Arqus Annual Conference
2025-04-02 - 2025-04-03 | Catalunya
The Arqus Alliance invites you to join them online at their 2025 Arqus Annual Conference, which will take place on 2 and 3 April at Leipzig University (Germany).
This year’s theme, “European Universities at the crossroads”, aims to bring together Arqus leaders, students, academics and administrative staff to reflect on the evolving landscape of European Higher Education and the European Universities Initiative.
The Conference plenary sessions will be broadcast live on the Arqus YouTube channel. They will explore shared challenges, opportunities and transformative strategies, offering insights to strengthen collaboration within Arqus and beyond.
Experts and colleagues from CHARM-EU, Circle-U, CIVIS, EUTOPIA, INGENIUM, Open-EU and UNITA Alliances will participate in the different plenary sessions:

2 April, 10:30-12:00: Legal Entity: The future for European University Alliances
2 April, 13:30-15:00: Research strategies and collaborative research projects within European University Alliances
3 April, 09:00-10:30: Common digital infrastructures as tools and resources for European University Alliances

The full programme is available on the Arqus website.

CIVICA Global Forum 2025
2025-05-06 - 2025-05-07 | Catalunya
Join us for the CIVICA Global Forum 2025!
Be part of a unique event bringing together thought leaders, policymakers, academics, and industry innovators to explore the transformative role of social sciences in addressing global challenges.
Under the theme “Leveraging Social Sciences in Higher Education: Navigating Global Challenges and Complexities” the forum will feature inspirational keynotes, high-level panels, and engaging discussions on topics shaping the future of higher education and society.
Relevant speakers include Enrico Letta, Former Prime Minister of Italy and current Dean of IE University’s School of Politics, Economics, and Julia Black, President of the British Academia, along with high-level representatives from higher education, multilateral institutions, and industry leaders, among others.
Don’t miss this exclusive opportunity to connect with changemakers shaping the future of education and society through thought-provoking keynotes, interactive panels, and engaging discussions.

📍Date & Location: 6-7 May 2025 | IE Tower, Madrid
⚠️Access to the event is from Avenida Montforte de Lemos 4

More details and registration behind this link.

Organized by CIVICA – The European University of Social Sciences and co-funded by the European Commission, this forum highlights the power of collaboration in driving innovation and societal impact.

EUIPO Virtual Open Day for university students
2025-05-07 10:30 - 11:45 (Europe/Helsinki) | Catalunya
The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), through its Academy Department, is organising a Virtual Open Day for University Students to offer them a first glimpse of intellectual property, the work of the Office in this field and the learning and professional development opportunities for recent graduates.
The Virtual Open Day will take place on 7 May 2025 from 10:30 to 11:45 CEST via MS teams and the agenda will cover the following topics:

What is intellectual property (IP), what impact does it have on our lives? And what is EUIPO’s role in this area?
Intellectual Property and its link to creativity
IP learning resources offered by the EUIPO
Focus on career development opportunities for recent graduates

To participate and receive the link to access the Virtual Open Day, it is necessary to fill in the registration form by 5 May 2025.

CHARM-EU Innovators’ Journey: Unlocking Innovation Through Entrepreneurship
2025-05-09 15:00 - 16:00 (Europe/Helsinki) | Catalunya
Ever had a groundbreaking idea but not known where to start? Or wondered how sustainability, business, and cutting-edge research intersect in the real world?
Designed for curious minds – whether you are a student, researcher, or entrepreneur – the CHARM-EU Seminar Series will take you on a deep dive into the world of innovation, turning bold ideas into impactful businesses. Forget dry lectures, expect interactive sessions, real-world challenges, and insights from leading experts.
Ready to bridge the gap between ambition and action? Join us!
What is the CHARM-EU Seminar Series?
The CHARM-EU Seminar Series will introduce you to the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, sustainability-driven innovation, and the practical skills you need to transform your ideas into impactful projects.
Each seminar will align with CHARM-EU’s interdisciplinary and challenge-driven approach, catering to different experience levels – beginner, intermediate, and advanced – ensuring accessibility for all participants.
After this series, you will:

Understand key entrepreneurial concepts and their relevance to sustainability.

Learn practical tools for turning an idea into an actionable project or business.

Gain insights from experienced entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders.

Develop problem-solving skills through real-world case studies and interactive sessions.

Explore pathways to funding, incubation, and further entrepreneurial opportunities.

Kick-Off
3-4 pm CET, 9 May 2025, hybrid format
For in-person attendance location: Maharry Lecture Theatre in the Trinity Business School
Topic: Innovation Mindset – Create chances out of challenges!
Delivered by Shay Butler, Programme Manager, Trinity Innovation & Enterprise, Trinity College Dublin
Future sessions will take place in the next academic year.
Register here!
You will receive a link several days before the event.

Dissemination workshop of PATH - Planetary Health joint master’s program
2025-05-19 - 2025-05-20 | online
PATH Erasmus Mundus Design Measures project:
Design of a transnational 4-semester joint degree master level study programme on Planetary Health within the CHARM-EU Alliance.
Accessible to all interested students of any nationalities holding a BA/BSc degree.
Offering transdisciplinary education and a broad network of stakeholders from Europe, Asia and Africa.

The workshop aims to:

Raise awareness on the future Transdisciplinary Joint Masters’ Programme on Planetary Health among various stakeholders including future students, academic staff and external stakeholders (such as universities, research institutions, private entities, NGOs and national/international authorities).
Attract various stakeholders showing the benefits of the programme:

get an insight into a new, innovative, transdisciplinary, international master’s programme;
have a chance to build relationships with experts of the PATH partner universities and other external stakeholders;
be part of a network of stakeholders committed to planetary health;
get in contact with the master’s students of the programme having high-level intercultural experience and with the potential of becoming your future colleagues;
jointly identify priorities to reduce planetary health related risks to your community.

Participation is free of charge, but registration is required.

You can register here

For more information regarding the PATH programme, you can contact the PATH project coordinator, Viktor G. Mihucz (viktor.mihucz@ttk.elte.hu), for organizational matters, please contact Martin Kufferath-Sieberin (martin.kufferath-sieberin@uni-wuerzburg.de).
PATH Event Agenda
Day 1 – PATH Event
Venue: JMU Faculty of MedicineModerators: Andreas Buck (JMU), Martin Kufferath-Sieberin (JMU)

08:30 – Registration (Aula – Not hybrid)
09:00 – Welcome and General Introduction (Lecture Hall – Hybrid)Facilitator: Andreas Buck (JMU)
09:30 – CHARM-EU and PATH – Introduction for University Teaching Staff (Lecture Hall – Hybrid)Facilitator: Viktor G. Mihucz (ELTE)
10:15 – Coffee Break (Aula – Not hybrid)
10:45 – CHARM-EU and PATH – Introduction and Feedback Session for Students (Lecture Hall – Hybrid)Facilitator: Viktor G. Mihucz (ELTE)
12:00 – Lunch (Aula/Terrace – Not hybrid)
13:00 – Introduction to Planetary Health Research – Part 1 (Lecture Hall – Hybrid)Facilitators: JMU Planetary Health Research Group
14:30 – Coffee Break (Aula/Terrace – Not hybrid)
15:00 – Introduction to Planetary Health Research – Part 2 (Lecture Hall – Hybrid)Facilitators: JMU Planetary Health Research GroupModerators: Andreas Buck (JMU), Martin Kufferath-Sieberin (JMU)

Day 2 – PATH Event
Venue: JMU Faculty of MedicineModerators: Andreas Buck (JMU), Martin Kufferath-Sieberin (JMU)

08:30 – Registration (Aula – Not hybrid)
09:00 – Welcome and Introduction to PATH Masters’ Programme (Lecture Hall – Hybrid)Facilitators: Andreas Buck (JMU), Doris Fischer (JMU), Viktor G. Mihucz (ELTE)
09:45 – World Café Session 1Topics:1. Transdisciplinary teaching and capstone projects2. Internship and Mobility(Aula – Hybrid)Facilitators: Nadja Simons, Nataliia Lazebna, Katrin Niewalda (JMU), Luca Alexa Erdei, Nóra Jeney (ELTE)
10:45 – Coffee Break (Aula/Terrace – Not hybrid)
11:15 – World Café Session 2Topics:3. PATH Benefits for Stakeholders4. PATH Curriculum Design(Aula – Hybrid)Facilitators: Nóra Jeney (ELTE), Mikko Helle (AAU), Viktor G. Mihucz, Luca Alexa Erdei (ELTE)
12:15 – Wrap-Up Session (Lecture Hall – Hybrid)Facilitators: All World Café session facilitators
12:30 – Farewell Lunch (Aula/Terrace – Not hybrid)
13:30 – Mid-Term PATH Consortium Project Meeting (internal) (Lecture Hall/Seminar Room – Hybrid)Participants: PATH Consortium members
15:30 – Coffee and Farewell (Not hybrid)

Young Forum for Action on Sustainability and Climate Change
2025-05-20 - 2025-05-21 | Catalunya
ERUA is organizing a Young Forum for Action on Sustainability and Climate Change on May 20th and 21st, 2025 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. This event is led by ERUA’s Blue Commission, a student-driven initiative from eight institutions working on sustainability and climate action.
They have launched an Open Call for contributors and participants willing to take part in this in-person event. The Forum aims to foster debate, improve sustainability policies, and draft a Recommendation Paper to be endorsed by interested institutions. This document will be a key step towards introducing new sustainability measures within universities and fostering collective commitments to climate action.
ERUA believe it is essential to involve academics, young researchers, and especially students from other European University Alliances. The call welcomes:
🔹 Experienced lecturers willing to contribute their expertise
🔹 Students & young researchers interested in preparing a workshop on sustainability and climate change
This is a unique opportunity to collaborate with professionals and students across alliances, exchange knowledge, and contribute to shaping sustainability policies in European universities.
🔗 Apply here: https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/OpenCall_YoungForumforClimateChange_ERUA_LasPalmas
📅 Deadline for submission: March 31, 2025
📢 Confirmation of selected participants: April 21, 2025
📄 Final slides submission deadline: May 7, 2025

Important: Please note that in-person participation of contributors or participants external to ERUA must be financially covered by their institution.

Third CHARM-EU Open Science Training
2025-05-20 13:30 - 17:30 (Europe/Paris) | Catalunya
CHARM-EU is organizing its third Open Science training on 20 May 2025 with hybrid sessions featuring an introduction to OS, Open Licenses, Assisting Digital Tools as well as Open data and version control.
Promoting the circulation and dissemination of scientific knowledge through Open Science is an important objective of CHARM-EU. The aim of our third Open Science training is to share experiences among partner universities in order to support the Open Science culture and practice of our institutions. During the half-day hybrid training organized at Eötvös Loránd University and online, academics will share their experience in various fields connected to Open Science. The training session is targeting researchers, educators, research support officers as well as PhD students.
Event information
Date and time: 20 May, 2025, 13.30– 17.30 (CEST)
Format: In person and online (via Microsoft Teams)
Venue: ELTE Faculty of Education and Psychology, Floor 3, Room 314 (23–27. Kazinczy utca, 1075 Budapest, Hungary)
Programme
13.30-14.30 Introduction to Open Science
Presenter: Niamh Brennan (Trinity College Dublin)
14.30-15.00 Q&A session and break
15.00-16.00 Open Licences and Assisting Digital Tools, Research Security and Open Science
Presenter: Tibor Faragó-Szilvási (ELTE)
16.00-17.00 Open data and version control
Presenter: Tamás Nagy (ELTE)
17.00-17.30 Discussion and wrap-up

REGISTRATION (CLOSED)

If you are interested in the materials of our previous trainings and how CHARM-EU promotes Open Science, please consult our Research & Innovation page. You can also learn more about how our TORCH project has promoted OS practices through our article and interactive graphic.

Online World Café on Educational Research
2025-05-27 10:00 - 23:30 (Europe/Helsinki) | Catalunya
Invitation to colleagues from European University Alliances
CHARM-EU hereby invites you to virtual World Café: “Best Practices for Educational Research in European University Alliances”. This event will take place on May 27, 2025, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. (CEST/GMT+2).
Promising to be an interactive and informative experience, the Café will bring together experts and educational research peers from all across the European University Alliance landscape to share insights, exchange success stories, and tease out the strategies that are shaping the future of educational research.
Click here for the Link or join via (Teams ID) 357 526 448 311; (passcode) ck2Jv3o6
Agenda
Intro: 10:00-10:15
BLOCK 1: Researching Innovation and Transformation: 10:15-10:45

Topic 1: Challenge-Based Learning (ChBL)
Topic 2: Sustainable Education

BLOCK 2: Future Directions of Educational Research: 10:45-11:15

Topic 1: The Promise of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) in European University Alliances
Topic 2: Assessment Methods Across European University Alliances

Open Questions and Closing Remarks: 11:15-11:30
For those interested in contributing
If you would like to briefly present an illustrative case study or your educational research approach and experience (in an EU Alliance context) to kick off one of the sessions, please contact nataliia.lazebna@uni-wuerzburg.de. We will ask these speakers to prepare a short, 10-minute input, accompanied by 3-5 slides. Alternatively, you can sign up as a first reviewer to comment on the presentation and guide the discussion that follows.
More information
Email Nataliia Lazebna <nataliia.lazebna@uni-wuerzburg.de> for more information about this world café.

CHARM-EU International Conference "Bridging minds, Shaping futures: Transdisciplinarity in research”
2025-06-24 09:00 - 17:00 (Europe/Paris) | online
As part of CHARM-EU’s Doctoral researcher summer school 2025, the University of Montpellier is proud to host the Bridging minds, shaping futures: transdisciplinary in research conference, a series of talks by nine inspiring speakers from across the CHARM-EU universities alliance.
Bringing together individuals and knowledge, connecting communities, and merging ways of thinking… Transdisciplinary research is key to addressing the complex and interconnected challenges affecting global health, environment, food systems and government. To provide sustainable and impactful solutions, we must connect people, knowledge and ideas beyond geographical and academic boundaries in collaboration with communities, business and government.
Inspired by the CHARM-EU doctoral researcher Summer school’s theme of Developing transdisciplinary practice to tackle complex challenges, the conference will provide attendees with an overview of projects underway at universities within the CHARM-EU alliance, with insight from researchers who place transdisciplinarity at the heart of their work. Specialising in digital humanities, economics, epidemiology, hydrogeology, law, philosophy, physics and medicine, the speakers will illustrate to doctoral candidates, teaching staff, and researchers how transdisciplinarity can move research forward.
More info on University of Montpellier’s website.
Registration essential to attend in person or online. Live (and replay) on the University of Montpellier’s YouTube channel.

Apply here to register

Conference programme:
9.00 – Welcome SpeechPhilippe Augé, president of the University of Montpellier
9.15 – 12.30 – Morning session

9.15 – 9.50 – Laura HellstenThe Transdisciplinary Toolbox: what I learnt when doing ethnographic research in an interdisciplinary research project.

Abstract:

Building on the findings from the fieldwork in an interdisciplinary research project, and the transdisciplinary collaborations she has been helping to facilitate, she will share best practices and speak about the skills and competences needed for transdisciplinary research. Expanding on Lawrence et. al (2022) descriptions of inter-, multi- and trans- disciplinary research, this lecture will give tools for how we can navigate towards getting the benefits of orientation knowledge, system knowledge, process knowledge and transformational knowledge in our collaborations.

Building on the findings from the fieldwork in an interdisciplinary research project, and the transdisciplinary collaborations she has been helping to facilitate, she will share best practices and speak about the skills and competences needed for transdisciplinary research. Expanding on Lawrence et. al (2022) descriptions of inter-, multi- and trans- disciplinary research, this lecture will give tools for how we can navigate towards getting the benefits of orientation knowledge, system knowledge, process knowledge and transformational knowledge in our collaborations.

9.50 – 10.25 – Mircea SofoneaInterdisciplinarity is key in health crisis management: insights from Montpellier’s research for pandemic surveillance and control.

Abstract:

The unprecedented outburst of the recent pandemic called for rapid and accurate quantitative assessments to best inform public health responses. This presentation will provide an overview of the research that have been carried out in Montpellier since early 2020 on the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in metropolitan France, at the interface between virology, evolutionary biology, public health, and applied mathematics. More generally, and in the light of five years’ hindsight, the place of real-time quantitative interdisciplinary approaches during health crises will be discussed, in terms of generating novel evidence, supporting decision-making, and contributing to society’s awareness and trust.

The unprecedented outburst of the recent pandemic called for rapid and accurate quantitative assessments to best inform public health responses. This presentation will provide an overview of the research that have been carried out in Montpellier since early 2020 on the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in metropolitan France, at the interface between virology, evolutionary biology, public health, and applied mathematics. More generally, and in the light of five years’ hindsight, the place of real-time quantitative interdisciplinary approaches during health crises will be discussed, in terms of generating novel evidence, supporting decision-making, and contributing to society’s awareness and trust.

10.25 – 11.00 – Judit Mádl-SzőnyiFrom groundwater flow to societal climate adaptation: a transdisciplinary journey.

Abstract:

Hydroclimatic extremes, such as droughts and water surpluses, have profound impacts on vast regions, populations, and economies. Ensuring a reliable water supply for both humans and ecosystems presents a significant challenge. Groundwater, often overlooked, plays a crucial role in balancing wet and dry periods. Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) is a technique that stores excess water during rainy seasons for use during droughts. The NaBa-MAR approach, developed by the ELTE Hydrogeology Group, was implemented in the ClimEx-PE project of the CHARM-EU universities. This project integrates local MAR methods with regional groundwater flow understanding to mitigate extreme hydrological events. Efficient dissemination of this approach to decision-makers and the public is essential. The presentation will showcase the development of the NaBa-MAR concept, its physical demonstration for educational purposes, and its implementation possibilities through a comprehensive campaign targeting societies and stakeholders.

Hydroclimatic extremes, such as droughts and water surpluses, have profound impacts on vast regions, populations, and economies. Ensuring a reliable water supply for both humans and ecosystems presents a significant challenge. Groundwater, often overlooked, plays a crucial role in balancing wet and dry periods. Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) is a technique that stores excess water during rainy seasons for use during droughts. The NaBa-MAR approach, developed by the ELTE Hydrogeology Group, was implemented in the ClimEx-PE project of the CHARM-EU universities. This project integrates local MAR methods with regional groundwater flow understanding to mitigate extreme hydrological events. Efficient dissemination of this approach to decision-makers and the public is essential. The presentation will showcase the development of the NaBa-MAR concept, its physical demonstration for educational purposes, and its implementation possibilities through a comprehensive campaign targeting societies and stakeholders.

11.00 – 11.15 – Coffee break

11.15 – 11.50 – Mark OelmannTransdisciplinarity in water: chances, challenges and best practices.

Abstract:

Transdisciplinarity is a noble goal. For many projects, this transdisciplinary approach is a basic prerequisite that the most diverse perspectives have actually been incorporated. This is the only way to ensure that implementation of results can be successful. At the same time, the results of the various disciplines should flow into one another. If they do not, the researchers are not pulling in the same direction. But aren’t they wasting a lot of time along the way? After all, the aim of a scientist is to publish papers. And to do so for their own discipline…. Can we get out of this dilemma?

Transdisciplinarity is a noble goal. For many projects, this transdisciplinary approach is a basic prerequisite that the most diverse perspectives have actually been incorporated. This is the only way to ensure that implementation of results can be successful. At the same time, the results of the various disciplines should flow into one another. If they do not, the researchers are not pulling in the same direction. But aren’t they wasting a lot of time along the way? After all, the aim of a scientist is to publish papers. And to do so for their own discipline…. Can we get out of this dilemma?

11.50 – 12.25 – Quique BassatGlobal health in a nutshell: issues and threats.

Abstract:

We live in a world of contrasts. Your birthplace will significantly determine your chances of surviving and thriving, whether you are born healthy or sick. In this talk, some of these health inequities will be examined, as well as some of the current trends in global health, including the threat that infectious diseases still pose to health globally. This will be analysed in the context of a changing planet, with all the uncertainties emerging from the climatic crisis, that unknown to many, is going to affect the health of all, but most significantly that of children being born in the poorest areas of the world.

We live in a world of contrasts. Your birthplace will significantly determine your chances of surviving and thriving, whether you are born healthy or sick. In this talk, some of these health inequities will be examined, as well as some of the current trends in global health, including the threat that infectious diseases still pose to health globally. This will be analysed in the context of a changing planet, with all the uncertainties emerging from the climatic crisis, that unknown to many, is going to affect the health of all, but most significantly that of children being born in the poorest areas of the world.

12.25 – 12.55 – Panel discussion With Ronald Österbacka, Mircea Sofonea, Judit Mádl-Szőnyi, Mark Oelmann and Quique Bassat.

13.00 – 14.00 – Lunch break
14.00 – 17.10 – Afternoon session

14.05 – 14.40 – Jennifer EdmondThe reality of imaginaries? Exploring the present and future of applied literary studies.

Abstract:

The humanities fields have long been a conundrum when it comes to transdisiciplinarity. This presentation will look at the way in which literature seems to be emerging as a category of evidence within applied research without what one would expect as the natural parallel development of a transdisciplinary arm of literary studies.  It will ask questions about why this might be and what enablers might be needed to better integrate literary scholarship and its potential ‘users,’ looking particularly at the context of the current state of tension between culture and advancing knowledge technologies such as AI.

The humanities fields have long been a conundrum when it comes to transdisiciplinarity. This presentation will look at the way in which literature seems to be emerging as a category of evidence within applied research without what one would expect as the natural parallel development of a transdisciplinary arm of literary studies.  It will ask questions about why this might be and what enablers might be needed to better integrate literary scholarship and its potential ‘users,’ looking particularly at the context of the current state of tension between culture and advancing knowledge technologies such as AI.

14.40 – 15.15 – Isabel FeichtnerReorienting law towards the common(s).

Abstract:

This presentation will inquire into the role of law and lawyers in social ecological transformation. With reference to social movements against appropriation of and value extraction from the common, it will present a concept of transformative law with three dimensions: first, “counterlaw” that dismantles legal infrastructures of value extraction; second, transformative interpretation of (property) rights; and third, an organization law for the commons. The presentation will further seek to illustrate how transformative law may be furthered through transdisciplinary research within and outside the university.

This presentation will inquire into the role of law and lawyers in social ecological transformation. With reference to social movements against appropriation of and value extraction from the common, it will present a concept of transformative law with three dimensions: first, “counterlaw” that dismantles legal infrastructures of value extraction; second, transformative interpretation of (property) rights; and third, an organization law for the commons. The presentation will further seek to illustrate how transformative law may be furthered through transdisciplinary research within and outside the university.

15.15 – 15.30 – Coffee break

15.30 – 16.05 – Rasmus SlaattelidTransdisciplinarity as academic multiculturalism.

Abstract:

This talk will build on experiences from research and teaching in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinarity contexts. The calls for transdiciplinarity give raise to legitimate worries about a watering-down of discipline-based foundational education and research. “You must learn to crawl before you walk” is the general idea, or more generally, in order to develop interdisciplinary competencies, a solid foundation built in a single discipline is needed. With some examples from current and completed transdisciplinary projects, as well as from teaching experiences at the SVT, this presentation will be the opportunity to sketch a translational approach to transdisciplinarity inspired by Collins and Evans’ concept of “interactional expertise”.

This talk will build on experiences from research and teaching in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinarity contexts. The calls for transdiciplinarity give raise to legitimate worries about a watering-down of discipline-based foundational education and research. “You must learn to crawl before you walk” is the general idea, or more generally, in order to develop interdisciplinary competencies, a solid foundation built in a single discipline is needed. With some examples from current and completed transdisciplinary projects, as well as from teaching experiences at the SVT, this presentation will be the opportunity to sketch a translational approach to transdisciplinarity inspired by Collins and Evans’ concept of “interactional expertise”.

16.05 – 16:40 – Iris van der TuinConnective thinking: on strategies for making connections between specialized knowledges.

Abstract:

Inspired by the French philosopher Michel Serres (1930-2019), this talk will reflect on institutional, research and educational experiences centered around the making of connections between specialized knowledges. It is common practice to argue that dynamically complex socio-environmental problems make such connecting more urgent than ever. But what about the university community and especially students and early-career researchers today? What boundary-crossing knowledges, skills and attitudes do they need? How can we teach such KSAs; and why? And what can current university staff learn from the younger generation? Central to this presentation are some tested strategies for connective thinking for inter- and trans-disciplinarity.

Inspired by the French philosopher Michel Serres (1930-2019), this talk will reflect on institutional, research and educational experiences centered around the making of connections between specialized knowledges. It is common practice to argue that dynamically complex socio-environmental problems make such connecting more urgent than ever. But what about the university community and especially students and early-career researchers today? What boundary-crossing knowledges, skills and attitudes do they need? How can we teach such KSAs; and why? And what can current university staff learn from the younger generation? Central to this presentation are some tested strategies for connective thinking for inter- and trans-disciplinarity.

16.40 – 17.10 – Panel Discussion With Jennifer Edmond, Isabel Feichtner, Rasmus Slaattelid and Iris van der Tuin.

Speakers will include:

Quique Bassat

Jennifer Edmond

Isabel Feichtner

Laura Hellsten

Judit Mádl-Szőnyi

Mark Oelmann

Rasmus T. Slaatelid

Mircea Sofonea

Iris van der Tuin

Quique Bassat

Pediatrician
Director of the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), SpainPhD medicineICREA research professor

As a pediatrician with special interest in infectious disease epidemiology and public health, Quique Bassat has attempted to combine his clinical work with biomedical research in those diseases that most affect the poor and vulnerable. His main area of interest has been the prevention and treatment of malaria in childhood, with a particular focus on understanding the clinical overlap of malaria and other common pediatric conditions. His research has also covered the new paradigm of malaria eradication, with a particular interest in evaluating the role of drugs in elimination strategies.
He has also conducted work on the description of the epidemiology and etiology of respiratory infections (viral and bacterial), diarrheal diseases, and neonatal infections in places such as Mozambique, Morocco or Bhutan. Currently, his main interests are related to the validation and implementation of minimally invasive autopsy (MIA) tools for the post-mortem investigation of causes of death in the developing world. He is also working on the validation and evaluation of low-cost technological devices that can be used to improve health in low-income countries.
Since 2024, Quique Bassat is the director general of the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), where he leads a team of nearly 600 people committed to improving global health and promoting health equity. ISGlobal is the result of an innovative alliance between the “la Caixa” Foundation, academic institutions and government bodies to contribute to the efforts undertaken by the international community to address health challenges in a globalized world. This consolidated hub of excellence in research takes its expertise from the world of health care, with the Hospital Clínic of Barcelona and the Parc de Salut MAR, and the academic sphere, with the University of Barcelona and Pompeu Fabra University.
More information about this speaker.
Jennifer Edmond

Associate professor in Digital Humanities
Trinity College Dublin, IrelandPhD Germanic languages and literaturesCo-director of the Trinity Center for Digital Humanities

Jennifer Edmond is an internationally recognized expert in the application of arts and humanities insight to academic and societal challenges arising at the intersection of information and communication technologies and culture. Her ambition is to utilize her position of leadership in the digital humanities to significantly progress consolidation of the emerging subfield of the critical digital humanities. Most of her publications are in open access.
Former president (2018-2022) of the board of directors of the pan-European research infrastructure for the arts and humanities DARIAH-EU, Jennifer Edmond has played a leadership role in numerous strategic developments at national and institutional level. She has lent her expertise in the development of infrastructure to a wide variety of initiatives and agencies, from the food manufacturing industry through to the Korean national maritime agency. She has coordinated many significant large-scale interdisciplinary research projects, like CENDARI FP7 (2012-2016), a collaborative European digital archival infrastructure. She was also a partner in the related infrastructure cluster PARTENHOS, whose objective was to strengthen the cohesion of research across several related fields associated with the humanities.
KT4D is her most recent project on AI, big data and democracy. Led by Trinity College Dublin with a consortium of twelve partner organizations, the Knowledge Technologies for Democracy (KT4D) project is investigating how democracy and civic participation can be better facilitated in the face of rapidly changing knowledge technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and big data. This in order to enable actors across society to capitalize on the many benefits these technologies can bring in terms of community empowerment, social integration, individual agency, and improved trust in both institutions and technological instruments while identifying and mitigating potential ethical, legal and cultural risks.
More information about this speaker.
Isabel Feichtner

Professor of Public Law and International Economic Law

Julius-Maximilians University of Würzburg, GermanyDr. jur., LL.M (Cardozo Law School)Founder of the Law Clinic Transformation Law

Isabel Feichtner’s research work is grounded in practice. After her studies, she was admitted to the New York Bar and worked for the New York office of the law firm Cravath, Swaine & Moore as a corporate associate in the securitization department for one year. Her research interests cover the distributive effects of law, the democratization of society, and the law of the commons and commoning. She explores how institutional experiments, such as the redesign of money or commons public partnerships, can support social-ecological transformation through democratization and commoning. Her expertise includes international law, law and political economy, international law of natural resource extraction and the law of money and finance.
From 2022 to 2024, Isabel Feichtner was fellow at The New Institute in Hamburg, a residential fellowship program based in Hamburg and designed to nourish transformation through interdisciplinary and trans-sectoral collaboration, where she chaired the program Reclaiming Common Wealth: Towards a Law and Economy of Land Commons. This program explored pathways, processes, and institutional designs for the generation and governance of land commons, aiming to address discontents arising from institutional investments in land, assess theories and concepts of property and value, and establish a repository of the law and institutional design of land commons.
Isabel Feichtner founded the Law Clinic Transformation Law, both a teaching format and a forum for transdisciplinary research to explore how law may serve as a building block of a democratized political economy. She considers this project as an attempt to democratize law and legal education for social-ecological change, strongly believing that transformative law must rethink and redesign the institutions and infrastructures at the core of political economy, such as property, money, and the corporation.
More information about this speaker.
Laura Hellsten

Post-doc researcher in theology
Åbo Akademi University in Turku, Finland PhD systematic theology

In her first post-doctoral position, in the Stiftelsen Åbo Akademi foundation Centre of Excellence BACE, Laura Hellsten studied the interaction of a team of physics, chemistry and cell biology researchers. The BACE collaboration centered on developing a platform for bioelectronic activation that enables the control of cell signals and, thereby, the stimulation of cell functions. Hellsten did ethnographic fieldwork with the research group investigating questions of ethics and science communication.
To study science communication, Hellsten further developed and led the research project Avtryck i det okända – Forcing the Impossible (2020-2022), which created transdisciplinary collaborations between artists and researchers in the broader context of Åbo Akademi University.
She is principal investigator for the research project: Praxis of Social Imaginaries – a Theo-artistic Intervention for Transdisciplinary Knowledge (2024-2028). This project brings together three different components: theological understanding of social imaginaries, cosmologies and polysemous reading practices, artistic research methods of intervention, and indigenous or traditional ways of knowledge production including listening and storytelling. Through creating nomadic and community based symposia where the project brings together people from across the Nordic region, with students and researchers from Åbo Akademi University and the global south, as well as artists and activists to transdisciplinary symposia and art based dialogue sessions, it is aiming to cultivate practices of wisdom, ask bold questions, and train critical inquiry into how colonial patterns are influencing society and universities today.
More information about this speaker.
Judit Mádl-Szőnyi

Associated professor in Hydrogeology
Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, HungaryPhD, DSc, hydrogeologyHead of József and Erzsébet Tóth Endowed Hydrogeology ChairVice-dean for strategic and innovation affairs of ELTE Faculty of Science

Judit Mádl-Szőnyi specialises in hydrogeology, focusing on regional groundwater flow systems and basin hydrogeology. With over three decades of teaching and research, she has significantly contributed to understanding groundwater driving forces, flow patterns, and connections between groundwater flow systems and vegetation patterns. Her research group has gained international recognition for their work. She has developed groundwater flow models for deep carbonate aquifers and promoted nature-based managed aquifer recharge. Her interdisciplinary research also addresses climate change and impacts on groundwater, adaptation options, and sustainable geothermal energy use. Her work has influenced academic circles and contributed to practical applications in environmental management and policy-making. Additionally, she is actively involved in mentoring the next generation of hydrogeologists, fostering a collaborative and innovative research environment.
Since 2011, she has chaired the Regional Groundwater Flow Commission of the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH) and led over fifteen R&D projects, including prestigious European projects. Her most notable award is the IAH Presidents’ Award.
Over the last decades, through Shell, MOL R&D, and European innovation and development projects, Judit Mádl-Szőnyi has adapted her knowledge for hydrocarbon exploration and energy transition goals, including geothermal energy and related mineral resources. Judit Mádl-Szőnyi is the principal investigator of the Water4All project ClimEX-PE, launched in 2024 among partner universities of the CHARM-EU alliance. This transdisciplinary project involves scientists from various fields of natural science and researchers with strong socio-legal expertise while also paying special attention to public engagement through communication and education.
More information about this speaker.
Mark Oelmann

Professor of Water and Energy Economics

Ruhr West University of Applied Sciences in Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany PhD economics

Mark Oelmann is the director of the Bachelor’s program BWL – Energy and Water Management at the Ruhr West University of Applied science. A diverse and enhanced collaboration – for example, in dual studies – with companies and service providers in the energy and water sectors is at the very heart of this program. As a researcher, he is doing economic and political studies on water related issues and deals with the various forms of water pricing and is involved in digitalization topics, such as machine learning or change management.
Mark Oelmann has been greatly contributing to a better integration of an economic perspective into water management thinking. Over 25 years in the water sector and other adjacent network sectors, he worked in investment banking at Deutsche Bank, as a managing consultant at the internationally renowned Capgemini Consulting and a department head at the Scientific Institute for infrastructure and communication services (WIK) GmbH. He collaborates with the German federal ministry of Education and research (BMBF) on international water issues, most recently on water and agriculture in Pakistan. A part of his work is focusing on developing and emerging countries: Albania, China, Iran, Indonesia, Yemen, Uganda…
As an economist and a cultural anthropologist, Mark Oelmann is the spokesperson for the Water Economics and Water Management interdisciplinary research focus at Ruhr West University of Applied science, an interdisciplinary topic involving the Institute of Economics and the Institute for Civil engineering and intending to foster a transformation process towards sustainable water management. He is also co-partner and co-managing director of the consulting company spun off from Ruhr West University of Applied science: MOcons. Strongly committed to water issues, he’s participating in a volunteer network supporting start-ups in building a more sustainable energy future.
More information about this speaker.
Rasmus T. Slaatelid

Professor of Philosophy of Science

University of Bergen, Norway PhD philosophyHead of the Centre for the study of the sciences and the humanities (SVT)

Rasmus Slaattelid is a Professor of Philosophy of Science and Head of the Centre for the Study of the Sciences and the Humanities at the University of Bergen. This Centre teaches courses for PhD students on philosophical, societal and ethical problems of science and technology, and conducts research on corresponding topics. Both the research and the teaching activities require dialogue across scientific disciplines and academic cultures, but also across different forms of knowing and knowledge practices.
Rasmus T. Slaattelid’s main research is the translation between knowledge cultures. He is involved into few research groups at the University of Bergen. His most recent research work is accessible online. Published in 2023, the book Translations of Responsibility : Innovation Governance in Three European Regions tells the story of how a Horizon 2020-funded research project translated responsible research and innovation (RRI) into practice, all the way from philosophy of technology to EU policy jargon, to the project contract, and finally into the real-life events in these regions. In 2020, a group of European researchers got a European Union (EU) grant to do a project called TRANSFORM. The objective of this project was to integrate the principle of responsible research and innovation (RRI) into the research and innovation policies of three European regions: Lombardy, Brussels, and Catalonia. The book analyses the broader context of the desire for better governance of technoscience and proposes to think of governance in technoscience, rather than governance of technoscience. On the same subject, the article Translating tools and indicators in territorial RRI efforts to document and evaluate the achievements in TRANSFORM using evaluative inquiry and theoretical reasoning whereas the article Transformative Translations? Challenges and tensions in territorial innovation governance | NOvation – Critical Studies of Innovation presents a comparative analysis of different territorial RRI-pilots within the project TRANSFORM and reflects on the concept of RRI.
More information about this speaker.
Mircea Sofonea

Associate professor in Epidemiology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases
University of Montpellier, France PhD infectious disease evolutionPathogenesis and control of chronic and emerging infections (PCCEI) research unit, University of Montpellier, INSERMEpidemiologist at Nîmes University Hospital (CHU)

Biologist and applied mathematician by training, Mircea T. Sofonea is an associate professor at the University of Montpellier, where he oversees spatial analysis, biostatistics, epidemiology, and population dynamics courses to biology, pharmacy and medicine students. Trained in anti-infective therapeutics and health information, he is also an epidemiologist at Nîmes University Hospital (CHU).
Within the Pathogenesis and Control of Chronic and Emerging Infections research unit (University of Montpellier, INSERM), he co-leads the modelling thematic addressing basic and applied questions related to the epidemiology, evolution, and control of respiratory viruses. An executive member of the local university hospital’s Federation of Infectiology (FHU TIE) and of the Modelling Network of the National Agency for Emerging Infectious Diseases (ANRS | MIE), he co-organizes yearly transdisciplinary events on infectious diseases. As a member of the Air & COVID committee of the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), he regularly provides expertise to media and decision-makers.
Since 2022, Mircea T. Sofonea is head of research at the ExposUM Institute, in charge of accelerating interdisciplinary projects on environmental health led by the University of Montpellier and its partners, aiming to establish an interdisciplinary, off-site institute dedicated to exposome research and environmental health. The exposome encompasses the lifelong set of environmental and social factors that, combined with individual intrinsic characteristics, influence the onset, progression, and severity of both infectious and non-communicable diseases. The ExposUM Institute explores the exposome through four complementary approaches: biological mechanisms of exposure, environmental exposure monitoring, host-pathogen-vector ecology, and the interplay between the exposome and human health.
The institute is structured around three core missions: research, training, and science-society engagement. These axes work in synergy, organizing annual calls for proposals and providing leadership for Montpellier’s exposome research community, currently supporting over 40 projects. Aligned with its scientific and societal ambitions, ExposUM fosters interdisciplinarity, new collaborations, a One Health and Global Health perspective, regional resource mobilization, and open, sustainable research.
More information about this speaker.
Iris van der Tuin

Professor of Cultural Inquiry Theory
Utrecht University, Netherlands PhD humanitiesChair Theory of cultural inquiryDean of Interdisciplinary Education of Utrecht University

Trained as a feminist epistemologist and working as an interdisciplinarian, Iris van der Tuin works at the intersection of philosophy of science and humanities, cultural theory and critical as well as creative practices of cultural inquiry. She is interested in the new and interdisciplinary humanities and in theoretical and practice-based approaches to the research of interdisciplinary teaching and learning. The name of her chair is Theory of Cultural Inquiry as she deeply believes that there is room for philosophies and theories of knowledge enriched by reflections on humanities and how humanities do not only study the works of culture but also work together with artists.
In 2014–18, Iris van der Tuin chaired the COST Action New Materialism: Networking European Scholarship on ‘How Matter Comes to Matter’. Then she worked in the H2020 project Ethics of Coding: A Report on the Algorithmic Condition. In 2020, she founded the Susanne K. Langer Circle, an international and multidisciplinary group interested in the work of the American philosopher Susanne Langer. She is also founding co-editor of the book series New Materialisms at Edinburgh University Press and of the special issue Practice-based Research of Interdisciplinary Higher Education of HSSCOMMS, an imprint of Nature.
Her research is part of the group Transmission in Motion of the Institute of Cultural Inquiry (ICON) of Utrecht University, a hybrid research community that brings researchers across disciplines together with artists and other external stakeholders, focusing on how technological developments reconfigure our senses. Archives are turned into ‘dynarchives,’ setting knowledge cultures in motion. Movement, gesture, and embodied interaction are also central to new insights into embodied practices of teaching and learning, creation and performance. This requires new concepts and methods, opening up to new transdisciplinary horizons for research and development, and offering new possibilities for cross-sector collaborations between the humanities, the sciences, and the arts, as well as with societal and industry partners.
Iris is also a member of the Research Institute for Philosophy and Religious Studies (OFR) of Utrecht University. This institute is the home of reflection on interdisciplinarity in research, teaching and learning from historical, philosophical and empirical points of view. Together with her group she has published Key Texts on Interdisciplinary Higher Education for Bristol University Press.
More information about this speaker.
Quique Bassat

Pediatrician
Director of the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), SpainPhD medicineICREA research professor

As a pediatrician with special interest in infectious disease epidemiology and public health, Quique Bassat has attempted to combine his clinical work with biomedical research in those diseases that most affect the poor and vulnerable. His main area of interest has been the prevention and treatment of malaria in childhood, with a particular focus on understanding the clinical overlap of malaria and other common pediatric conditions. His research has also covered the new paradigm of malaria eradication, with a particular interest in evaluating the role of drugs in elimination strategies.
He has also conducted work on the description of the epidemiology and etiology of respiratory infections (viral and bacterial), diarrheal diseases, and neonatal infections in places such as Mozambique, Morocco or Bhutan. Currently, his main interests are related to the validation and implementation of minimally invasive autopsy (MIA) tools for the post-mortem investigation of causes of death in the developing world. He is also working on the validation and evaluation of low-cost technological devices that can be used to improve health in low-income countries.
Since 2024, Quique Bassat is the director general of the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), where he leads a team of nearly 600 people committed to improving global health and promoting health equity. ISGlobal is the result of an innovative alliance between the “la Caixa” Foundation, academic institutions and government bodies to contribute to the efforts undertaken by the international community to address health challenges in a globalized world. This consolidated hub of excellence in research takes its expertise from the world of health care, with the Hospital Clínic of Barcelona and the Parc de Salut MAR, and the academic sphere, with the University of Barcelona and Pompeu Fabra University.
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Jennifer Edmond

Associate professor in Digital Humanities
Trinity College Dublin, IrelandPhD Germanic languages and literaturesCo-director of the Trinity Center for Digital Humanities

Jennifer Edmond is an internationally recognized expert in the application of arts and humanities insight to academic and societal challenges arising at the intersection of information and communication technologies and culture. Her ambition is to utilize her position of leadership in the digital humanities to significantly progress consolidation of the emerging subfield of the critical digital humanities. Most of her publications are in open access.
Former president (2018-2022) of the board of directors of the pan-European research infrastructure for the arts and humanities DARIAH-EU, Jennifer Edmond has played a leadership role in numerous strategic developments at national and institutional level. She has lent her expertise in the development of infrastructure to a wide variety of initiatives and agencies, from the food manufacturing industry through to the Korean national maritime agency. She has coordinated many significant large-scale interdisciplinary research projects, like CENDARI FP7 (2012-2016), a collaborative European digital archival infrastructure. She was also a partner in the related infrastructure cluster PARTENHOS, whose objective was to strengthen the cohesion of research across several related fields associated with the humanities.
KT4D is her most recent project on AI, big data and democracy. Led by Trinity College Dublin with a consortium of twelve partner organizations, the Knowledge Technologies for Democracy (KT4D) project is investigating how democracy and civic participation can be better facilitated in the face of rapidly changing knowledge technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and big data. This in order to enable actors across society to capitalize on the many benefits these technologies can bring in terms of community empowerment, social integration, individual agency, and improved trust in both institutions and technological instruments while identifying and mitigating potential ethical, legal and cultural risks.
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Isabel Feichtner

Professor of Public Law and International Economic Law

Julius-Maximilians University of Würzburg, GermanyDr. jur., LL.M (Cardozo Law School)Founder of the Law Clinic Transformation Law

Isabel Feichtner’s research work is grounded in practice. After her studies, she was admitted to the New York Bar and worked for the New York office of the law firm Cravath, Swaine & Moore as a corporate associate in the securitization department for one year. Her research interests cover the distributive effects of law, the democratization of society, and the law of the commons and commoning. She explores how institutional experiments, such as the redesign of money or commons public partnerships, can support social-ecological transformation through democratization and commoning. Her expertise includes international law, law and political economy, international law of natural resource extraction and the law of money and finance.
From 2022 to 2024, Isabel Feichtner was fellow at The New Institute in Hamburg, a residential fellowship program based in Hamburg and designed to nourish transformation through interdisciplinary and trans-sectoral collaboration, where she chaired the program Reclaiming Common Wealth: Towards a Law and Economy of Land Commons. This program explored pathways, processes, and institutional designs for the generation and governance of land commons, aiming to address discontents arising from institutional investments in land, assess theories and concepts of property and value, and establish a repository of the law and institutional design of land commons.
Isabel Feichtner founded the Law Clinic Transformation Law, both a teaching format and a forum for transdisciplinary research to explore how law may serve as a building block of a democratized political economy. She considers this project as an attempt to democratize law and legal education for social-ecological change, strongly believing that transformative law must rethink and redesign the institutions and infrastructures at the core of political economy, such as property, money, and the corporation.
More information about this speaker.
Laura Hellsten

Post-doc researcher in theology
Åbo Akademi University in Turku, Finland PhD systematic theology

In her first post-doctoral position, in the Stiftelsen Åbo Akademi foundation Centre of Excellence BACE, Laura Hellsten studied the interaction of a team of physics, chemistry and cell biology researchers. The BACE collaboration centered on developing a platform for bioelectronic activation that enables the control of cell signals and, thereby, the stimulation of cell functions. Hellsten did ethnographic fieldwork with the research group investigating questions of ethics and science communication.
To study science communication, Hellsten further developed and led the research project Avtryck i det okända – Forcing the Impossible (2020-2022), which created transdisciplinary collaborations between artists and researchers in the broader context of Åbo Akademi University.
She is principal investigator for the research project: Praxis of Social Imaginaries – a Theo-artistic Intervention for Transdisciplinary Knowledge (2024-2028). This project brings together three different components: theological understanding of social imaginaries, cosmologies and polysemous reading practices, artistic research methods of intervention, and indigenous or traditional ways of knowledge production including listening and storytelling. Through creating nomadic and community based symposia where the project brings together people from across the Nordic region, with students and researchers from Åbo Akademi University and the global south, as well as artists and activists to transdisciplinary symposia and art based dialogue sessions, it is aiming to cultivate practices of wisdom, ask bold questions, and train critical inquiry into how colonial patterns are influencing society and universities today.
More information about this speaker.
Judit Mádl-Szőnyi

Associated professor in Hydrogeology
Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, HungaryPhD, DSc, hydrogeologyHead of József and Erzsébet Tóth Endowed Hydrogeology ChairVice-dean for strategic and innovation affairs of ELTE Faculty of Science

Judit Mádl-Szőnyi specialises in hydrogeology, focusing on regional groundwater flow systems and basin hydrogeology. With over three decades of teaching and research, she has significantly contributed to understanding groundwater driving forces, flow patterns, and connections between groundwater flow systems and vegetation patterns. Her research group has gained international recognition for their work. She has developed groundwater flow models for deep carbonate aquifers and promoted nature-based managed aquifer recharge. Her interdisciplinary research also addresses climate change and impacts on groundwater, adaptation options, and sustainable geothermal energy use. Her work has influenced academic circles and contributed to practical applications in environmental management and policy-making. Additionally, she is actively involved in mentoring the next generation of hydrogeologists, fostering a collaborative and innovative research environment.
Since 2011, she has chaired the Regional Groundwater Flow Commission of the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH) and led over fifteen R&D projects, including prestigious European projects. Her most notable award is the IAH Presidents’ Award.
Over the last decades, through Shell, MOL R&D, and European innovation and development projects, Judit Mádl-Szőnyi has adapted her knowledge for hydrocarbon exploration and energy transition goals, including geothermal energy and related mineral resources. Judit Mádl-Szőnyi is the principal investigator of the Water4All project ClimEX-PE, launched in 2024 among partner universities of the CHARM-EU alliance. This transdisciplinary project involves scientists from various fields of natural science and researchers with strong socio-legal expertise while also paying special attention to public engagement through communication and education.
More information about this speaker.
Mark Oelmann

Professor of Water and Energy Economics

Ruhr West University of Applied Sciences in Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany PhD economics

Mark Oelmann is the director of the Bachelor’s program BWL – Energy and Water Management at the Ruhr West University of Applied science. A diverse and enhanced collaboration – for example, in dual studies – with companies and service providers in the energy and water sectors is at the very heart of this program. As a researcher, he is doing economic and political studies on water related issues and deals with the various forms of water pricing and is involved in digitalization topics, such as machine learning or change management.
Mark Oelmann has been greatly contributing to a better integration of an economic perspective into water management thinking. Over 25 years in the water sector and other adjacent network sectors, he worked in investment banking at Deutsche Bank, as a managing consultant at the internationally renowned Capgemini Consulting and a department head at the Scientific Institute for infrastructure and communication services (WIK) GmbH. He collaborates with the German federal ministry of Education and research (BMBF) on international water issues, most recently on water and agriculture in Pakistan. A part of his work is focusing on developing and emerging countries: Albania, China, Iran, Indonesia, Yemen, Uganda…
As an economist and a cultural anthropologist, Mark Oelmann is the spokesperson for the Water Economics and Water Management interdisciplinary research focus at Ruhr West University of Applied science, an interdisciplinary topic involving the Institute of Economics and the Institute for Civil engineering and intending to foster a transformation process towards sustainable water management. He is also co-partner and co-managing director of the consulting company spun off from Ruhr West University of Applied science: MOcons. Strongly committed to water issues, he’s participating in a volunteer network supporting start-ups in building a more sustainable energy future.
More information about this speaker.
Rasmus T. Slaatelid

Professor of Philosophy of Science

University of Bergen, Norway PhD philosophyHead of the Centre for the study of the sciences and the humanities (SVT)

Rasmus Slaattelid is a Professor of Philosophy of Science and Head of the Centre for the Study of the Sciences and the Humanities at the University of Bergen. This Centre teaches courses for PhD students on philosophical, societal and ethical problems of science and technology, and conducts research on corresponding topics. Both the research and the teaching activities require dialogue across scientific disciplines and academic cultures, but also across different forms of knowing and knowledge practices.
Rasmus T. Slaattelid’s main research is the translation between knowledge cultures. He is involved into few research groups at the University of Bergen. His most recent research work is accessible online. Published in 2023, the book Translations of Responsibility : Innovation Governance in Three European Regions tells the story of how a Horizon 2020-funded research project translated responsible research and innovation (RRI) into practice, all the way from philosophy of technology to EU policy jargon, to the project contract, and finally into the real-life events in these regions. In 2020, a group of European researchers got a European Union (EU) grant to do a project called TRANSFORM. The objective of this project was to integrate the principle of responsible research and innovation (RRI) into the research and innovation policies of three European regions: Lombardy, Brussels, and Catalonia. The book analyses the broader context of the desire for better governance of technoscience and proposes to think of governance in technoscience, rather than governance of technoscience. On the same subject, the article Translating tools and indicators in territorial RRI efforts to document and evaluate the achievements in TRANSFORM using evaluative inquiry and theoretical reasoning whereas the article Transformative Translations? Challenges and tensions in territorial innovation governance | NOvation – Critical Studies of Innovation presents a comparative analysis of different territorial RRI-pilots within the project TRANSFORM and reflects on the concept of RRI.
More information about this speaker.
Mircea Sofonea

Associate professor in Epidemiology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases
University of Montpellier, France PhD infectious disease evolutionPathogenesis and control of chronic and emerging infections (PCCEI) research unit, University of Montpellier, INSERMEpidemiologist at Nîmes University Hospital (CHU)

Biologist and applied mathematician by training, Mircea T. Sofonea is an associate professor at the University of Montpellier, where he oversees spatial analysis, biostatistics, epidemiology, and population dynamics courses to biology, pharmacy and medicine students. Trained in anti-infective therapeutics and health information, he is also an epidemiologist at Nîmes University Hospital (CHU).
Within the Pathogenesis and Control of Chronic and Emerging Infections research unit (University of Montpellier, INSERM), he co-leads the modelling thematic addressing basic and applied questions related to the epidemiology, evolution, and control of respiratory viruses. An executive member of the local university hospital’s Federation of Infectiology (FHU TIE) and of the Modelling Network of the National Agency for Emerging Infectious Diseases (ANRS | MIE), he co-organizes yearly transdisciplinary events on infectious diseases. As a member of the Air & COVID committee of the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), he regularly provides expertise to media and decision-makers.
Since 2022, Mircea T. Sofonea is head of research at the ExposUM Institute, in charge of accelerating interdisciplinary projects on environmental health led by the University of Montpellier and its partners, aiming to establish an interdisciplinary, off-site institute dedicated to exposome research and environmental health. The exposome encompasses the lifelong set of environmental and social factors that, combined with individual intrinsic characteristics, influence the onset, progression, and severity of both infectious and non-communicable diseases. The ExposUM Institute explores the exposome through four complementary approaches: biological mechanisms of exposure, environmental exposure monitoring, host-pathogen-vector ecology, and the interplay between the exposome and human health.
The institute is structured around three core missions: research, training, and science-society engagement. These axes work in synergy, organizing annual calls for proposals and providing leadership for Montpellier’s exposome research community, currently supporting over 40 projects. Aligned with its scientific and societal ambitions, ExposUM fosters interdisciplinarity, new collaborations, a One Health and Global Health perspective, regional resource mobilization, and open, sustainable research.
More information about this speaker.
Iris van der Tuin

Professor of Cultural Inquiry Theory
Utrecht University, Netherlands PhD humanitiesChair Theory of cultural inquiryDean of Interdisciplinary Education of Utrecht University

Trained as a feminist epistemologist and working as an interdisciplinarian, Iris van der Tuin works at the intersection of philosophy of science and humanities, cultural theory and critical as well as creative practices of cultural inquiry. She is interested in the new and interdisciplinary humanities and in theoretical and practice-based approaches to the research of interdisciplinary teaching and learning. The name of her chair is Theory of Cultural Inquiry as she deeply believes that there is room for philosophies and theories of knowledge enriched by reflections on humanities and how humanities do not only study the works of culture but also work together with artists.
In 2014–18, Iris van der Tuin chaired the COST Action New Materialism: Networking European Scholarship on ‘How Matter Comes to Matter’. Then she worked in the H2020 project Ethics of Coding: A Report on the Algorithmic Condition. In 2020, she founded the Susanne K. Langer Circle, an international and multidisciplinary group interested in the work of the American philosopher Susanne Langer. She is also founding co-editor of the book series New Materialisms at Edinburgh University Press and of the special issue Practice-based Research of Interdisciplinary Higher Education of HSSCOMMS, an imprint of Nature.
Her research is part of the group Transmission in Motion of the Institute of Cultural Inquiry (ICON) of Utrecht University, a hybrid research community that brings researchers across disciplines together with artists and other external stakeholders, focusing on how technological developments reconfigure our senses. Archives are turned into ‘dynarchives,’ setting knowledge cultures in motion. Movement, gesture, and embodied interaction are also central to new insights into embodied practices of teaching and learning, creation and performance. This requires new concepts and methods, opening up to new transdisciplinary horizons for research and development, and offering new possibilities for cross-sector collaborations between the humanities, the sciences, and the arts, as well as with societal and industry partners.
Iris is also a member of the Research Institute for Philosophy and Religious Studies (OFR) of Utrecht University. This institute is the home of reflection on interdisciplinarity in research, teaching and learning from historical, philosophical and empirical points of view. Together with her group she has published Key Texts on Interdisciplinary Higher Education for Bristol University Press.
More information about this speaker.

Best-practice in CHARM-EU´s Hybrid Classrooms
2025-07-01 09:00 - 10:30 (Europe/Paris) | Würzburg University, Emil-Fischer-Straße 70, Gebäude 70, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
CHARM-EU: Hackathon in Würzburg from 30th June to 4th July
CHARM-EU is a CHallenge-based, Accessible, Research-based, Mobile university alliance which consists of nine universities and offers different educational programs.
The yearly CHARM-EU hackathon for professional development targets current and future teachers of the master´s “Global Challenges for Sustainability” as well as educationalists.
Various workshops will be offered during this intensive week (30th June to 4th July) to strengthen the skills of CHARM-EU-teachers and make them familiar with the educational principles which are the core of teaching in CHARM-EU.
There are sessions on Artificial Intelligence and Challenge-based learning as well as an introduction to the virtual study program in interdisciplinary sustainability sciences of Würzburg University. A best practice workshop on hybrid teaching in CHARM-EU’s hybrid classrooms is also part of the program. Additionally, the Knowledge Creating Teams (KCTs) will work on different tasks, like integrating students’ feedback and alignment of the different phases and tracks within the Master’s. There is a cultural program framing the event.
The goal of the hackathon is to work on the new edition of the Master and develop skills of academics and staff, but also to get to know each other better and grow into a real community of practice, putting forward the idea of a connected Europe.
Best-practice in CHARM-EU´s Hybrid Classrooms
In the session on 1st July, CHARM-teachers will present their best-practice hybrid teaching methods:

What works well for them and their students?
Which methods, activities, tools and approaches can they recommend to others

The goal of the session is to foster exchange among teachers, to share experiences, to inspire each other and to find new ways to deal with challenges in hybrid teaching.
This session is open to anyone interested in CHARM-EU and in hybrid teaching methods. After a short introduction to the University Alliance CHARM-EU, several teachers will present their best practice, each talk is followed by questions and a short discussion.
Click here for the link or join via (Teams ID) 365 108 735 344 1, (passcode) Y3ap3Pm3 and feel inspired by CHARM-EU and their motivated teachers!

Business & Economics Summer University at ELTE Budapest
2025-07-14 - 2025-07-18 | Catalunya
The Faculty of Economics of Eötvös Loránd University (Budapest) warmly invites you to its fourth Business & Economics Summer University to be held between 14-18 July 2025.
This year’s ELTE Business & Economics Summer University (BESU) offers 8 courses taught by ELTE’s own staff, international scholars and business professionals. Students successfully completing the courses will get a transcript they may use to obtain 3 ECTS credit from their home institutions.
On the previous two occasions BESU attracted nearly a hundred students, some of them arriving from countries as distant as Peru or Indonesia.
Courses offered:

Building Skills in Business Communication (Miklós Földes, Hungary)
Corporate Financial Analysis – An Integrated Approach (Marcell Dülk, ELTE)
Developing Your Brand – Strategy & Practice (Justin Paul, University of Reading, NMIMS, India) – only accepts applications from students of Erasmus partner universities
Economics of Climate Change (Theocharis Grigoriadis, Freie Universitaet Berlin)
Innovation and Start-ups in Business Networks (Enrico Baraldi, Uppsala University, Sweden)
Negotiation (Gábor Forrai and János Tanács, ELTE)
Sustainable Business Relationships: What, Why, and How? (Ilkka Ojansivu, University of Oulu, Finland)
Tourism as a Strategic Management Challenge (Gabriele Tragschitz-Köck, Vienna)

Fee for ELTE students, alumni and students of Erasmus partner universities, including CHARM-EU members: 190 EUR
Application deadline: 20 June. Details and online application form.
More information on BESU and its programme
Download the detailed brochure of BESU here

International Conference | From Immune Activation to Toxicity: Challenges of Cancer Immunotherapies
2025-09-24 09:00 - 13:30 (Europe/Paris) | Université de Montpelllier, 163 rue Auguste Broussonnet, Montpellier, 34000, France
On September 24, 2025, an inaugural international conference on immunotherapies will launch in Montpellier (France) the 2025 edition of a CHARM-EU experimental interdisciplinary teaching module rooted in research.
Following the success of its first edition in 2024, the experimental interdisciplinary teaching module “Tackling Health Challenges in Internationally Linked Research Hubs – Framing Solutions” is being renewed. Developed through a close collaboration between the University of Montpellier, Utrecht University, and SIRIC Montpellier Cancer, the program has been broadened to welcome new partners in 2025: the University of Barcelona, IHU Immun4cure, and FHU Evocan-2.
Organized within the framework of the Charm-EU alliance, this experimental module is open to Master’s students from all countries and disciplines, including medicine, biology, chemistry, and biomedical engineering. It invites students to design innovative international research projects in cancer treatment, working in small, collaborative groups in a dynamic learning environment.
The inaugural international conference “From Immune Activation to Toxicity: Challenges of Cancer Immunotherapies“ will take place on September 24, 2025 in Montpellier (France). It will bring together clinicians, researchers, and patient associations to share their expertise with international students from diverse academic background. This event offers a unique opportunity for everyone involved in the field of immunotherapy research to meet, exchange ideas, and innovate together. Following the conference, student teams will work throughout the academic year on developing research project proposals related to cancer pathologies, supported by an international network of researchers committed to this topic.
This programme has been designed in collaboration with the SIRIC Montpellier Cancer, a site of excellence in cancer research accredited by the French National Cancer Institute (INCa), the IHU Immune4cure and the FHU Evocan-2, for whose ambition is to develop new diagnostic and therapeutic concepts for cancer patients through an interdisciplinary approach. Several institutions on the site are involved, in particular the Montpellier Cancer Institute (ICM) the Montpellier Cancer Research Institute (IRCM), the Montpellier Charles Gerhardt Institute (ICGM) and the Max Mousseron Biomolecules Institute (IBMM).univer
Practical Information:
Program Highlights:
Clinical Overview – Discussion on current clinical practices and challenges of Cancer Immunotherapies: From Immune Activation to Toxicity.
Patient Perspective – Insights from patients and patients’ associations on their experiences with cancer Immunotherapies.  Research Stakes Flash Presentations – Brief presentations on the latest research developments.
Round Table – From basics to real effects: an interactive session with experts to discuss key issues and future directions.
Online Event
This is a hybrid international event. A connection link will be sent to registered participants prior to the conference.
Languages
Simultaneous translation in French and English will be available.
Date & Venue
September 24, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 1:30 PM
Conference Room, Montpellier Cancer Research Institute (IRCM)
ICM Val d’Aurelle Campus, 208 Avenue des Apothicaires, Montpellier (France).

Register now: https://montpellier-cancer.com/charm-eu-research-hubs-from-immune-activation-to-toxicitychallenges-of-cancer-immunotherapies/

Contacts
Sonia Cantel: sonia.cantel@umontpellier.fr
Aurore Marquis: aurore.marquis@icm.unicancer.fr
Gilles Subra: gilles.subra@umontpellier.fr
Vanessa Vigano: vanessa.vigano@umontpellier.fr

CHARM ON: Bringing Innovation into Practice
2025-09-29 | Catalunya
Join us for the launch of CHARM ON, a new monthly online event series designed to share and explore CHARM-EU’s innovative practices with academic and support staff.
Each session features a panel discussion with invited guests from across the university community, providing testimonials of concrete examples. The panels will include educators, researchers, students, and support staff. Together they will bring real-world perspectives on applying CHARM-EU’s approaches such as challenge-based learning, mobility, and interculturality. Discussions of the series may motivate participants to dive deeper into CHARM-EU good practices in our Service Portfolio, and to participate in trainings offered by the Alliance.
The first event in the series will spotlight Challenge-Based Learning (CBL). Our panel will dive into practical experiences of using CBL, highlighting how this method can move from theory into impactful practice. Following a short introduction on the concept of the series by Dr. Ferenc Takó (ELTE), panellists Dr. Valeire Borrell (UM), Dr. Silvia Gallagher (TCD), Freeke Jansen (UU), Dr. Viktor Mihucz (ELTE). and Dr. Sergio Villanueva (UB) will discuss CBL with facilitators Nicolas De Keyser (HWR) and Alexander Arenas Canon (UM).
Date: Monday, 29 September Time: 13:00–14:00 CET Format: Online panel discussion (live stream + recording available afterwards) Join here: TeamsPrivacy notice: Please find the privacy notice here.
This event is open to all CHARM-EU members and anyone beyond who is curious to learn. No registration required.
CHARM ON will take place on the last Monday of each month at 13:00 CET, offering a regular space to share ideas, practices, and impact stories across the CHARM-EU community.
Listen this event on Spotify

Valérie BORRELL (UM)

Silvia GALLAGHER (TCD)

Freeke JANSEN (UU)

Viktor G. MIHUCZ (ELTE)

Sergio VILLANUEVA (UB)

Dr. Valérie Borrell Estupina is an Associate Professor at the University of Montpellier, specializing in water sciences, with a particular interest in extreme events, global changes, and interfaces. She has contributed to the development of the Water track of the CHARM-EU Master’s program on Global Challenges for Sustainability, integrating challenge-based learning activities, blended intensive programs, as well as geolocated educational apps to connect theoretical teaching with real-world field situations.

Dr. Silvia Gallagher is a Research Fellow specialising in multi/transdisciplinary research and higher education innovation, with a focus on Challenge Based Learning. She has supported the development of Challenge Based Learning educational programmes within CHARM-EU, including Masters and Blended Intensive Programmes.

Freeke Jansen is a Project Assistant and Junior Policy officer for CHARM-EU. As a CHARM-EU alumna, she has firsthand experience with Challenge Based Learning and a strong interest in intercultural competence development.

Viktor G. Mihucz is a full professor in Analytical Chemistry at ELTE, with a focus on analysis of environmental, food and clinical samples. He has been teaching in the CHARM-EU Master’s programme Global Challenges for Sustainability and he is in charge of developing a joint master’s programme on Planetary Health within CHARM-EU.

Sergio Villanueva Baselga is Associate Professor of Media and Communication Studies at UB and Rector’s Delegate for CHARM-EU. His research focus into the interdependency of media and health from a transdisciplinary perspective. He has applied CBL in the BA in Audio-visual Communication and in the CHARM-EU master’s on Global Challenges for Sustainability.

Dr. Valérie Borrell Estupina is an Associate Professor at the University of Montpellier, specializing in water sciences, with a particular interest in extreme events, global changes, and interfaces. She has contributed to the development of the Water track of the CHARM-EU Master’s program on Global Challenges for Sustainability, integrating challenge-based learning activities, blended intensive programs, as well as geolocated educational apps to connect theoretical teaching with real-world field situations.

Dr. Silvia Gallagher is a Research Fellow specialising in multi/transdisciplinary research and higher education innovation, with a focus on Challenge Based Learning. She has supported the development of Challenge Based Learning educational programmes within CHARM-EU, including Masters and Blended Intensive Programmes.

Freeke Jansen is a Project Assistant and Junior Policy officer for CHARM-EU. As a CHARM-EU alumna, she has firsthand experience with Challenge Based Learning and a strong interest in intercultural competence development.

Viktor G. Mihucz is a full professor in Analytical Chemistry at ELTE, with a focus on analysis of environmental, food and clinical samples. He has been teaching in the CHARM-EU Master’s programme Global Challenges for Sustainability and he is in charge of developing a joint master’s programme on Planetary Health within CHARM-EU.

Sergio Villanueva Baselga is Associate Professor of Media and Communication Studies at UB and Rector’s Delegate for CHARM-EU. His research focus into the interdependency of media and health from a transdisciplinary perspective. He has applied CBL in the BA in Audio-visual Communication and in the CHARM-EU master’s on Global Challenges for Sustainability.

CHARM-EU Innovator's Journey | Building Responsible Skills for Digital and AI-Driven Entrepreneurship
2025-10-01 12:00 - 13:30 (Europe/Paris) | Trinity College Dublin, College Green, Dublin, Ireland
Ever had a groundbreaking idea but not known where to start? Or wondered how sustainability, business, and cutting-edge research intersect in the real world?
Designed for curious minds – whether you are a student, researcher, or entrepreneur – the CHARM-EU Seminar Series will take you on a deep dive into the world of innovation, turning bold ideas into impactful businesses. Forget dry lectures, expect interactive sessions, real-world challenges, and insights from leading experts.
Ready to bridge the gap between ambition and action? Join us for the next session on Building Responsible Skills for Digital and AI-Driven Entrepreneurship!

Register now here

About the session
Digital transformation isn’t just about new technologies — it’s about people. It’s about how entrepreneurs, teams, and societies build the skills and talent to use technologies responsibly. In this talk, Professor Fu will explore how digital transformation and AI are reshaping entrepreneurship and business with a focus on innovation, and more on the skills, leadership, and responsibility required to make that innovation sustainable. The session will be interactive in nature, and your active participation is encouraged. Discussions, dialogues, and even debates are very welcome.

Date: 1st of October
Time: 12:00-13:15 CET
Room: Hybrid Classroom Trinity College Dublin, Studio 1, First Floor, Science Gallery

About the Speaker
Professor Na Fu is Chair of Responsible Leadership and Fellow at Trinity College Dublin. She is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), and Co-Director of the Trinity Centre for Digital Business and Analytics. Driven by a passion for empowering people, Professor Fu has made significant contributions to advancing the understanding and practical applications of responsible leadership through her research, teaching, and international collaborations. As a leading expert, Professor Fu has developed impactful frameworks that enable organizations to build responsible businesses, with a focus on enhancing employee well-being, promoting equality and inclusion, and driving digital transformation and AI in management.

About CHARM-EU Seminar Series
The CHARM-EU Seminar Series introduces you to the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, sustainability-driven innovation, and the practical skills you need to transform your ideas into impactful projects.
Each seminar will align with CHARM-EU’s interdisciplinary and challenge-driven approach, catering to different experience levels – beginner, intermediate, and advanced – ensuring accessibility for all participants.

Registration form

Cross-Border Doctorials 2025 : how to structure a research project based on European program
2025-10-06 - 2025-10-08 | Catalunya
Would you like to enrich your academic career with a collaborative, innovative and truly European experience ?

We invite you te be part of the Cross-Border Doctorials 2025!

Cross Borders Doctorials are an immersive three-day workshop where international PhD candidates from all disciplines will work in multidisciplinary teams to structure a research project based on European program call Horizon 2030 (between Horizon 2030-cluster, EIC-pathfinder and EIC-transition), focused on key societal challenges.

When and where ?

Co-organised by the University of Montpellier, the event will take place from 06 to 08 October 2025 in Le Mas des Sables, an hotel complex in Aigues-Mortes (South of France, near the Mediterranean coast).

Program

The Doctorials program will include workshop, group work on an innovative project with PhD students from different scientific fields.

At the end, you will present your innovative project in a group during a pitch session.

It’s also an opportunity to discover and develop skills (creativity, management, communication, etc.) and to meet and exchange ideas with peers.

More information : https://college-doctoral.fr/2025/06/20/cross-borders-doctorials-dive-into-the-experience-of-an-european-project/

How to candidate?

This program is open to all PhD within the CHARM-EU alliance.

CHARM-DEN International Pitches
2025-10-21 15:00 - 17:15 (Europe/Paris) | Catalunya
Our upcoming pitching event (21st October 2025, 15.00-17.15 CET) is designed to be a dynamic platform where innovation meets opportunity. Here’s what you can expect from the event:
Event Features:

Diverse Participation: Teams from different regions within the CHARM-EU alliance, including both students’ projects and mature startups, will compete online in this international event.

Focus on Sustainability: The event is centered around sustainability, encouraging teams to develop and present solutions that address critical global challenges such as environmental protection, social equity, and sustainable economic growth among others.

Two Competition Strands: The event will feature two distinct competition strands, tailored to different stages of entrepreneurial development—one for early-stage ideas and another for more mature startups with prototypes.

Video Pitches: Each team will present a 5-minute video pitch of their idea or business, highlighting their innovative solutions and entrepreneurial vision.

Interactive Discussions: Following each video pitch, there will be a 7-minute discussion session where teams will engage with questions from a jury of experts and the audience.

Benefits for Participating Teams:
Participating in our pitch event offers a wealth of opportunities for students’ projects and startups, beyond just the competition itself. While we may not be offering monetary prizes, the benefits include:

Access to Regional Support Services: Gain exclusive access to entrepreneurial support services across different regions within the CHARM-EU alliance. This includes mentorship, business development resources, and specialized training to help your project grow and succeed.

Networking Opportunities: Connect with like-minded entrepreneurs, industry experts, and potential investors from across Europe. Build valuable relationships that can open doors to new markets, partnerships, and collaborations.

Funded Travel for Regional Events: We will cover travel costs for selected teams to visit different regions within the alliance. This includes participation in entrepreneurial events, workshops, and networking sessions, providing a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in diverse entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Visibility and Recognition: Showcase your innovative ideas to a broad audience of stakeholders, including potential investors, partners, and industry leaders. Benefit from the increased visibility and recognition that comes with participating in a prestigious international event.

Feedback and Improvement: Receive constructive feedback from experienced judges and industry experts to refine your pitch and business strategy, giving you a competitive edge in future endeavors.

This event is designed to not only challenge your entrepreneurial spirit but also to provide meaningful support and opportunities for growth and success beyond the competition.
Summary:

Event: International Pitching Event CHARM-DEN

Goal: Promotion of innovative projects in the field of sustainability.

Participants: Student teams and startups from the partner regions.

Format: Video pitches followed by live Q&A sessions.

Jury: Expert jury from various partner regions.

Networking Opportunities: Breakout sessions for interaction with investors and industry experts.

Award Ceremony: Winners will be recognized in various categories.

Support: Access to regional support services and resources.

Sustainability: Focus on projects that promote sustainable solutions.

Registration form: https://forms.office.com/e/7GV700R7d1 Link to the session: https://uni-wuerzburg.zoom-x.de/j/68656090475?pwd=[REDACTED]

CHARM ON #2: International Joint Programmes
2025-10-27 13:00 - 14:00 (Europe/Paris) | Catalunya
As autumn settles in, join us for the next edition of CHARM ON, our monthly online series exploring CHARM-EU’s innovative practices and real-world experiences.
Each session features a panel discussion with invited guests from across the university community, providing testimonials of concrete examples. The panels will include educators, researchers, students, and support staff. Together they will bring real-world perspectives on applying CHARM-EU’s approaches such as challenge-based learning, mobility, and interculturality. Discussions of the series may motivate participants to dive deeper into CHARM-EU good practices in our Service Portfolio, and to participate in trainings offered by the Alliance.
This second session focuses on one of CHARM-EU’s central achievements: international joint programmes. The beating heart of CHARM-EU’s mission, these transnational degrees integrate diverse academic traditions, governance models, and cultures into a single shared learning experience. Our panellists from across the Alliance – including Laia Alonso, Meritxell Chaves, Viktor G. Mihucz and Gilles Subra – will explicate the practical realities of building and sustaining these programmes — from accreditation and curriculum design to student mobility, digital infrastructure, and intercultural teamwork. The event will be facilitated by Nicolas De Keyser and Alexander Arenas Canon.
Date: Monday, 27 October Time: 13:00–14:00 CET Format: Online panel discussion (live stream + soundrecording available afterwards) Join here: Teams Privacy notice: Please find the privacy notice here.
This event is open to all CHARM-EU members and anyone beyond who is curious to learn. No registration required.
CHARM ON will take place on the last Monday of each month at 13:00 CET, offering a regular space to share ideas, practices, and impact stories across the CHARM-EU community.

Laia ALONSO (UB)

Meritxell CHAVES (UB)

Viktor G. MIHUCZ (ELTE)

Gilles SUBRA (UM)

Laia Alonso is a Project Assistant for CHARM-EU at the University of Barcelona with a background in International Relations. As a CHARM-EU alumna, she saw firsthand how an international joint master’s creates a collaborative space to address global challenges while also fostering meaningful intercultural connections and friendships.

Meritxell Chaves is Secretary General of CHARM-EU since the start of the initiative in 2019. She has more than thirty years of experience in the higher education sector in different functional areas such as academic management, strategic planning, quality and accreditation, and international relations in different organisational cultures.

Viktor G. Mihucz is a full professor in Analytical Chemistry at ELTE, with a focus on analysis of environmental, food and clinical samples. He has been teaching in the CHARM-EU Master’s programme Global Challenges for Sustainability and he is in charge of developing a joint master’s programme on Planetary Health within CHARM-EU.

Gilles Subra is CHARM-EU project director at the University of Montpellier and Full Professor at the Institute of Biomolecules Max Mousseron (IBMM) in the field of peptide science. His main research topics are at the interface of chemistry and biology and notably the development of chemical tools and systems to explore biology.

Laia Alonso is a Project Assistant for CHARM-EU at the University of Barcelona with a background in International Relations. As a CHARM-EU alumna, she saw firsthand how an international joint master’s creates a collaborative space to address global challenges while also fostering meaningful intercultural connections and friendships.

Meritxell Chaves is Secretary General of CHARM-EU since the start of the initiative in 2019. She has more than thirty years of experience in the higher education sector in different functional areas such as academic management, strategic planning, quality and accreditation, and international relations in different organisational cultures.

Viktor G. Mihucz is a full professor in Analytical Chemistry at ELTE, with a focus on analysis of environmental, food and clinical samples. He has been teaching in the CHARM-EU Master’s programme Global Challenges for Sustainability and he is in charge of developing a joint master’s programme on Planetary Health within CHARM-EU.

Gilles Subra is CHARM-EU project director at the University of Montpellier and Full Professor at the Institute of Biomolecules Max Mousseron (IBMM) in the field of peptide science. His main research topics are at the interface of chemistry and biology and notably the development of chemical tools and systems to explore biology.

Designing innovative micro-credentials: Best practices and open dialogue with CHARM-EU
2025-10-28 | Catalunya
Date: 28 October 2025 at 10-11 GMT, 11-12 UTC+1, 12-13 UTC+2
Format: Online, link to the MS Teams session available here.
Are you interested in developing a micro-credential or free online course using innovative educational approaches?
Join CHARM-EU’s Micro-credentials Best Practice Event, where we will showcase micro-credentials and free online courses (MOOCs) designed around the CHARM-EU Educational Principles. This one-hour online session brings together experienced educators and developers from across our alliance to share practical insights, lessons learned, and tips you can apply to your own courses.

Through short, dynamic lightning talks, you will hear how these principles are embedded in practice and explore opportunities for collaboration and networking.
In this session we will be focusing on the CHARM-EU educational principles:

Sustainability
Challenge-Based Learning
Transdisciplinarity

The best practices being showcased include:

Practical Frameworks for Innovation Shay Butler from Trinity College Dublin
Innovative Teaching in Inter-institutional Hybrid Classrooms Anna Granberg from Åbo Akademi University, in collaboration with Trinity College Dublin, Utrecht University and University of Würzburg
Transformational Leadership in Inter-institutional higher Education Annet van der Riet from Utrecht University, in collaboration with CHARM-EU partners
Assessment & Management of Frailty in Ageing Adults Michelle Kearns from Trinity College Dublin
Natural Products: Harnessing Nature’s Resources for a Better World Maria Pigott from Trinity College Dublin

What You’ll Gain

First-hand examples of how CHARM-EU principles are embedded in micro-credential and open online course design
Practical guidance on development, collaboration, stakeholder engagement, assessment, and pedagogy
Space for open dialogue on challenges and opportunities to build new collaborations

Join us to connect, learn, and co-create the future of micro-credentials in CHARM-EU.
For more information contact Silvia Gallagher (gallags6@tcd.ie)

World Café: AI for All, Empowering European University Alliances
2025-10-29 10:00 - 11:30 (Europe/Paris) | Catalunya
Hosted by CHARM-EU and organized by Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg (Germany) and Utrecht University (Netherlands), join us for a dynamic and inclusive World Café exploring the evolving role of Artificial Intelligence in education. This event brings together international voices, interdisciplinary studies, and innovative projects in higher education that highlight AI’s potential to transform learning and foster equity.
🗓️ Event Format
10:00–10:10 – Opening
10:10–10:45 – Parallel Sessions (Round 1) Three concurrent rooms, each featuring one speaker:

Room 1 Title: Using an AI Assistant in a Teaching Module; Speaker: Isabel Lausberg (HRW)

Room 2 Title: AI Support for Students (CHARM-EU); Speaker: Vanessa Vigano (UM)

Room 3 Title: What Do We Mean by the “Human” in Human–AI Relationships in Education?; Speaker: Marnick van Lith (UU)

Main Room: 5-minute break
10:50–11:25 – Parallel Sessions (Round 2) Same format as above:

Room 1 Title: AI in Management Education; Speaker: Prof. Na Fu (TCD)

Room 2 Title: Integrating AI in teaching to develop students’ competencies; Speaker: Dr. Antoine Chollet (UM)

Room 3 Title: More-than-Tools: AI in Social Interactions; Speaker: Prof. Dr. Alicia von Schenk (JMU)

11:25–11:30 – Closing Remarks

🌐 Topics of Conversation:

Teaching with AI
Explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping education—from enhancing classroom engagement to supporting personalized learning pathways. This session highlights how AI can empower educators to better meet the needs of diverse learners, foster innovation in teaching practices, and navigate the evolving landscape of digital pedagogy.

AI in Research and Teaching
A look at how AI is becoming a powerful contributor to academic work—enhancing research workflows, supporting multilingual education, and enabling new forms of scholarly collaboration.

AI in Educational Studies
A collaborative study examining how students and educators experience AI in learning environments, with a focus on ethics, agency, and pedagogical innovation.

AI and Assessment/Feedback
Exploring how AI tools are reshaping assessment practices—offering timely, personalized feedback and helping educators better understand student progress.

AI for Inclusion: Language, Learning, and Belonging
Discover how AI is being used to support inclusive education, particularly in language learning and integration for refugee and migrant children. This session highlights collaborative efforts to create welcoming, adaptive learning environments through AI-powered tools.

As Clear as AI: Navigating Ambiguity in Digital Discourse
A critical conversation on how AI mediates meaning and clarity in digital communication, and what this means for educators, learners, and society at large.

☕ Why a World Café?
This format fosters open dialogue, cross-disciplinary exchange, and collaborative thinking. Whether you’re an educator, researcher, student, or simply curious about AI, your voice matters.
📣 Be part of the conversation shaping the future of learning, inclusion, and innovation!
🔗 Register Now: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=v2mlOmwfRUeYmdExia3jZUOjEj_FOM9LjJtBjNiRjPlUQVgyRU5CSFFYRDFUQkVSS1lPMDJFSEg1US4u
Microsoft Teams: Benötigen Sie Hilfe? Jetzt an der Besprechung teilnehmen. Besprechungs-ID: 395 908 559 861 3. Passcode: [REDACTED]

Democracy4All conference explores the impact of artificial intelligence on democracy
2025-11-03 - 2025-11-04 | Catalunya
On 3 and 4 November, the University of Barcelona will host the new edition of the international conference Democracy4All, which will examine issues related to technological advances and their impact on democracy. On this occasion, it will put special attention to blockchain technology and artificial intelligence (AI) regarding the media, social networks and governance of societies. To attend the conference, prior registration is required.

University students can also register for the ideathon: they will have 24 hours to devise solutions to the challenges presented by the GenLayer platform, a “virtual jurisdiction” designed to mediate between different artificial intelligences. GenLayer will select the best proposal, which will be awarded.

The conference will gather academics, creators, entrepreneurs, representatives of public entities and experts in technology, economics, law and journalism, among other disciplines. Round tables and talks will address topics such as AI as an opportunity or a threat to governance and democracy, fake news, AI as a means of influencing social networks, the decentralized economy and blockchain technology, among others.

One of the participants will be the philosopher Daniel Innerarity, who will be in a round table that will focus on the management of AI innovations. The other participants of the round table will be Albert Sabater, researcher at the University of Girona and director of the Observatory of Ethics in Artificial Intelligence of Catalonia; Oriol Pujol, UB researcher expert in machine learning algorithms, and Cecilia Rikap, from the Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose at University College London, who has studied the concentration of assets in large digital companies and created the concept of intellectual monopolies.

Website www.democracy4all.barcelona.

Another round table will be dedicated to content generation through AI and deepfakes. One of the participants will be the Turkish artist Ferdi Alici, internationally renowned for his spectacular creations made with artificial intelligence, and who has worked in collaboration with entities such as the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) and NASA.

Sergi Sagàs, founder of the company Hyperreal, will also be at this table; Núria Ferran, lecturer at the UB’s Faculty of Information and Audiovisual Media, expert in artificial intelligence and the use of data in society, and Germán León, professor at the Elisava design school and expert in computer vision and human-technology interaction.

The conference will be held at the UB’s Institute for Lifelong Learning (IL3). The conference language will be English, but it will be supported by SCRIBAL, an automatic English-Catalan-Spanish subtitle tool developed by the research and teaching staff from the UB’s Faculty of Philosophy and Communication.

Register to Democracy4All here

The conference will be also streamed live on UBtv: sessions on 3 November and 4 November.

This piece of news was originally published on the website of the University of Barcelona, coordinator of the CHARM-EU Alliance.

CHARM-EU Annual Conference 2025
2025-11-12 | Bar Beton, Pythagoraslaan 101, Utrecht, Netherlands
Register now

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 Klavus, 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

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 Klavus, 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

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?
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.

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.

CHARM ON #3: Citizen Science in Action
2025-11-24 13:00 - 14:00 (Europe/Paris) | Catalunya
Join us for a new CHARM ON, a lively, one-hour conversation on how CHARM-EU turns ideas into practice. This edition focuses on research done with and alongside communities, and how working side-by-side strengthens both science and societal trust.
Each CHARM ON features a moderated panel with voices from across our university community (educators, researchers, students, and support staff) sharing concrete experiences that bring CHARM-EU’s approaches to life (for instance, on challenge-based learning, mobility, interculturality, or responsible research and innovation). Together, they connect principles to practice, point to good examples in our Service Portfolio, and signpost trainings and follow-up opportunities offered by the Alliance.
This month, our panel turns to Citizen Science in Action. Practitioners —Anna Sànchez, Isabelle Bonhoure and Josep Perelló (UB), Roger Strand (UiB), László Róbert Zsiros (ELTE) — will reflect on the principles, affordances, and values of doing research with communities, foregrounding its social dimensions: social commitment, collaboration, communication, learning (formal and informal), and evidence-based action. Through grounded examples from their own projects, they’ll explore ethical, methodological, and practical challenges, while sharing how they mobilise local partners and co-design participation. Rather than a one-size-fits-all recipe, the session offers starting points to ideate, design, contribute to, or lead just transparent projects and collaborations that connect academic rigour with societal needs. The event will be facilitated by Nicolas De Keyser (HRW) and Alex Arenas (UM).
Date: Monday, 24 November Time: 13:00–14:00 CET Format: Online panel discussion (live stream + sound recording available afterwards) Join here: Teams Privacy notice: Please find the privacy notice here.
This event is open to all CHARM-EU members and anyone beyond who is curious to learn. No registration required.
CHARM ON will take place on the last Monday of each month at 13:00 CET, offering a regular space to share ideas, practices, and impact stories across the CHARM-EU community.
Coming up for PhD students
Registrations open for CHARM-EU Winter School 2026: ‘Citizen Science in Action: Skills, Tools, and Community Engagement for Early-Career Researchers’ (4–6 February 2026, University of Barcelona). Over three intensive days, you’ll workshop real ideas, test participatory methods, and leave with a mentored project prototype and a CHARM-EU peer network to keep momentum.
Find out more: https://charm-eu.eu/learning/educational-offer/charm-eu-winter-school-2026/

Dr. Isabelle Bonhoure

Prof. Josep Perelló

Dr. Anna Sànchez

Prof. Roger Strand

Dr. László Róbert Zsiros

Dr. Isabelle Bonhoure is a researcher and coordinator at OpenSystems (University of Barcelona), which she joined in 2013 after completing a PhD in Materials Science (Université Paris XI, 2000) and an MS in Scientific Communication (Pompeu Fabra University, 2005). She also teaches at UB’s Faculty of Information and Audiovisual Media and at the CHARM-EU Master’s in Global Challenges for Sustainability.
Her work focuses on Citizen Social Science, participatory research co-designed and directly driven by citizen groups that share a social concern. She is especially interested in co-creation with communities in situations of vulnerability, examining how top-level research can align with actions for social transformation. In this approach, citizens act as co-researchers (recognised as competent, in-the-field experts) throughout the process, from design to interpretation and into concrete change. Current research lines include mental health social support networks, urban sustainability challenges, climate vulnerabilities and the conceptualisation of CS alliance with GLAMs (Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums).
Professor of Condensed Matter Physics at the University of Barcelona. In 2012, he created OpenSystems, a research group that conceives scientific research based on citizen participation and artistic practices that fall under the broad label of Social Citizen Science. Its main objective is to analyse human behaviour in urban contexts through the sciences of complexity and within the field of computational social science. With the aim of collectively responding to specific social concerns, OpenSystems has conducted more than 15 public experiments with more than 2,500 participants. He has been the coordinator of the Barcelona Citizens’ Office (until 2018, and founder in 2013), an initiative of the Barcelona City Council that works as a community of practice for a large number of citizen science projects and implements specific programs in civic centres, primary and secondary schools.

Associate Professor since 2017 at the Department of Earth and Ocean Dynamics, University of Barcelona. Her research focuses on understanding the impact of dense water overflows on particle transport, making use of tools including in-situ observations from research vessels, underwater vehicles, satellite data, and ocean models. She is leading a research line that incorporates citizen science to study plastic pollution in the coastal area (http://www.surfingforscience.org/). This long-term project (since 2018) has represented a paradigm shift in microplastic research, allowing to fill the gap in knowledge of the coastal area, and actively involving citizens in the generation of new scientific data. The resulting open datasets have shed light on the magnitude of plastic pollution, providing robust evidence to inform policy and management strategies, particularly in relation to pellet spills, wet wipes, and artificial turf.

Professor at the Centre for the Study of the Sciences and the Humanities (SVT), University of Bergen, and Director of the European Centre for Governance in Complexity. His work examines how scientific uncertainty and complexity shape decision-making across environmental policy and governance, medical decisions and public health, and technological development. He draws on post-normal science, complexity theory, and post-empiricist philosophy of science. He is also a member of SVT’s interdisciplinary Research Group Theory of Science.

Science communication expert and data scientist. With an MSc and PhD in Horticultural Sciences (plant molecular biology) and additional training in law, he blends rigorous research with creative storytelling. He performs shows at science festivals across Europe and trains STEM professionals in clear, engaging communication (e.g., in science centres, FameLab, SCIndikator). Academically, his current interests span canine bioacoustics and brain imaging. As a generalist maker and problem-solver, he designs and manages projects and helps tech teams turn complex ideas into messages that land. When not on stage or in the lab: dogs, tinkering, gardening, sport science, languages, data viz, and design.

Dr. Isabelle Bonhoure is a researcher and coordinator at OpenSystems (University of Barcelona), which she joined in 2013 after completing a PhD in Materials Science (Université Paris XI, 2000) and an MS in Scientific Communication (Pompeu Fabra University, 2005). She also teaches at UB’s Faculty of Information and Audiovisual Media and at the CHARM-EU Master’s in Global Challenges for Sustainability.
Her work focuses on Citizen Social Science, participatory research co-designed and directly driven by citizen groups that share a social concern. She is especially interested in co-creation with communities in situations of vulnerability, examining how top-level research can align with actions for social transformation. In this approach, citizens act as co-researchers (recognised as competent, in-the-field experts) throughout the process, from design to interpretation and into concrete change. Current research lines include mental health social support networks, urban sustainability challenges, climate vulnerabilities and the conceptualisation of CS alliance with GLAMs (Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums).
Professor of Condensed Matter Physics at the University of Barcelona. In 2012, he created OpenSystems, a research group that conceives scientific research based on citizen participation and artistic practices that fall under the broad label of Social Citizen Science. Its main objective is to analyse human behaviour in urban contexts through the sciences of complexity and within the field of computational social science. With the aim of collectively responding to specific social concerns, OpenSystems has conducted more than 15 public experiments with more than 2,500 participants. He has been the coordinator of the Barcelona Citizens’ Office (until 2018, and founder in 2013), an initiative of the Barcelona City Council that works as a community of practice for a large number of citizen science projects and implements specific programs in civic centres, primary and secondary schools.

Associate Professor since 2017 at the Department of Earth and Ocean Dynamics, University of Barcelona. Her research focuses on understanding the impact of dense water overflows on particle transport, making use of tools including in-situ observations from research vessels, underwater vehicles, satellite data, and ocean models. She is leading a research line that incorporates citizen science to study plastic pollution in the coastal area (http://www.surfingforscience.org/). This long-term project (since 2018) has represented a paradigm shift in microplastic research, allowing to fill the gap in knowledge of the coastal area, and actively involving citizens in the generation of new scientific data. The resulting open datasets have shed light on the magnitude of plastic pollution, providing robust evidence to inform policy and management strategies, particularly in relation to pellet spills, wet wipes, and artificial turf.

Professor at the Centre for the Study of the Sciences and the Humanities (SVT), University of Bergen, and Director of the European Centre for Governance in Complexity. His work examines how scientific uncertainty and complexity shape decision-making across environmental policy and governance, medical decisions and public health, and technological development. He draws on post-normal science, complexity theory, and post-empiricist philosophy of science. He is also a member of SVT’s interdisciplinary Research Group Theory of Science.

Science communication expert and data scientist. With an MSc and PhD in Horticultural Sciences (plant molecular biology) and additional training in law, he blends rigorous research with creative storytelling. He performs shows at science festivals across Europe and trains STEM professionals in clear, engaging communication (e.g., in science centres, FameLab, SCIndikator). Academically, his current interests span canine bioacoustics and brain imaging. As a generalist maker and problem-solver, he designs and manages projects and helps tech teams turn complex ideas into messages that land. When not on stage or in the lab: dogs, tinkering, gardening, sport science, languages, data viz, and design.
