CHARM-EU

Bridging the gap between university and the real world
2022-03-08
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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 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 Master of Ceremonies: Annet van der Riet, Utrecht University

Programme

Morning Sessions | Plenary sessions

09:00–09:30h | Registration and coffee
09:30–09:45h | Opening
Wilco Hazeleger, Rector of Utrecht University
09:45–10:15h | Keynote Speech on Competitiveness, European University Alliances and Sustainability
Thomas Estermann, Director for Governance, Funding and Public Policy Development,European University Association
10:15–11:15h | How the European Universities Alliances can be a key Competitiveness Driver in delivering an EU Union of Skills
Moderator: Doris Alexander, Associate Director of European Engagement, Trinity College Dublin
Speakers:

Vanessa Debiais-Santon, member of Executive Vice-President Cabinet at European Commission
Marcos Ros Sempere, Member of the European Parliament
Olga Wessels, Head of ECIU Brussels Office and Coordinator at FOREU4ALL
Meadhbh Costello, Senior Policy Executive at IBEC

In this high-level dialogue, experts will 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.
11:15–11:45h | Coffee and first poster session

11:45–12:00h | Energizer activity: “The Sound and Power of Collaboration“
12:00–12:50h | Competitiveness in the European Higher Education Ecosystem from the Practitioners’ Perspectives: Daily Challenges and the Role of Alliances
Moderator: Edwin Kanters, EU Liasion Officer at the University of Utrecht
Speakers:

Clare Hart, Vice-President for International Affairs and European Cooperation. Municipal Councillor for International Relations Montpellier
Elena del Giorgio, 4EU+ Secretary General
Harriet Klåvus, Head of International Cooperation and CHARM-EU manager at Åbo Akademi University
Réka Judit Boros, Chair of the CHARM-EU Student Council
Nadja Simons, Local program coordinator, Julius-Maximilians-UniversityWürzburg

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.
12:50–13:00h | Group picture
13:00–14:00h | Lunch

Afternoon Sessions | workshops

Workshop 1

Workshop 2

Workshop 3

Workshop 4

Workshop 5

Workshop 6

Open Science in European University Alliances: Pathways to Competitiveness with Ignasi Labastida (University of Barcelona), Nataša Jakominić Marot (Rijeka’s Centre for Research and Innovation), Hans de Jonge (Open Science NL) and Rubén Vicente-Saez (Aalto University) 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 with Kirsten Hollaender, Aleid de Jong and Stans de Haas (Utrecht University) 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— pilot actions for change to sharpen their competitive edge.

Unlocking Potential: How Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Drive Competitiveness in Higher Education
with Agnes Sarolta Fazekas-Vinkovits (Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest), Andrea Bähr (Würzburg University) and Isabel Fraas (Würzburg University)
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 with Jasper Ewals (Common City Development), Alisia Gahabka (European Environment Agency), Lena Sauer (City Administration of Bornheim) and Jill Hoost (IN Group) 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 (REGISTRATION CLOSED FOR THIS WORKSHOP) with Marieke Schoots (Tilburg University and ENGAGE.EU Network) and Ger Corbett (Sandyford Business District) 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 with Channa van der Brug (Hochschulforum Digitalisierung for Stiftverband), Thomas Lipke (University of Duisburg-Essen and Aurora Alliance), Cecile Ohm (University of Bergen) and Mathew Birdsall Abrams (INCF) CHARM’s IT-team has recently taken large steps forward by connecting its IT ecosystems through ajoint platform, developed by SURF, the Dutch national organization for IT in education. Through thisplatform, users from any of the CHARM institutions can log in with the credentials of their homeinstitution to make use of designated IT-service. In this break-out session, several IT decision makersfrom the CHARM-EU partner universities will participate in a podium discussion about questions suchas:How can interoperability between IT systems make partnerships stronger? What limitationsor challenges do we see? How has the Alliance’s work helped the IT decision makers in their owninstitution?

14:00–15:30 | 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, Internationalisation and Regional Development Workshop 6: Interoperability in Higher Education, Joining Forces by connecting IT-Systems

15:30h–16:00h | Coffee and second poster session 16:00h–16:15h | Interactive Quiz 16:15h–16:45h | Concluding Plenary & Adoption of Key Messages 16:45-18:00h | Farewell drinks

Speakers and Panelists

Wilco Hazeleger

Thomas Estermann

Vanessa Debiais-Sainton

Marcos Ros Sempere

Meritxell Chaves

Doris Alexander

Elena Del Giorgio

Olga Wessels

Harriet Klåvus

Meadhbh Costello

Edwin Kanters

Annet van der Riet

Clare Hart

Nadja Simons

Ignasi Labastida

Nataša Jakominić Marot

Hans de Jonge

Agnes Sarolta Fazekas-Vinkovits

Isabel Fraas

Andrea Bähr

Marieke Schoots

Ger Corbett

Réka Judit Boros

Channa van der Brug

Thomas Lipke

Cecilie Ohm

Jasper Ewals

Kirsten Hollaender

Aleid de Jong

Stans de Haas

Mathew Birdsall Abrams

Rubén Vicente-Saez

Lena Sauer

Alisia Gahabka

Jill Hoost

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.

Thomas Estermann, Director for Governance, Funding and Public Policy Development, European University Association (EUA)

Thomas Estermann is Director for Governance, Funding and Public Policy Development at the European University Association (EUA) with responsibilities for EUA’s work aimed at strengthening universities’ autonomy, governance, leadership, management and their financial sustainability. He is actively involved in various European and national committees, expert groups, editorial boards, and advisory boards, including those of European university alliances. He regularly contributes to higher education management programs and recently developed the EUA Leadership Development Programme to equip senior university leaders with the leadership tools to drive transformation in higher education. He has provided guidance in multiple national higher education reform processes in Europe and beyond and has authored publications on university funding, governance, leadership, and management. Prior to joining EUA in 2007, he held the position of Deputy University Director at the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna. During this time, he served as a member of the university’s senate and was involved in several significant higher education reforms in Austria. Before entering the University, he pursued a career as a lawyer. He holds a master’s degree in law from the University of Vienna.

Vanessa Debiais-SaintonMember 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 SempereMember 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 Giorgio4EU+ 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.

OLGA WESSELSHead of eciu brussels office and foreu4all coordinator

Olga Wessels is the Head of Brussels’ Office of the European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU). In this position, Wessels contributes to setting the agenda of ECIU at the European level, increasing the organisation’s visibility as a potential and reliable partner for European institutions in debates on policy and programme developments. Wessels also coordinates FOREU4ALL, bringing together all 73 European University alliances in a cohesive structure to foster collaboration and share best practices. Before joining ECIU, Wessels represented the Dutch universities (including Utrecht University) in Brussels, focussing on higher education and Open Science policies, and worked for the Dutch National Students’ Union (LSVb), focusing on flexible education and quality assurance.

Harriet KlåvusHead 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).

Meadhbh Costellosenior policy executive at Ibec

Meadhbh Costello is a senior policy executive at Ibec, the group representing employers and business in Ireland. In this role she acts as a strategic advisor and support for businesses across Ireland on issues related to education, skills, innovation and social policy. Her role includes skills research, the development of tools and guidelines, lobbying and developing policy positions at a national and European level. Previously, Meadhbh served as a policy specialist working for public, private and NGO organisations in Ireland and Europe.

Edwin KantersEU 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.

Annet van der Rietlead Professional Development CHARM-EU

Annet van der Riet is an educational scientist and works within the European alliance CHARMEU, where she is responsible for the professional development of lecturers. Key themes include challenge-based learning, transdisciplinary education, hybrid education, and programmatic assessment. In previous roles at Utrecht University, Annet worked at the Centre for Academic Teaching as Teacher Development Coordinator. In this role, she focused on the continuous development and improvement of the training programs for lecturers at Utrecht University. Annet gained experience in educational innovation at Educate-it. In this role, she was responsible for the professional development programs in the area of blended learning and focused on teaching support for lecturers.

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.

Nadja SimonsPROFESSOR AND Local program coordinator, Julius- maximilians-University Würzburg

Nadja Simons is a professor for Applied Biodiversity Sciences at the Biology department of JMU Würzburg and local program coordinator for the Master program “Global Challenges for Sustainability”. Her role in CHARM involves coordinating teaching activities and content with the eight partner universities. Her own teaching activities for the program include lectures and workshops on research design and co-supervision of student teams in the final semester. In her research, she focuses on ecological sustainability, in particular how land use practices affect biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. On the one hand, she is interested in how management decisions affect biological communities and how this translates into changes in the provision of ecosystem functions. On the other hand, she investigates how biodiversity and ecosystem services are considered in management decisions and planning, and how they can be integrated into decision-making processes. Before starting her professorship in Würzburg, she has worked in inter- and transdisciplinary research projects related to sustainable habitat management at TU Darmstadt and TU Munich.

iGNASI lABASTIDARECTOR'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.

Nataša Jakominić MarotHead of the University of Rijeka’s Centre for Research and Innovation

Nataša Jakominić Marot is Head of the University of Rijeka’s Centre for Research and Innovation and a senior executive with 20+ years’ experience advancing innovation, research, and sustainability in higher education. She leads institutional reforms in research(er) assessment aligned with CoARA, serving in two CoARA working groups and helping embed narrative CVs, qualitative indicators, and open-science incentives across UNIRI policies. She has managed a portfolio of 50+ projects exceeding €50 million, with expertise in project cycle management, strategic planning, training, consulting, and peer review/external assessment. An active member of EARMA and the YERUN Policy Platform, she is a trainer in EU funding and R&I leadership. She holds an MBA (MODUL University Vienna) and completed executive programme Innovation for Economic Development at Harvard Kennedy School

hans de jongedirector open science nl

Hans de Jonge is director of Open Science NL. He has worked at NWO since 2018. As a programme leader, he was responsible for various aspects of NWO’s open science policy.Hans was closely involved in the development of Plan S of coalitions and represented NWO in the National Platform Open Science. He wasalso actively involved with recognition and rewards for open science practices. Before joining NWO, Hans worked as a programme leader at the academic affairs Department of Utrecht University and at the association of universities in the Netherlands (UNL). Hans is a historian ofscience by training.

Agnes Sarolta Fazekas-Vinkovitsassistant professor at the Eötvös Loránd
University in Budapest, Hungary

Agnes Sarolta Fazekas-Vinkovits (she/her) is an assistant professor at the Eötvös LorándUniversity 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.

isabel fraashead of diversity management at würzburg university

Isabel Fraas is head of the Diversity Management and the Anti-Discrimination Contact Point at Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg (JMU). She is furthermore responsible for gender and diversity consulting for DFG-funded research networks at the University. She advises and supports research projects in the planning and implementation of equity measures and is currently co-spokesperson for the Germany-wide Gender and Diversity Consulting Network. Isabel Fraas coordinates personnel development programs for female scientists under the umbrella of the Gender Equality Academy JMU. She has been the university’s Aanti-Semitism Officer since July 2024. Isabel Fraas holds a doctorate in German studies. After working for many years in teaching and research at the Institute of German Philology at JMU, she moved into science management, where she was responsible for training JMU tutors and continuing education in university teaching as part of the BMBF-funded Quality Pact for Teaching program. As a freelance trainer, she has been offering trainings for academics on topics such as unconscious bias, diversity, empowerment, and leadership for many years.

Andrea BährWomen's representative office at Würzburg university

Andrea Bähr runs the women’s representative office at the University of Würzburg. Her area of expertise is designing and applying processes and tools to promote gender equality in academic contexts. Coming from an academic background in cultural studies she is committed to studying societal norms and challenging them wherever they create inequality.

Marieke Schoots, Program Director for Academic Collaboration Centers within the Programma Brede Welvaart at Tilburg University

Marieke Schoots is Program Director for Academic Collaboration Centers within the Programma Brede Welvaart at Tilburg University, where she develops and leads initiatives that strengthen the university’s societal impact and foster collaboration with both (inter) national and regional partners. She also serves as work package leader for Societal Outreach in the European University Network ENGAGE.EU. In this role she initiated the Expedition Weeks, a challenge-based learning format in which students apply design thinking to real-life societal and economic challenges, gaining valuable interdisciplinary and intercultural skills. She has played a key role in advancing projects that connect universities with local communities, policymakers, and businesses, thereby contributing to sustainable regional development and broad prosperity. Her expertise spans stakeholder engagement, transdisciplinary collaboration, and impact-driven education, with a strong track record in designing innovative formats that link education, research, and practice.

Ger corbettCEO of Sandyford Business District

Ger Corbett is CEO of Sandyford Business District, Ireland’s largest business improvement district, home to many important companies. Ger commenced his tenure with Sandyford Business District as Commercial Manager in June 2021 before assuming the role of CEO in 2022. Throughout his leadership, he has spearheaded the association’s initiatives to assist the district’s 1,000 companies, 26,000 employees, and 6,000 residents in overcoming pandemic-related challenges and adapting to the evolving economic landscape.
Under his guidance, Sandyford Business District has continued to foster meaningful collaborations with the district’s co-founder and local council, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, as well as esteemed academic institutions including Trinity College Dublin, Nova UCD, Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology (IADT) and the Irish Management Institute (IMI).
Demonstrating a steadfast commitment to advancing the district’s sustainability efforts, Ger has played a pivotal role in the inception of Project Green, SBID’s ambitious environmental agenda. He has successfully secured funding for various circular economy initiatives, shared mobility schemes, and climate resilience projects at local, national, and European levels.
Ger’s leadership in the district’s European ventures has fostered collaborations with partner cities including Istanbul, Berlin, Helsinki, Guimarães, City Network Sweden, City Network Slovenia, and London.

Réka judit borosChair 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 driveinnovative approaches in digital learning internationally. She champions the creation andimplementation of learning and teaching environments that improve student engagementand institutional effectiveness. Channa contributes her expertise in two flagship initiatives at the Stifterverband (founded in 1920, the Stifterverband is a joint initiative of Germancompanies 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.

Thomas lipkeADVISOR Digital Transformation and Academic Controlling at the University
of Duisburg-Essen, aurora alliance

Thomas Lipke works at the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany, a member of the AURORA Alliance. He is responsible for the digital transformation of the university’s administration, driving innovation and efficiency in processes. In addition, he oversees technical interoperability in the field of cooperation, ensuring that the university’s systems can connect smoothly with partner universities. A key part of his work is within the AURORA European University Network, where they explore solutions that can also apply to other German and international collaborations. Thomas is committed to developing sustainable standards and ecosystems that give students and universities real digital sovereignty.

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.

Jasper Ewals, COMMUNITY DEVELOPER

Jasper Ewals is half German, half Dutch. He studied at CHARM-EU from 2023 – 2025, following the track Life & Health. After his studies, he found a job as a Community Developer for Common City Development, an organisation that creates and aids co-housing initiatives. Aside from that, he makes music and organises events. Both of these roles allow him to connect with people and bring them together, something he find a lot of joy in.

Kirsten HollaenderPROJECT MANAGER EUROPEAN COLLABORATION AT UTRECHT UNIVERSITY

With a PhD in sociology, Kirsten Hollaender early on specialized in inter- and transdisciplinary research, covering the full range from initiating, supporting and doing through promoting, funding, improving and evaluating. Next to her work as European research policy advisor, she coordinates the Research Assessment procedures at the University of Utrecht and contributes to the Research and Innovation Dimension of CHARM-EU.

aleid de jongpolicy adviser RESEARCH AND OPEN SCIENCE at utrecht university

Aleid de Jong is a strategic policy adviser for Open Science at Utrecht University. In this role, she coordinates and monitors activities related to the five pillars of Open Science within the university: Open Access, FAIR data and software, Public Engagement, Open Education, and Recognition & Rewards. To achieve this, she collaborates with and connects experts across different levels of the university, with the goal of advancing and embedding the Open Science way of working within the institution. In addition to her work at Utrecht University, she focuses on promoting Open Science in national and international contexts—for example, through the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA).

stans de haasdirector of operations of social sciences department at utrecht university

Stans de Haas is Director of Operations of the department Social Sciences (which consists of the sections: Cultural Anthropology, Sociology, Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, and Methods and Statistics). She is aldo appointed as expert of the theme Recognition and Rewards in the Open Science programme at UU. “

Mathew Birdsall abramsdirector of science and training at incf

Mathew Birdsall Abrams, PhD, MPH is Director of Science and Training at the International Neuroinformatics Coordinating Facility (INCF), a global organization dedicated to open, FAIR, and citable neuroscience. Mathew is a neuroscientist with over 25 years of experience in both experimental neuroscience and clinical psychiatry, as well as 12 years of experience in community coordination, community building, and product development in neuroinformatics. Mathew has worked with the infrastructure developers of the world’s large scale brain initiatives (BRAIN Initiative in US, Human Brain Project in Europe, Canadian Open Neuroscience Platform, and Brain/MINDS in Japan). He also holds Positions of Trust in many neuroscience societies (e.g. SfN, FUN, FENS, and IBRO). Mathew conducted his doctoral thesis research at Tulane University and Karolinska Institutet, obtained his MPH in Health Systems Management at Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and completed his undergraduate education at the University of Richmond.

Rubén Vicente-SaezResearcher and Research Manager at Aalto University

Rubén Vicente-Saez is a Senior Postdoctoral Researcher and Research Manager at Aalto University’s Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, in Finland. His research and teaching focus on open science policy, leadership and management, science and innovation policy, and university governance.
Since 2021, Rubén has led the Open Science and Innovation Community of the European University Alliance Unite!. The team develops evidence-based policy tools, guidelines, and recommendations to support university managers, policymakers, funders and researchers in mainstreaming open science and innovation practices across Europeanuniversities.
Rubén earned a double PhD in the topic Open Science in the digital era from Aalto University and the University of Valencia (2021). He has also worked as an Innovation Project Specialist for Peacekeeping Missions in the Technology Development Unit of the United Nations, Project Manager at the University of Valencia Science Park, and served as a Policy Officer within the Blue Book programme, focusing on ICT and Education at the European Commission.
Through his work at Aalto and Unite!, Rubén helps translate open science principles into practical policy, governance models, and infrastructure that empower researchers, students, institutions, and decision-makers.

lena sauerclimate adaptation manager for the city
administration of Bornheim, Germany

Lena Sauer is a graduate of CHARM-EU and was part of the first group of students to complete this master’s program. At the time, she chose to focus on food systems. During and after her studies, she completed several internships, including at GIZ (German Society for International Cooperation) and the European Environment Agency in Copenhagen (Bluebook traineeship). Currently, she works as a climate adaptation manager for the city administration of Bornheim in Germany (between Cologne and Bonn). In this role, she supports efforts to prepare the city for changing climate patterns and increase resilience to extreme weather events such as heat, drought, heavy rain, and flooding in order to protect the population through preventive measures. Her field of work is very broad, ranging from strategic planning and implementation of concrete measures to the involvement of stakeholders (citizens, politicians, businesses, farmers, universities) to awareness campaigns, press relations, and fundraising

Alisia GahabkaBluebook Traineeship at the European
Environment Agency

Alisia Gahabka has been a student with the CHARM-EU Master’s programme in Global Challenges for Sustainability with stations at Trinity College Dublin, Universitat de Barcelona and Utrecht University from 2023 to 2025. After graduation, she completed the Bluebook Traineeship with the European Environment Agency in the Climate Risk and Resilience Unit. She will start her upcoming role as a public sector consultant in Germany soon.

Jill HoostCSR Officer at IN Groupe

Jill Hoost is an alumna of the CHARM-EU Master’s programme in Global Challenges for Sustainability from 2021 to 2023 with stations at Universitat de Barcelona and Université de Montpellier. Before her Master’s programme, she had a background in Human Resources. After graduating, she completed a traineeship and has worked as an ESG project manager and sustainability auditor. Now, she is working as a CSR Officer at IN Groupe, located in the Netherlands.

Call for posters (closed)

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. 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.

Master's virtual information session
2022-02-22

CHARM-EU Annual Conference 2022
2022-01-13 08:00 - 17:00 (Europe/Paris)

CHARM-EU and TORCH - Educating and Researching the European University
2021-09-24 08:00 - 17:00

CHARM-EU World Cafe
2021-09-07 14:00 - 17:00
