinary student exchange networks, today functioning under the Erasmus programme.
She has been participating in several Erasmus projects and has acted as a consultant on student exchange for both the Finnish National Agency and the Nordic Council of Ministers. She has also been the Secretary General for the Nordic Association of University Administrators (NUAS).
Edwin Kanters
EU Liaison Officer, University of Utrecht
Edwin Kanters is the EU Liaison Officer at Utrecht University, bringing a wealth of experience in research management and administration to his role. With a background that spans from researcher to administrator, Edwin has held key positions in grant advising and research support at prestigious institutions. He served as a grant advisor at Amsterdam University Medical Centre and as interim head of the Grants Office at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam before joining Utrecht University in November 2021.
Edwin’s expertise encompasses EU grants, research policy, and education, with a particular talent for building bridges and connecting people to facilitate impactful research initiatives. He currently serves as a Board Member of EARMA (European Association of Research Managers and Administrators), contributing to the advancement of research management as a profession.
Clare Hart
Vice-President for International Affairs and
European Cooperation. Municipal Councillor for International Relations Montpellier, France
A social change maker and expert in Corporate Social Responsibility, London-born Clare Hart now lives with her family in Montpellier, in southern France. She is passionate about gender equality and social inclusion through grassroots mobilization, and a fervent charity activist.
After her University years in European Studies and Geopolitics (Nottingham and Cambridge) and a year spent in an NGO in India (New Delhi, Calcutta, Mumbai), she founded a professional training company in 1993, and since she has counseled and trained multiple executives on cross-cultural management and communication. She also joined the French Chamber of Commerce and the Foundation of Action for Social Inclusion.
In 2020, se was elected to Montpellier City and Metropolitan Council as Vice-President for International Affairs and European Cooperation.
iGNASI lABASTIDA
RECTOR's delegate FOR SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS AND OPEN SCIENCE, UNIVERSITY OF BARCELONA
Ignasi Labastida is the Rector’s Delegate for Scientific Publications and Open Science at the University of Barcelona where he is also the head of the research support in the library Currently he chairs the Board of SPARC Europe and the working policy group on Information and Open Access at League of European Research Universities (LERU).
He has participated in the elaboration of the Catalan Strategic Plan on Open Science and the Spanish National Strategy on Open Science He has been working on copyright and openness since his involvement in introducing Creative Commons licenses in Spain in 2003.
Agnes Sarolta Fazekas-Vinkovits
assistant professor at the Eötvös Loránd
University in Budapest, Hungary
Agnes Sarolta Fazekas-Vinkovits (she/her) is an assistant professor at the Eötvös Loránd
University Bárczi Gusztáv Faculty of Special Needs in Budapest, Hungary.
Since 2019, Agnes has been the leader of the work package on inclusiveness in the CHARM-EU 2019-2022 project and has continued the work as Lead of the CHARM-EU DEI Office (from 2023- ) of the CHARM-EU Alliance.
In 2024, CHARM-EU’s inclusion and diversity work was a ZeroProject Awardee.
Martin Kufferath-Sieberin
head of InterNational Networking and CHARM-EU Manager at Julius-Maximilian University of Würzburg, Germany
Martin Kufferath-Sieberin is CHARM-EU Manager at Julius-Maximilian University of Würzburg, Germany, and serves as head for the department International Networking.
He is also actively engaged in strategic European higher education collaboration, contributing to the advancement of transnational university alliances. In his dual role, he is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the CHARM-EU Alliance at the institutional level, fostering cross-border academic partnerships, and strengthening the university’s global engagement.
Réka judit boros
Chair of the CHARM-EU Student Council
Réka Judit Boros is currently serving as Chair of the CHARM-EU Student Council and is a student at Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) in Budapest, Hungary.
She has been actively involved in student representation for the past four years, with a particular focus on international affairs and cross-border academic cooperation. Within the university context, she works to strengthen the voice of students in decision-making processes and advocates for inclusive, transparent governance in higher education.
At this conference, she contributes a student perspective to the discussion, emphasizing the importance of meaningful participation, diversity, and co-creation in higher education policy and practice.
Channa van der Brug
International Affairs Programme Manager, Hochschulforum Digitalisierung for Stifterverband,
Germany
Channa van der Brug connects universities, policymakers, and technology experts to drive
innovative approaches in digital learning internationally. She champions the creation and
implementation of learning and teaching environments that improve student engagement
and institutional effectiveness.
Channa contributes her expertise in two flagship initiatives at the Stifterverband (founded in 1920, the Stifterverband is a joint initiative of German
companies and foundations dedicated to improving education, science, and innovation): The “Hochschulforum Digitalisierung” – Germany’s national platform for advancing higher education in the digital age, and the European Digital Education Hub.
CECILE OHM, Deputy Director of IT Department & head digital products and business services AT UNIVERSITY OF BERGEN
Cecilie Ohm has worked in higher education in Norway since 1993. She has a formal background as a computer scientist and meteorologist. She also has a master’s degree in university management and has worked with university administrative tasks throughout her professional career.
Cecilie has held management leadership positions at the University of Bergen, the Bergen Academy of Art and Design, and as a joint project manager for the four universities in Bergen, Oslo, Trondheim and Tromsø. IT solutions for administrative processes have always been a focus in Cecilie’s work, and the importance of enterprise architecture, interoperability and source data is always high on the agenda.
She is currently Deputy Director of the IT Department at the University of Bergen, where she heads the section for digital products and business services.
Call for posters
The poster session will be a space where members of European University Alliances, university staff, students and external stakeholders can exchange ideas and discuss practical cases.
- When? 12 November 2025 from 11:15 to 11:45H and 15:15 to 16:00H
- Where? Bar Beton, Pythagoraslaan 101, Utrecht, NL. (how to arrive: https://maps.app.goo.gl/FJP2TZGLpVmfnYWU6)
Have you developed, researched, implemented or benefitted from an initiative that has strengthened European competitiveness? Share your experience at the CHARM-EU Annual Conference.
We are inviting poster submissions for the CHARM-EU Annual Conference “Boosting European Competitiveness: European University Alliances as Catalysts for Innovation and Sustainability in Higher Education”. The poster presentation session offers you an opportunity to share your ideas and gather feedback from CHARM-EU conference participants.
We are taking a broad view of European competitiveness and welcome a diversity of poster presentations. These can be research based, practitioner case studies, policy or procedure examples, collaborative initiatives, emerging ideas, or personal narratives on an initiative.
Posters should align with at least some of these topics:
- Higher education institutions, alliances or external stakeholders contributing to general European competitiveness.
- Educational curricula supporting skills for key competitiveness areas (e.g. digital and green transitions).
- Research contributing to European societal or economic competitiveness.
- Micro-credentials or lifelong learning initiatives that enhance talent.
- Creating environments for innovation, entrepreneurship, and start-up support.
- Policies or practices that have impacted on competitiveness.
- Personal narratives on activities or challenges related to competitiveness.
- Increasing employability, boosting European careers, transdisciplinary collaboration, intercultural competencies, transversal skills, personal impact, DEI as an enabler.
- Open Science policies and practices enhancing competitiveness for Europe.
- Students and researchers’ mobility in European higher education area contributing to a competitive Europe.
Who should submit?
We welcome submissions from academic and administrative staff, external stakeholders, students, alumni and professionals involved in European University Alliance projects, cross-border cooperation, and strategic education and research initiatives.
How do I submit a poster proposal?
Please submit your poster abstract including title, authors, author affiliations, previous connection with CHARM-EU if any by the 12th of September. You can use this link or the blue botton below to submit your poster proposal.
All submissions will be reviewed to ensure their alignment with the goals of the conference. Successful proposers will be notified of their acceptance by the 19th of September. A poster template will be sent to all successful proposers. The final poster should be submitted by the 31st of October for final review.
When will I present my poster if it is successful?
The poster presentation will be held on the 12th of November in Utrecht, during the CHARM-EU Annual Conference 2025. You are expected to attend in person.
Will the poster be published?
Posters and abstracts will be shared on the CHARM-EU resource centre post-conference.
Who can I contact for more information about posters?
If you have any questions, please contact Silvia Gallagher gallags6@tcd.ie.
Will I receive any recognition for my submission?
An award for best poster will be presented at the end of the conference.