Since October 2024, the international PATH project team has been designing a Transdisciplinary Master’s programme in Planetary Health with the support of an Erasmus Mundus Design Measures grant. On 26–27 November 2025, representatives of the project partners – ELTE (coordinator), ÅAU, UB, JMU, and TCD – along with interested students and stakeholders, gathered in the Richter Room of ELTE’s recently established Super Smart Lab (Institute of Chemistry) to discuss project outcomes, define next steps, and launch the PATH Network.
Before the closing event, the PATH Steering Committee and Knowledge Creation Team met in the Board Room of ELTE’s Faculty of Science. Their discussions focused on evaluating the results of the EMDM project and preparing the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master (EMJM) proposal, following the successful international accreditation of the PATH Master’s programme.
On 27 November, the final event drew around 80 participants onsite and online from across CHARM-EU partner countries as well as Bangladesh, Chile, Thailand, Mexico, and the UK (Northern Ireland). Of the attendees, 58% came from academia and 22% were students, highlighting strong engagement from both researchers and learners.
The meeting opened with institutional introductions from partner universities by Tiina A. Salminen (ÅAU), Andreas Buck (JMU), Noel McCarthy (TCD), Sílvia Bofill (UB) and István Szalai (ELTE), followed by presentations from Principal Investigator Viktor G. Mihucz and the ELTE team on the PATH EMDM project’s goals, deliverables, curriculum development, accreditation process, and the establishment of the PATH Network. Subsequent sessions highlighted networking opportunities, stakeholder engagement strategies, and the first activities of the PATH Network, including reflections on the lecture Cancer Ecosystems delivered by Stephen G. Maher, Professor of Translational Oncology at Trinity College Dublin’s School of Medicine.
Pictures showcasing the welcome address by ELTE Faculty of Science Vice-Dean Prof. László Túri, the lecture of Prof. Stephen G. Maher (TCD), and the group discussions during the meetings.
The afternoon program featured contributions from ELTE, ÅAU, JMU, and UB colleagues on stakeholder engagement and transdisciplinary teaching perspectives. The meeting concluded with reflections on educational innovation and collaboration across institutions.
The Budapest meeting marked the culmination of the PATH EMDM project and the transition toward the EMJM phase. It showcased the consortium’s achievements in curriculum design, accreditation, and international networking, while reaffirming the commitment to transdisciplinary education and global collaboration. The event at ELTE’s Super Smart Lab symbolized both the scientific and educational ambitions of the PATH consortium, and the strong potential within the CHARM-EU alliance to jointly develop impactful, forward-looking educational initiatives.