BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//wp-events-plugin.com//7.3.5//EN BEGIN:VEVENT UID:5@charm-eu.eu DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261014 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20261015 DTSTAMP:20261005T052313Z URL:https://charm-eu.eu/news-events/events/charm-eu-annual-conference-2026 / SUMMARY:CHARM-EU Annual Conference 2026 DESCRIPTION: \n In an era of accelerating geopolitical\, tec hnological\, and environmental crisis\, what is the anchor that prevents o ur societies from drifting apart? This question lies at the heart of the C HARM-EU Annual Conference 2026. As we face disruptions that test our socia l fabric\, we recognize that true resilience depends on foundational value s—democracy\, trust\, and inclusion. These values underpin resilient soc ieties and enable constructive dialogue and collective action in times of crisis.\nEuropean University Alliances are uniquely positioned to protect these values by serving as long-term\, systemic spaces for democratic lear ning and practice. By integrating innovative governance\, transdisciplinar y research\, and deep engagement with our cities and regions\, we are movi ng beyond traditional education to build sustainable welfare societies. At the conference\, we will gather to explore how our transnational cooperat ion can act as a platform for co-creation\, ensuring a resilient future fo r Europe and beyond.\nSessions will cover topics such as: \;\n\nSocial Entrepreneurship\nTransdisciplinarity\nThe role of alliances in times of crises\nDemocratic values in the classroom\nOpen Science\nDemocracy labs\n \nVenue: \;Astra\, Porthaninkatu 3\, Turku\, Finland\nHow to arrive: h ttps://share.google/Gm1ISsiOAo11s9cMO \;\nFormat: On-site with partial live streaming. The morning pannel session will be live streamed on the C HARM-EU YouTube Channel. The rest of the conference is designed to be atte nded onsite only.\nHost of the CHARM-EU Annual Conference 2026: Åbo Akade mi University \n \n Registrations are closed (deadline was 30 September)\n \n CALL for posters \n The Open Call for Posters for the CHARM-EU Annual Conference 2026 is officially live. Whether you a re an academic\, a student\, support staff\, or an external stakeholder\, we want to hear your voice on topics like inclusive university cultures\, educational innovation\, and transnational cooperation.If accepted\, you'l l get to pitch your work in person this October 14th at Åbo Akademi Unive rsity in Turku\, Finland. There you will engage with higher education chan ge-makers\, and have your work featured in the CHARM-EU resource centre.Do n’t miss your chance to contribute to sustainable welfare societies—re view the submission guidelines and submit your abstract before September 1 5th. \n \n View the Call (closed)\n \n PROGRAMME \ n \n \n Morning Sessions \n \n \n \n 8:00 &# 8211\; 9:00 Registration &\; Coffee9:00 –\; 9:15 Opening by Rector Professor Gunilla WidénRector of host university ÅAU\, Professor Gunil la Widén\, welcomes the conference participants. 9:15 –\; 9:45 Univ ersities as democratic actors Keynote Speech by ÅAU Professor Kimmo Grön lund9:45 –\; 10:45 From Mobility to Democratic resilience: The Role o f European University alliances –\; Panel SessionEuropean University alliances are often framed as vehicles for mobility and institutional coop eration\, yet their potential role in supporting democratic values remains underdeveloped. In a context of growing political fragmentation across Eu rope\, this panel examines how alliances can move beyond exchange formats such as Erasmus+ and contribute to democratic resilience. Moderator: Dori s Alexander\, Associate Director of European Engagement and Director of CH ARM-EU\, Trinity College Dublin\; Chair\, Research &\; Innovation Topic al Group\, FOREU4ALLPanelists: Anders Adlercreutz\, Finland’\;s Mini ster of EducationMaria Kelo\, European University Association (EUA)Karl St oeckel\, CIVIS Executive DirectorRapporteur: Lena Wassermann\, Advisor to the Vice President for Internationalisation at the University of Würzburg and supports the university’s strategic engagement within the CHARM-EU Alliance10:45 –\; 11:15 Coffee Break and posters gallery walk11:15 &# 8211\; 12:00 Design processes and initiatives for promoting sustainabi lity leadership\, civic engagement and inclusive mindset: the REDINEST I mpact Labs –\; Interactive LectureGet inspired by the story of a jour ney that transformed the entrepreneurship education for computer science s tudents into an international level interdisciplinary and impactful init iative: educational methods\, goals\, achievements\, and activities for a student-powered and challenge-based impact lab network for the developmen t of transformative competencies and inclusive mindset. Share your thoug hts and ideas on creating cross-subject\, cross-faculty and cross-institut ional learning opportunities that form sustainability leadership and civic engagement skills of future changemakers. Lecturer: Dr. Barbara Hegyi\, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education Coordinator at Eötvös Loránd University Budapest (ELTE)Rapporteurs: Anikó Gál Bélteki and Ferenc Tak ó from Eötvös Loránd University Budapest (ELTE)12:00 –\; 12:15 G roup Picture12:15 –\; 13:15 Lunch \n \n \n \n Afternoon Sessions \n \n \n \n 13:30 –\; 15:00 Work shops –\; parallel sessions \n \n Workshop 1 \n \n \n Workshop 2 \n \n \n Workshop 3 \n \n \n Workshop 4 \n \n \n Workshop 5 \n \n \n Workshop 6 \n \n SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP: BUILDING SOLUTIONS FOR RESILIENT COMMUNITIES  How can we turn academic ideas into tools for societal welfare? This wor kshop explores the link between innovation and social impact. Participants will work in small groups to “\;pitch”\; a solution to a local community challenge\, focusing on how entrepreneurship can support democra tic values like equity and inclusion. Speakers and Facilitators: Sonia C antel\, Professor at the University of MontpellierMaria Hämäläinen\, CH ARM-EU AlumniPhoebe Sacares\, CHARM-EU AlumniRaporteur: Roland Thaler\, Pr ofessor at the University of Montpellier \n How to make you r research or teaching methodologies more transdisciplinar?Moving from the ory to practice\, this session explores how researchers and teachers can a dapt their projects/work on a more transdisciplinar way of doing things. Speakers and Facilitators: Dr. Jake Rowan Byrne\,  Co-Director of CHARM- EU and Assistant Professor in Contemporary Teaching and Learning at  the School of Education\, Trinity College DublinOriol Uviedo Palomas\ , Laboratory and project technician\, specialized in microplastics and cit izen science\, University of BarcelonaRoger Strand\, full professor at th e Centre for the Study of the Sciences and the Humanities and researcher i n the Theory of Science research group at the University of BergenThe winn ing team of the pitch competition at the CHARM-EU Doctoral Summer School 2 026 on transdisciplinarity: Ellen Lund\, Study of religions\, Åbo Akadem i UniversityOlympe Mahé Behavioral Green Finance\, University of Montpell ier\, FranceNiklas Reich\, Applied Mathematics\, Ruhr West University of A pplied Sciences\, GermanyLinda Ruppert\, Literary Studies\, University of Würzburg\, Germany The team consists of four doctoral candidates\, worki ng in four different fields\, at four different universities\, in three di fferent countries. The team worked on the question of how the Energy Visio n 2040 – the switching of energy systems in the Turku region – can bec ome a success. The team presented their winning pitch “Co-Creating the E nergy Vision 2040” first at Åbo Akademi University in June 2026\, combi ning the input of extensive research with economical methods and citizen p articipation.Raporteur: Mireia Via\, University of Barcelona \n \n From Inclusion to Resilience: Europea n University Alliances in times of crises In recent years\, universiti es and alliances have had to respond to different types of crises:  social inequalities\, mental health issues\, migration\, political  tensions\, climate-related challenges and increasing mistrust towards ins titutions. At the same time\, European University Alliances are becom ing long-term cooperation structures with the capacity to connect un iversities\, local stakeholders and communities across borders. This works hop would like to explote a simple questions: beyong academic cooperation \, how can alliances connect and support people and communities in crisis?   The workshop would also be an opportunity to exchange experiences between alliances  and reflect collectively on what could realistically be developed together in the future. Speakers:Karl Stoeckel\, CIVIS\, E xecutive DirectorAnnisa Triyanti\, Utrecht University Rapporteur: Marvin Mendy\, University of Montpellier \n CHARM-EU Values in th e Classroom: Practical Methods   How do we teach democracy? More import antly\, how do we create learning environments that allow students to expe rience democratic values in practice? This interactive session invites edu cators and students to explore how CHARM-EU values can be meaningfully emb edded into teaching through Challenge-Based Learning (CBL).Together\, we w ill examine different dimensions of democracy in education: teaching about democracy\, teaching democratic values\, and democratising the classroom itself. Through discussion and a hands-on CBL mini-workshop\, participants will explore practical approaches for facilitating respectful dialogue\, navigating controversial topics\, engaging diverse stakeholders\, and fost ering participation in classrooms shaped by political\, cultural\, and soc ietal tensions.Speakers &\; Facilitators: Nelli Piehl\, CHARM-EU alumn a and Teaching and Project Assistant at Åbo AkademiMartin Meggele Sjøen\ , Professor of Educational Studies at the Institute of Education\, Univers ity of BergenChristoph Mohamad-Klotzbach\, Political Scientist at the Inst itute of Political Science and Sociology at the JMU WürzburgRapporteurs:N ina ShielÁdám Tóth \n Open Science Made Simple: Sharing Knowledge for a Stronger Society Open Science is often seen as a technica l hurdle\, but it is a democratic tool. This workshop provides a “\;s tarter kit”\; for researchers to make their work open and transparent . We will discuss the benefits of sharing data and how it builds public tr ust in science and democratic institutions. Speakers &\; Facilitators:  Balázs Aczél\, Vice Dean for Science at the Faculty of Education and P sychology of Eötvös Loránd UniversityMalin FredrikssonRapporteurs:Anik ó Gál BéltekiFerenc Takó \n  In the democratic lab: li ve deliberative experimentThe results of this experiment (including an an alysis based on the questionnaires) will be presented with the closing r emarks in 10-15 minutes.Facilitators:Isak VentoVilppu Kuusipalo \n 15:00 –\; 15:20 Poster Session –\; One-minute Pitches\nT he poster session will be a space where members of European University All iances\, university staff\, students and external stakeholders can exchang e ideas and discuss the posters. Poster presenters will give a minute pi tch and then engage in discussions. \n15:20 –\; 16:00 Poster Session &\; Coffee Break \n16:00 –\; 16:15 Interactive Quiz\nCultural in teractive quiz with questions from Åbo Academy University and Finland: t raditions\, music\, food\, culture\, history\, and possibly Moomins\n16:15 –\; 17:00 Closing session\n\n Rapporteurs will present the main con clusions of the workshops.\n Closing speech from Meritxell Chaves\, CHARM -EU Secretary General\n\n\n17:15 –\; 19:00 Cocktail Reception\n\n Ci ty of Turku Welcome Words by Dr. Kaija Hartiala\, Chairperson of the City Council\n Musical elements by members of the student choirs Florakören a nd Brahe Djäknar\n A selection of cocktail bites and refreshments\n \n \n \n \n Evening Programme \n \n \n \n After the conference you are welcome to the Archipelago bar (Skärgå rdsbaren) in the centre of the city\, to continue the evening with food an d drinks (at your own expense)\, karaoke\, dancing or just socializing. \n \n 8:00 - 9:00 Registration &\; Coffee9:00 - 9:15 Opening by Rector Professor Gunilla WidénRector of host university ÅAU\, Profes sor Gunilla Widén\, welcomes the conference participants. 9:15 - 9:45 Un iversities as democratic actors Keynote Speech by ÅAU Professor Kimmo Gr önlund9:45 - 10:45 From Mobility to Democratic resilience: The Role of Eu ropean University alliances - Panel SessionEuropean University alliances a re often framed as vehicles for mobility and institutional cooperation\, y et their potential role in supporting democratic values remains underdevel oped. In a context of growing political fragmentation across Europe\, this panel examines how alliances can move beyond exchange formats such as Era smus+ and contribute to democratic resilience. Moderator: Doris Alexander \, Associate Director of European Engagement and Director of CHARM-EU\, Tr inity College Dublin\; Chair\, Research &\; Innovation Topical Group\, FOREU4ALLPanelists: Anders Adlercreutz\, Finland's Minister of EducationM aria Kelo\, European University Association (EUA)Karl Stoeckel\, CIVIS Exe cutive DirectorRapporteur: Lena Wassermann\, Advisor to the Vice President for Internationalisation at the University of Würzburg and supports the university’s strategic engagement within the CHARM-EU Alliance10:45 - 11 :15 Coffee Break and posters gallery walk11:15 - 12:00 Design processes  and initiatives for promoting sustainability leadership\, civic engagem ent and inclusive mindset: the REDINEST Impact Labs - Interactive Lecture Get inspired by the story of a journey that transformed the entrepreneursh ip education for computer science students into an international level i nterdisciplinary and impactful initiative: educational methods\, goals\, achievements\, and activities for a student-powered and challenge-based im pact lab network for the development of transformative competencies and i nclusive mindset. Share your thoughts and ideas on creating cross-subject \, cross-faculty and cross-institutional learning opportunities that form sustainability leadership and civic engagement skills of future changemake rs. Lecturer: Dr. Barbara Hegyi\, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Educati on Coordinator at Eötvös Loránd University Budapest (ELTE)Rapporteurs: Anikó Gál Bélteki and Ferenc Takó from Eötvös Loránd University Bu dapest (ELTE)12:00 - 12:15 Group Picture12:15 - 13:15 Lunch13:30 - 15:00 W orkshops - parallel sessions \n \n Workshop 1 \n \n \n Wo rkshop 2 \n \n \n Workshop 3 \n \n \n Workshop 4 \n \ n \n Workshop 5 \n \n \n Workshop 6 \n \n SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP: BUILDING SOLUTIONS FOR RESILIENT COMMUNITIES How can w e turn academic ideas into tools for societal welfare? This workshop explo res the link between innovation and social impact. Participants will work in small groups to “\;pitch”\; a solution to a local community c hallenge\, focusing on how entrepreneurship can support democratic values like equity and inclusion. Speakers and Facilitators: Sonia Cantel\, Pro fessor at the University of MontpellierMaria Hämäläinen\, CHARM-EU Alum niPhoebe Sacares\, CHARM-EU AlumniRaporteur: Roland Thaler\, Professor at the University of Montpellier \n How to make your research or teaching methodologies more transdisciplinar?Moving from theory to prac tice\, this session explores how researchers and teachers can adapt their projects/work on a more transdisciplinar way of doing things.Speakers an d Facilitators: Dr. Jake Rowan Byrne\,  Co-Director of CHARM-EU and Ass istant Professor in Contemporary Teaching and Learning at the School  of Education\, Trinity College DublinOriol Uviedo Palomas\, Laborator y and project technician\, specialized in microplastics and citizen scienc e\, University of BarcelonaRoger Strand\, full professor at the Centre fo r the Study of the Sciences and the Humanities and researcher in the Theor y of Science research group at the University of BergenThe winning team of the pitch competition at the CHARM-EU Doctoral Summer School 2026 on tran sdisciplinarity: Ellen Lund\, Study of religions\, Åbo Akademi Universit yOlympe Mahé Behavioral Green Finance\, University of Montpellier\, Franc eNiklas Reich\, Applied Mathematics\, Ruhr West University of Applied Scie nces\, GermanyLinda Ruppert\, Literary Studies\, University of Würzburg\, Germany The team consists of four doctoral candidates\, working in four different fields\, at four different universities\, in three different cou ntries. The team worked on the question of how the Energy Vision 2040 – the switching of energy systems in the Turku region – can become a succe ss. The team presented their winning pitch “Co-Creating the Energy Visio n 2040” first at Åbo Akademi University in June 2026\, combining the in put of extensive research with economical methods and citizen participatio n.Raporteur: Mireia Via\, University of Barcelona \n \n From Inclusion to Resilience: European Universit y Alliances in times of crises In recent years\, universities and all iances have had to respond to different types of crises: social i nequalities\, mental health issues\, migration\, political tensions\,  climate-related challenges and increasing mistrust towards institutions.  At the same time\, European University Alliances are becoming long-t erm cooperation structures with the capacity to connect universities \, local stakeholders and communities across borders. This workshop would like to explote a simple questions: beyong academic cooperation\, how can alliances connect and support people and communities in crisis?  The wo rkshop would also be an opportunity to exchange experiences between a lliances  and reflect collectively on what could realistically be develop ed together in the future. Speakers:Karl Stoeckel\, CIVIS\, Executive D irectorAnnisa Triyanti\, Utrecht University Rapporteur: Marvin Mendy\, Un iversity of Montpellier \n CHARM-EU Values in the Classroo m: Practical Methods   How do we teach democracy? More importantly\, ho w do we create learning environments that allow students to experience dem ocratic values in practice? This interactive session invites educators and students to explore how CHARM-EU values can be meaningfully embedded into teaching through Challenge-Based Learning (CBL).Together\, we will examin e different dimensions of democracy in education: teaching about democracy \, teaching democratic values\, and democratising the classroom itself. Th rough discussion and a hands-on CBL mini-workshop\, participants will expl ore practical approaches for facilitating respectful dialogue\, navigating controversial topics\, engaging diverse stakeholders\, and fostering part icipation in classrooms shaped by political\, cultural\, and societal tens ions.Speakers &\; Facilitators: Nelli Piehl\, CHARM-EU alumna and Teac hing and Project Assistant at Åbo AkademiMartin Meggele Sjøen\, Professo r of Educational Studies at the Institute of Education\, University of Ber genChristoph Mohamad-Klotzbach\, Political Scientist at the Institute of P olitical Science and Sociology at the JMU WürzburgRapporteurs:Nina Shiel Ádám Tóth \n Open Science Made Simple: Sharing Knowledge for a Stronger Society Open Science is often seen as a technical hurdle\ , but it is a democratic tool. This workshop provides a “\;starter ki t”\; for researchers to make their work open and transparent. We will discuss the benefits of sharing data and how it builds public trust in sc ience and democratic institutions. Speakers &\; Facilitators: Balázs Aczél\, Vice Dean for Science at the Faculty of Education and Psychology of Eötvös Loránd UniversityMalin FredrikssonRapporteurs:Anikó Gál B éltekiFerenc Takó \n  In the democratic lab: live delibe rative experimentThe results of this experiment (including an analysis ba sed on the questionnaires) will be presented with the closing remarks in 10-15 minutes.Facilitators:Isak VentoVilppu Kuusipalo \n SOCIAL E NTREPRENEURSHIP: BUILDING SOLUTIONS FOR RESILIENT COMMUNITIES How can we turn academic ideas into tools for societal welfare? This workshop explore s the link between innovation and social impact. Participants will work in small groups to "pitch" a solution to a local community challenge\, focus ing on how entrepreneurship can support democratic values like equity and inclusion. Speakers and Facilitators: Sonia Cantel\, Professor at the Un iversity of MontpellierMaria Hämäläinen\, CHARM-EU AlumniPhoebe Sacares \, CHARM-EU AlumniRaporteur: Roland Thaler\, Professor at the University o f MontpellierHow to make your research or teaching methodologies more tran sdisciplinar?Moving from theory to practice\, this session explores how re searchers and teachers can adapt their projects/work on a more transdisci plinar way of doing things.Speakers and Facilitators: Dr. Jake Rowan Byr ne\,  Co-Director of CHARM-EU and Assistant Professor in Contemporary T eaching and Learning at the School of Education\, Trinity College  DublinOriol Uviedo Palomas\, Laboratory and project technician\, special ized in microplastics and citizen science\, University of BarcelonaRoger S trand\, full professor at the Centre for the Study of the Sciences and th e Humanities and researcher in the Theory of Science research group at the University of BergenThe winning team of the pitch competition at the CHAR M-EU Doctoral Summer School 2026 on transdisciplinarity: Ellen Lund\, Stu dy of religions\, Åbo Akademi UniversityOlympe Mahé Behavioral Green Fin ance\, University of Montpellier\, FranceNiklas Reich\, Applied Mathematic s\, Ruhr West University of Applied Sciences\, GermanyLinda Ruppert\, Lite rary Studies\, University of Würzburg\, Germany The team consists of fou r doctoral candidates\, working in four different fields\, at four differe nt universities\, in three different countries. The team worked on the que stion of how the Energy Vision 2040 – the switching of energy systems in the Turku region – can become a success. The team presented their winni ng pitch “Co-Creating the Energy Vision 2040” first at Åbo Akademi Un iversity in June 2026\, combining the input of extensive research with eco nomical methods and citizen participation.Raporteur: Mireia Via\, Universi ty of Barcelona \n \n From Inclusion to Res ilience: European University Alliances in times of crises In recent yea rs\, universities and alliances have had to respond to different t ypes of crises: social inequalities\, mental health issues\, migratio n\, political tensions\, climate-related challenges and increasing mist rust towards institutions. At the same time\, European University All iances are becoming long-term cooperation structures with the capacity  to connect universities\, local stakeholders and communities across bo rders. This workshop would like to explote a simple questions: beyong aca demic cooperation\, how can alliances connect and support people and commu nities in crisis?  The workshop would also be an opportunity to exc hange experiences between alliances  and reflect collectively on what cou ld realistically be developed together in the future. Speakers:Karl Sto eckel\, CIVIS\, Executive DirectorAnnisa Triyanti\, Utrecht University Ra pporteur: Marvin Mendy\, University of MontpellierCHARM-EU Values in the Classroom: Practical Methods   How do we teach democracy? More importan tly\, how do we create learning environments that allow students to experi ence democratic values in practice? This interactive session invites educa tors and students to explore how CHARM-EU values can be meaningfully embed ded into teaching through Challenge-Based Learning (CBL).Together\, we wil l examine different dimensions of democracy in education: teaching about d emocracy\, teaching democratic values\, and democratising the classroom it self. Through discussion and a hands-on CBL mini-workshop\, participants w ill explore practical approaches for facilitating respectful dialogue\, na vigating controversial topics\, engaging diverse stakeholders\, and foster ing participation in classrooms shaped by political\, cultural\, and socie tal tensions.Speakers &\; Facilitators: Nelli Piehl\, CHARM-EU alumna and Teaching and Project Assistant at Åbo AkademiMartin Meggele Sjøen\, Professor of Educational Studies at the Institute of Education\, Universit y of BergenChristoph Mohamad-Klotzbach\, Political Scientist at the Instit ute of Political Science and Sociology at the JMU WürzburgRapporteurs:Nin a ShielÁdám TóthOpen Science Made Simple: Sharing Knowledge for a Stron ger Society Open Science is often seen as a technical hurdle\, but it is a democratic tool. This workshop provides a "starter kit" for researchers to make their work open and transparent. We will discuss the benefits of s haring data and how it builds public trust in science and democratic insti tutions. Speakers &\; Facilitators: Balázs Aczél\, Vice Dean for Sc ience at the Faculty of Education and Psychology of Eötvös Loránd Unive rsityMalin FredrikssonRapporteurs:Anikó Gál BéltekiFerenc Takó In the democratic lab: live deliberative experimentThe results of this experimen t (including an analysis based on the questionnaires) will be presented with the closing remarks in 10-15 minutes.Facilitators:Isak VentoVilppu K uusipalo15:00 - 15:20 Poster Session - One-minute Pitches\nThe poster sess ion will be a space where members of European University Alliances\, unive rsity staff\, students and external stakeholders can exchange ideas and di scuss the posters. Poster presenters will give a minute pitch and then e ngage in discussions. \n15:20 - 16:00 Poster Session &\; Coffee Break  \n16:00 - 16:15 Interactive Quiz\nCultural interactive quiz with questi ons from Åbo Academy University and Finland: traditions\, music\, food\, culture\, history\, and possibly Moomins\n16:15 - 17:00 Closing session\n\ n Rapporteurs will present the main conclusions of the workshops.\n Clos ing speech from Meritxell Chaves\, CHARM-EU Secretary General\n\n\n17:15 - 19:00 Cocktail Reception\n\n City of Turku Welcome Words by Dr. Kaija Ha rtiala\, Chairperson of the City Council\n Musical elements by members of the student choirs Florakören and Brahe Djäknar\n A selection of cockt ail bites and refreshments\nAfter the conference you are welcome to the Ar chipelago bar (Skärgårdsbaren) in the centre of the city\, to continue t he evening with food and drinks (at your own expense)\, karaoke\, dancing or just socializing. \n SPEAKERS AND PANELISTS \n \n Baláz s Aczél \n \n \n Anders Adlercreutz \n \n \n Doris Alex ander \n \n \n Jake Byrne \n \n \n Meritxell Chaves \n \n \n Malin Fredriksson \n \n \n Anikó Gál Bélteki \ n \n \n Kimmo Grönlund \n \n \n Maria Hämäläinen \n \n \n Barbara Hegyi \n \n \n Maria Kelo \n \n \n Vilppu Kuusipalo \n \n \n Marvin Mendy \n \n \n Christop h Mohamad-Klotzbach \n \n \n Nelli Piehl \n \n \n Phoebe Sacares \n \n \n Nina Shiel \n \n \n Martin Sjøen \n \n \n Karl Stoeckel \n \n \n Roger Strand \n \n \n Ferenc Tacó \n \n \n Ádám Tóth \n \n \n Annisa Tr iyanti \n \n \n Oriol Uviedo \n \n \n Isak Vento \n \n \n Mireia Via \n \n \n Lena Wassermann \n \n \n Gunilla Widén \n \n Balázs Aczél\nVice Dean for Science at the Faculty of Education and Psychology of Eötvös Loránd University \n Balázs Aczél is Vice Dean for Science at the Faculty of Education and Psychology of Eötvös Loránd University\, Budapest\, where he is al so Professor of Psychology. He has been actively involved in the CHARM-EU alliance through the TORCH project\, leading its Open Science activities\, and continues to contribute to the alliance’\;s research and innovat ion initiatives within the CHARM-EIGHT project. His research focuses on me tascience\, with particular emphasis on research methodology\, open scienc e\, and improving the robustness and credibility of scientific research. T hrough his research\, teaching\, and international collaborations\, he pro motes the adoption of transparent and reproducible research practices and supports the development of research capacity across the CHARM-EU partner institutions. \n \n Anders Adlercr eutz\, Finland's Minister of Education \n Anders Adlercreutz ( b. 1970) is Chair of the Swedish People’s Party of Finland since June 20 24 and the current Minister of Education. He graduated as an architect fro m Helsinki University of Technology in 1999. Adlercreutz’\;s politica l career began when he was elected to Kirkkonummi Municipal Council in 201 3\, he served as Chair of the Council from 2017 to 2023. He has been a Mem ber of Parliament since 2015 and served as Chair of SFP’s Parliamentary Group from 2019 to 2023. During the years in Parliament\, Adlercreutz was a member of several Committees\, eg. the Finance Committee\, the Defence C ommittee\, the Administration Committee\, and the Environmental Committee. Before becoming Minister of Education he served as Minister of European A ffairs and Ownership Steering for the first year of the Orpo Government\, from June 2023 to June 2024. Minister Adlercreutz is married\, has 5 child ren\, is fluent in 7 languages and is an avid cello player in his free tim e. \n \n Doris Alexander\, Associa te Director of European Engagement\, Trinity College Dublin \n Doris Alexander has worked in Research Management Administration since 19 94\, taking up her current post as Associate Director of European Engageme nt in 2019 and is responsible for the development of strategies of engagem ent\, working to get early insight on new EU policy/initiatives so as to m aximise the opportunity space for Trinity. She is currently engaged in the implementation of aspects of the ERA policy agenda. She has been involve d in several EC stakeholder groups including the co-creation of the Europe an Universities initiative\, is the co-director of CHARM-EU alliance in Tr inity College and a member of the Executive Board. She was Chair of the R& amp\;I subgroup of the FOREU1 network (the network of the 17 European Univ ersities alliances funded through the first Erasmus+ pilot call) and is cu rrently chair of the R&\;I Topical Group (part of FOREU4ALL) for all al liances.Doris holds a BA in Mathematical Science and an MSc in Computer Sc ience (Health Informatics) from Trinity College Dublin. \n \n Jake Rowan ByrneCo-Director of CHARM-EU and As sistant Professor in Contemporary Teaching and Learning at the School of E ducation\, Trinity College Dublin \n Dr. Jake Rowan Byrne is Co -Director of CHARM-EU and Assistant Professor in Contemporary Teaching and Learning at the School of Education\, Trinity College Dublin. His researc h and practice focus on transdisciplinary education\, challenge-based lear ning\, innovative curriculum design\, and the development of learner agenc y through collaborative educational approaches. As a member of CHARM-EU 217\;s Knowledge Creating Teams (KCTs)\, he has helped design and deliver transnational educational experiences\, including leading the development and initial delivery of the Transdisciplinary Research Module within the C HARM-EU Master’\;s in Global Challenges for Sustainability. He also s erves as a lead facilitator within the KCT delivering the CHARM Doctoral S ummer School\, supporting doctoral researchers as they work in transdiscip linary teams to address complex societal challenges. Jake’\;s work i s grounded in the belief that education has long been a naturally transdis ciplinary endeavour. Designing meaningful learning requires collaboration not only across academic disciplines but also with policymakers\, school l eaders\, teachers\, learners\, families\, communities\, industry and civil society. His experience contributing to the development of Ireland’\ ;s national Leaving Certificate Computer Science curriculum exemplifies th is approach\, bringing together diverse stakeholders to co-create educatio nal innovation. Through his research and leadership\, Jake explores how di stributed leadership\, participatory design and collaborative knowledge cr eation can strengthen educational ecosystems and build the capacity needed to address the complex challenges facing society. \n \n Meritxell ChavesSecretary General of European Unive rsity of CHARM-EU \n Meritxell Chaves has more than thirty yea rs of experience in the higher education sector\, in four universities of the Catalan university system\, in different functional areas of the Unive rsity such as academic management\, strategic planning\, quality and accre ditation\, and international relations in different organisational culture s. As Secretary General of European University of CHARM-EU since the star t of the initiative in 2019 she has been leading CHARM-EU team. \n \n Malin FredrikssonLeading Coordinator f or Open Science at Åbo Akademi University \n Malin Fredriksson (MSocSc\, MA) works as the Leading Coordinator for Open Science at Åbo A kademi University. She has several years of experience in the library and university sector\, with a strong focus on advancing open science and resp onsible research practices. Her work centers on supporting researchers thr ough open science policies\, services\, training\, and the development of inclusive approaches to openness in research. Her academic background is i n information studies\, with a particular interest in open access publishi ng and the implementation of open science practices. She also has a backgr ound in the humanities\, particularly the study of religions and cultures. \n \n Anikó Gál BéltekiCHARM-E U Manager at ELTE \n Anikó Gál Bélteki is acting as CHARM-EU project manager at the Eötvös Loránd University\, Budapest. She has al ready been involved in the alliance’s R&\;I dimension project TORCH a nd now focuses her efforts on the smooth running of the CHARM-EIGHT projec t. Holding a degree in agricultural and environmental sciences and being a qualified translator\, she has gained work experience in an international environment from multinational companies through projects of universities and conservation NGOs affiliated to global networks. Due to her diverse a dministrative and coordinator roles she regularly participates in the meet ings of various governing boards and offices of CHARM European University and provides assistance for some work packages\, which means being in dail y work contact with the representatives of partner institutions. \n \n Kimmo GrönlundProfessor of Political Science and Director of the Social Science Research Institute at Åbo Aka demi University \n Kimmo Grönlund is Professor of Political Sc ience and Director of the Social Science Research Institute at Åbo Akadem i University. Currently\, he is also member of the Board of Åbo Akademi U niversity. His research interests include democratic innovations\, public opinion\, and electoral behavior. He has published widely\, especially on controlled experiments with deliberative mini-publics in journals such as Political Behavior\, International Political Science Review and Scandinavi an Political Studies. He is the Director of the Finnish Research Infrastru cture for Public Opinion FIRIPO and the research consortium STRONG – Imp lementing democratic innovations\, funded by the Strategic Research Counci l at the Research Council of Finland (2024–2030). Moreover\, he is a wid ely used expert commentator on politics in Finland\, and he has been the e lectoral commentator of the largest Finnish commercial TV channel MTV3 sin ce 2006. \n \n Maria Hämäläinen CHARM-EU MSc in Global Challenges for Sustainability alumna \n Maria Hämäläinen is a recent graduate of the CHARM-EU MSc in Global Cha llenges for Sustainability. Over two years\, her studies took her from Utr echt to Barcelona and Montpellier\, where she specialised in the Food trac k. Her work focused on agrifood transitions\, Mediterranean food systems\, and the social dimensions of sustainability\, culminating in a Capstone t hesis on the social acceptance of seaweed cultivation in the Thau Lagoon.  Prior to joining CHARM-EU\, Maria completed a BSc in Sustainable Urban P lanning at Tampere University\, Finland\, where her research explored gend er mainstreaming through participatory urban planning processes. This expe rience sparked her long-standing interest in the governance and community dimensions of sustainability. Beyond academia\, she has been actively invo lved in climate justice initiatives and is currently volunteering with a G hana-based non-profit organisation working at the intersection of gender e quity and climate action. She is also contributing to a research project o n inclusive energy governance through the YES-Europe Africa-Europe collabo ration programme. \n \n Barbara He gyi economist with a PhD in Regional Sciences \n Barbara Hegyi is an economist\, with a PhD in Regional Sciences. She coordinates the Inn ovation and Entrepreneurship Education at ELTE Faculty of Informatics. Des igner and implementer of several courses that embrace sustainability and s ocial responsibility. Coordinates the REDINEST Impact Labs programme at an international level. \n \n Maria KeloDirector of Institutional Development at European University Associati on (EUA) \n Maria Kelo is Director of Institutional Development at European University Association (EUA). The unit’s work focuses on re cognition\, quality assurance\, rankings\, and learning and teaching\, inc luding the European Degree. She is a member of the Swiss Accreditation Cou ncil\, vice-president of the European Quality Assurance Register\, and co- represents EUA in the Bologna Process.Before joining EUA in 2022\, Maria w as the Director of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Highe r Education\, and previously worked in different European organisations in higher education. \n \n Vilppu Ku usipalo\, project coordinator at the Finnish Research Infrastructure for P ublic Opinion (FIRIPO) \n Vilppu Kuusipalo works as a project c oordinator at the Finnish Research Infrastructure for Public Opinion (FIRI PO)\, which operates the two deliberation laboratories at Åbo Akademi Uni versity. Vilppu is responsible for the day-to-day activities at FIRIPO\, s uch as making sure that the laboratories function efficiently\, coordinati ng research-related activities\, supporting visiting researchers\, and mai ntaining the infrastructure needed for high-quality public opinion and del iberation studies.In his role\, Vilppu works closely with researchers and other project partners to facilitate the planning and implementation of ex periments\, surveys\, and events. He also contributes to the development a nd promotion of FIRIPO’s services\, helping researchers make use of inno vative methods and facilities for studying public opinion\, citizen partic ipation\, and democratic processes.Vilppu’s background is in humanities\ , and he is interested in various aspects of societies\, cultures and huma n interaction. \n \n Marvin MendyS trategic Partnerships Officer at the University of Montpellier \n Marvin Mendy is Strategic Partnerships Officer at the University of Mon tpellier and leads Work Package 14 (Worldwide Academic Partnership Network ). Over the past eight years\, he has worked at the intersection of intern ational relations\, diplomacy and project management across the higher edu cation\, public and private sectors. His expertise includes the design and implementation of international cooperation strategies\, institutional pa rtnerships and multi-stakeholder initiatives.Within CHARM-EU\, Marvin is r esponsible for developing long-term partnerships beyond Europe and advanci ng the Alliance’\;s global engagement strategy\, particularly with Af rica and other strategic regions. His work focuses on building sustainable international cooperation frameworks that connect higher education\, rese arch and societal stakeholders. \n \n Christoph Mohamad-KlotzbachPolitical Scientist at the Institute of Pol itical Science and Sociology at the JMU Würzburg\n \n Dr. Chri stoph Mohamad-Klotzbach is a Political Scientist at the Institute of Polit ical Science and Sociology at the JMU Würzburg. His research focuses on d emocracy and democratization\, scientific concepts\, political culture\, s tatehood\, political parties\, environmental health and sustainability. He is currently part of the EU-funded interdisciplinary research project MAR KOPOLO\, which is attached to the Professorship of Social Science Sustaina bility Studies\, and studies knowledge transfer in environmental health. \n \n Nelli PiehlCHARM-EU alumna an d Teaching &\; Project Assistant at Åbo Akademi \n Nelli P iehl is a CHARM-EU alumna and Teaching and Project Assistant at Åbo Akade mi\, where she also supports CHARM-EU’\;s Diversity\, Equity and Incl usion work. She is an early-career socio-ecological researcher with a part icular interest in participatory approaches and equity and inclusion acros s international contexts.  \n \n Phoebe SacaresCHARM-EU MSc in Global Challenges for Sustainability alumna \n Phoebe Sacares is a graduate of the CHARM-EU MSc in Global C hallenges for Sustainability\,  having studied in Barcelona and Montpelli er over two years of transdisciplinary learning and research. Specialising in the Water track\, her work focused on a range of water-related sustain ability challenges\, including supporting livelihoods amid aquatic ecosyst em disruption in East Africa\, developing water-efficient infrastructure i n Dublin\, and addressing drought resilience in Catalonia. These experienc es sparked a strong interest in tackling water-related sustainability issu es.Prior to joining CHARM-EU\, she completed a BSc in Physics and Astrophy sics at the University of York (UK). With a keen interest in applying scie nce\, data analysis\, and mapping to environmental challenges\, she is pur suing a career at the intersection of sustainability and evidence-based de cision-making. She is currently volunteering with the London Wildlife Trus t\, contributing to practical conservation projects and gaining first-hand insight into the importance of community engagement in translating global climate goals into local action. \n \ n Nina ShielResponsible Research &\; Innovation Specialist for CHAR M-EU at Trinity College Dublin \n Dr Nina Shiel (she/they) is R esponsible Research &\; Innovation Specialist for CHARM-EU\, based at T rinity College Dublin. With a PhD in Comparative Literature focusing on im mersive virtual spaces\, and over a decade of experience in research devel opment and European R&\;I strategy across leading Irish and UK universi ties\, her professional interests include inter/transdisciplinary research \, research culture\, and intersectional equality\, diversity and inclusio n. Her work as the leader of two work packages in the Horizon 2020 Science with and for Society (SwafS)-funded TORCH project\, developing CHARM-EU&# 8217\;s shared research and innovation agenda\, was recognised with the Tr inity Research Excellence Award in 2023. She is committed to fostering inc lusive\, challenge-driven research and international collaboration.   \n \n Martin Meggele SjøenProfessor of Educational Studies at the Institute of Education at the University of Bergen \n Dr. Martin Meggele Sjøen is a Professor of Educatio nal Studies at the Institute of Education at the University of Bergen. He holds a Ph.D. in Security Studies from the University of Stavanger. Dr. Sj øen’s research explores democracy\, education\, political violence and peacebuilding\, with a specific focus on the intersection of education and security. \n \n Karl StoeckelExec utive Director of the CIVIS European University Alliance \n Kar l Stoeckel is Executive Director of the CIVIS European University Alliance \, coordinated by Aix-Marseille University\, where he leads the alliance ’s coordination team and supports its governance\, strategic development and long-term sustainability. CIVIS brings together 17 universities acros s Europe and Africa\, representing more than 500\,000 students and 80\,000 academic and professional staff. With over 15 years of experience in Eur opean research\, innovation and higher education policy\, Karl has worked extensively on European strategy\, institutional relations\, science diplo macy\, international partnerships and the development and management of EU -funded projects. He previously represented Aix-Marseille University in Br ussels\, working with the European Commission\, the European Parliament\, Member States’ Permanent Representations and European research and innov ation stakeholders. His experience also includes senior responsibilities at the French National Research Institute for Development (IRD)\, where he contributed to European strategy and Horizon Europe programming\, and tea ching European research and innovation policy at Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonn e. He is particularly interested in building sustainable\, place-based par tnerships and in strengthening cooperation between universities\, research organisations and European and international stakeholders.  \n \n Roger StrandProfessor at the University of Bergen\, Norway \n Roger Strand is Professor at the Universi ty of Bergen\, Norway. His research focuses on the governance of science\, technology\, and innovation\, with particular attention to complexity\, u ncertainty\, and sustainability. He works at the intersection of philosoph y\, science and technology studies\, and policy-oriented research\, contri buting to the development of frameworks for responsible research and innov ation (RRI). A record of his scholarly publications is found at https://or cid.org/0000-0001-6159-1586.Strand has been involved in a range of Europea n and international projects addressing the role of expertise\, interdisci plinary collaboration\, and societal engagement in research and innovation . His work includes contributions to environmental governance\, sustainabi lity transitions\, and science-policy interfaces. He is the Co-Director of the non-profit NGO called the European Centre for Governance in Complexit y (www.ecgc.eu). \n \n Ferenc Tak óMember of the CHARM-EU Executive Board\, CHARM-EU Director and Head of t he Rector’s Cabinet CHARM-EU Office\, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) \n Ferenc Takó studied Philosophy and Japanese Studies at E ötvös Loránd University (ELTE)\, Budapest\, Hungary\, where he currentl y lectures at the Department of Japanese Studies. He used to be head of th e Rector’s Cabinet International Strategy Office at ELTE between 2018 an d 2021. Since 2021\, he is head of the Rector’s Cabinet CHARM-EU Office and ELTE Executive Director of CHARM-EU. \n \n Ádám TóthResearcher at the Copernicus Institute of Sustai nable Development at Utrecht University. \n Ádám Tóth is a r esearcher in (ground)water\, sustainability and education innovation at th e Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development at Utrecht University. Ádám is the co-lead of the educational practice work package of the CHAR M-EIGHT project. He is involved in updating the existing master’\;s p rogramme in Global Challenges for Sustainability\, exploring educational o pportunities for a broader audience to develop knowledge\, including a str ategy for micro-credentials\, badges\, and continuing education\, as well as a team-based\, transdisciplinary joint CHARM-EU Doctoral programme. \n \n Dr. Annisa TriyantiAssistant Pr ofessor\, Disaster and Climate Risk Governance for Sustainability\, at Utr echt University \n Dr. Annisa Triyanti is an Assistant Professo r of Disaster and Climate Risk Governance for Sustainability at Utrecht Un iversity. Born in Indonesia\, she earned her PhD from the University of Am sterdam. Her research connects grassroots practices with global policy\, f ocusing on community self-governance and mangrove ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction in Asia. In her teaching\, she emphasizes public engagemen t and promotes the role of European University Alliances in addressing soc ietal challenges. Serving as Academic Director of CHARM-EU for Utrecht Uni versity\, she supports collaborative\, cross-boundary education. For three consecutive years\, she has also coordinated the Capstone module for the CHARM-EU Master’s in Global Challenges for Sustainability\, a transdisci plinary program where students conduct research alongside external stakeho lders to tackle real-world issues. Beyond her academic roles\, Dr. Triyant i has engaged in intergovernmental policy dialogues on climate change and sustainable development since 2014. As part of this work\, she represented young scientists in the Global Science and Technology Advisory Group for the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) from 2017 to 2019. \n \n Oriol UviedoLaboratory and projec t technician\, specialized in microplastics and citizen science \n Ever since my childhood\, I have known that I wanted to pursue a caree r related to the ocean\, and that has indeed been the case. In 2020\, I gr aduated with a degree in Marine Sciences from the University of Barcelona (UB)\, and I currently serve as a laboratory and project technician\, spec ialized in microplastics and citizen science. One of the principal initiat ives I lead is the ‘\;Surfing For Science’\; project\, which has a well-defined objective: to quantify and characterize microplastics in t he coastal areas of the western Mediterranean through citizen science. In this manner\, we generate scientific knowledge while simultaneously raisin g awareness about the critical issue of plastic pollution in our seas and oceans.Utilizing the methodology developed in ‘\;Surfing For Science& #8217\;\, we initiated the TRAP project. While sharing the same core objec tives\, this initiative expands the scope of research to rivers\, combined sewer overflows (CSOs)\, and the open sea in order to analyse the transpo rt and exchange of particles across these diverse systems. Furthermore\, I have participated in the OSES project (Ocean Sustainability Through Educa tion and Sport)\, where we developed best-practice manuals and fieldwork k its designed to enable marine recreational users\, as sailors\, divers or surfers\, to collect reliable scientific data. Through these efforts\, our ultimate goal is to foster public awareness regarding the anthropogenic t hreats and impacts currently facing our marine ecosystems. \n \n Isak VentoSenior University Lecturer \n PhD Isak Vento is Senior University Lecturer in political science and methods at Åbo Akademi University. His research focuses on political attitudes and behavior. \n \n Mir eia Via\nResearch Support Technician at CHARM-EU \n Mireia Via obtained her PhD in Theoretical Chemistry and Computational Modelling from the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). After that\, she left aca demia aside but not the world of research entirely. Since then\, she has d edicated her career to supporting research\, working as a support technici an in a chemistry research group at the University of Barcelona (UB)\, and at the UB’\;s International Research Projects Office. She has also b een an adjunct lecturer at the UB\, teaching practical classes on the Biol ogy and Chemistry bachelor’\;s degree programmes. She currently suppo rts the research and innovation dimension of the CHARM-EU alliance. \n \n Lena WassermannAdvisor to the Vice President for Internationalisation at the University of Würzburg and sup ports the university’s strategic engagement within the CHARM-EU Alliance \n Dr. Lena Wassermann is Advisor to the Vice President for In ternationalisation at the University of Würzburg and supports the univers ity’s strategic engagement within the CHARM-EU Alliance. Her work focuse s on European university cooperation\, internationalisation strategies\, a nd cross-institutional collaboration. Drawing on experience in academia\, policy\, and international partnerships\, she is particularly interested i n how universities can work together to address shared societal challenges and foster innovation in higher education. \n \n Gunilla Widén\nProfessor of Information Studies at Åbo A kademi University (ÅAU) since 2008 \n Gunilla Widén is Profes sor of Information Studies at Åbo Akademi University (ÅAU) since 2008. H er research focuses on information behaviour\, knowledge management\, and trust in information. She has led several large research projects\, e.g. o n organizational key skills in information society\, the role of social me dia in libraries\, the importance of information literacy in various conte xts such as workplaces and in migration.Widén has been involved in Europe an projects on youth information\, and in Nordic library research\, e.g. o n cultural policy decision-making\, the case of Helsinki Central Libary Oo di. She has been involved in several collaborative networks both nationall y and internationally\, appointed as external expert in different evaluati on committees\, and published widely in her areas of expertise.She has lon g organizational experience at ÅAU\, recently she has been Vice-Rector fo r Education 2022-25\, and served as Acting Rector from April 2025 until sh e was appointed as Rector in January 2026. \n \n Balázs Aczél\nVice Dean for Science at the Faculty of Edu cation and Psychology of Eötvös Loránd University \n Balázs Aczél is Vice Dean for Science at the Faculty of Education and Psychology of E ötvös Loránd University\, Budapest\, where he is also Professor of Psyc hology. He has been actively involved in the CHARM-EU alliance through the TORCH project\, leading its Open Science activities\, and continues to co ntribute to the alliance's research and innovation initiatives within the CHARM-EIGHT project. His research focuses on metascience\, with particular emphasis on research methodology\, open science\, and improving the robus tness and credibility of scientific research. Through his research\, teach ing\, and international collaborations\, he promotes the adoption of trans parent and reproducible research practices and supports the development of research capacity across the CHARM-EU partner institutions. \n \n Anders Adlercreutz\, Finland's Minister of Educ ation \n Anders Adlercreutz (b. 1970) is Chair of the Swedish People ’s Party of Finland since June 2024 and the current Minister of Educatio n. He graduated as an architect from Helsinki University of Technology in 1999. Adlercreutz's political career began when he was elected to Kirkkonu mmi Municipal Council in 2013\, he served as Chair of the Council from 201 7 to 2023. He has been a Member of Parliament since 2015 and served as Cha ir of SFP’s Parliamentary Group from 2019 to 2023. During the years in P arliament\, Adlercreutz was a member of several Committees\, eg. the Finan ce Committee\, the Defence Committee\, the Administration Committee\, and the Environmental Committee. Before becoming Minister of Education he serv ed as Minister of European Affairs and Ownership Steering for the first ye ar of the Orpo Government\, from June 2023 to June 2024. Minister Adlercre utz is married\, has 5 children\, is fluent in 7 languages and is an avid cello player in his free time. \n \n Dor is Alexander\, Associate Director of European Engagement\, Trinity College Dublin \n Doris Alexander has worked in Research Management Administ ration since 1994\, taking up her current post as Associate Director of Eu ropean Engagement in 2019 and is responsible for the development of strate gies of engagement\, working to get early insight on new EU policy/initiat ives so as to maximise the opportunity space for Trinity. She is currently engaged in the implementation of aspects of the ERA policy agenda. She h as been involved in several EC stakeholder groups including the co-creatio n 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 1 7 European Universities alliances funded through the first Erasmus+ pilot call) and is currently chair of the R&\;I Topical Group (part of FOREU4 ALL) for all alliances.Doris holds a BA in Mathematical Science and an MSc in Computer Science (Health Informatics) from Trinity College Dublin. \n \n Jake Rowan ByrneCo-Director of CHARM- EU and Assistant Professor in Contemporary Teaching and Learning at the Sc hool of Education\, Trinity College Dublin \n Dr. Jake Rowan Byrne is Co-Director of CHARM-EU and Assistant Professor in Contemporary Teaching a nd Learning at the School of Education\, Trinity College Dublin. His resea rch and practice focus on transdisciplinary education\, challenge-based le arning\, innovative curriculum design\, and the development of learner age ncy through collaborative educational approaches. As a member of CHARM-EU' s Knowledge Creating Teams (KCTs)\, he has helped design and deliver trans national educational experiences\, including leading the development and i nitial delivery of the Transdisciplinary Research Module within the CHARM- EU Master's in Global Challenges for Sustainability. He also serves as a l ead facilitator within the KCT delivering the CHARM Doctoral Summer School \, supporting doctoral researchers as they work in transdisciplinary teams to address complex societal challenges. Jake's work is grounded in the b elief that education has long been a naturally transdisciplinary endeavour . Designing meaningful learning requires collaboration not only across aca demic disciplines but also with policymakers\, school leaders\, teachers\, learners\, families\, communities\, industry and civil society. His exper ience contributing to the development of Ireland's national Leaving Certif icate Computer Science curriculum exemplifies this approach\, bringing tog ether diverse stakeholders to co-create educational innovation. Through hi s research and leadership\, Jake explores how distributed leadership\, par ticipatory design and collaborative knowledge creation can strengthen educ ational ecosystems and build the capacity needed to address the complex ch allenges facing society. \n \n Meritxell ChavesSecretary General of European University of CHARM-EU \n Meritxe ll Chaves has more than thirty years of experience in the higher educatio n sector\, in four universities of the Catalan university system\, in diff erent functional areas of the University such as academic management\, str ategic planning\, quality and accreditation\, and international relations in different organisational cultures. As Secretary General of European Un iversity of CHARM-EU since the start of the initiative in 2019 she has bee n leading CHARM-EU team. \n \n Malin Fre drikssonLeading Coordinator for Open Science at Åbo Akademi University \n Malin Fredriksson (MSocSc\, MA) works as the Leading Coordinator for Open Science at Åbo Akademi University. She has several years of experien ce in the library and university sector\, with a strong focus on advancing open science and responsible research practices. Her work centers on supp orting researchers through open science policies\, services\, training\, a nd the development of inclusive approaches to openness in research. Her ac ademic background is in information studies\, with a particular interest i n open access publishing and the implementation of open science practices. She also has a background in the humanities\, particularly the study of r eligions and cultures. \n \n Anikó Gál BéltekiCHARM-EU Manager at ELTE \n Anikó Gál Bélteki is acting as CHARM-EU project manager at the Eötvös Loránd University\, Budapest. S he has already been involved in the alliance’s R&\;I dimension projec t TORCH and now focuses her efforts on the smooth running of the CHARM-EIG HT project. Holding a degree in agricultural and environmental sciences an d being a qualified translator\, she has gained work experience in an inte rnational environment from multinational companies through projects of uni versities and conservation NGOs affiliated to global networks. Due to her diverse administrative and coordinator roles she regularly participates in the meetings of various governing boards and offices of CHARM European Un iversity and provides assistance for some work packages\, which means bein g in daily work contact with the representatives of partner institutions. \n \n Kimmo GrönlundProfessor of Politi cal Science and Director of the Social Science Research Institute at Åbo Akademi University \n Kimmo Grönlund is Professor of Political Scienc e and Director of the Social Science Research Institute at Åbo Akademi Un iversity. Currently\, he is also member of the Board of Åbo Akademi Unive rsity. His research interests include democratic innovations\, public opin ion\, and electoral behavior. He has published widely\, especially on cont rolled experiments with deliberative mini-publics in journals such as Poli tical Behavior\, International Political Science Review and Scandinavian P olitical Studies. He is the Director of the Finnish Research Infrastructur e for Public Opinion FIRIPO and the research consortium STRONG – Impleme nting democratic innovations\, funded by the Strategic Research Council at the Research Council of Finland (2024–2030). Moreover\, he is a widely used expert commentator on politics in Finland\, and he has been the elect oral commentator of the largest Finnish commercial TV channel MTV3 since 2 006. \n \n Maria HämäläinenCHARM-EU M Sc in Global Challenges for Sustainability alumna \n Maria Hämäläin en is a recent graduate of the CHARM-EU MSc in Global Challenges for Susta inability. Over two years\, her studies took her from Utrecht to Barcelona and Montpellier\, where she specialised in the Food track. Her work focus ed on agrifood transitions\, Mediterranean food systems\, and the social d imensions of sustainability\, culminating in a Capstone thesis on the soci al acceptance of seaweed cultivation in the Thau Lagoon. Prior to joining CHARM-EU\, Maria completed a BSc in Sustainable Urban Planning at Tampere University\, Finland\, where her research explored gender mainstreaming t hrough participatory urban planning processes. This experience sparked her long-standing interest in the governance and community dimensions of sust ainability. Beyond academia\, she has been actively involved in climate ju stice initiatives and is currently volunteering with a Ghana-based non-pro fit organisation working at the intersection of gender equity and climate action. She is also contributing to a research project on inclusive energy governance through the YES-Europe Africa-Europe collaboration programme. \n \n Barbara Hegyi economist with a PhD in Regional Sciences \n Barbara Hegyi is an economist\, with a PhD in Regional Sciences. She coordinates the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ed ucation at ELTE Faculty of Informatics. Designer and implementer of severa l courses that embrace sustainability and social responsibility. Coordinat es the REDINEST Impact Labs programme at an international level. \n \n Maria KeloDirector of Institutional Develop ment at European University Association (EUA) \n Maria Kelo is Directo r of Institutional Development at European University Association (EUA). T he unit’s work focuses on recognition\, quality assurance\, rankings\, a nd learning and teaching\, including the European Degree. She is a member of the Swiss Accreditation Council\, vice-president of the European Qualit y Assurance Register\, and co-represents EUA in the Bologna Process.Before joining EUA in 2022\, Maria was the Director of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education\, and previously worked in diffe rent European organisations in higher education. \n \n Vilppu Kuusipalo\, project coordinator at the Finnish Resea rch Infrastructure for Public Opinion (FIRIPO) \n Vilppu Kuusipalo wor ks as a project coordinator at the Finnish Research Infrastructure for Pub lic Opinion (FIRIPO)\, which operates the two deliberation laboratories at Åbo Akademi University. Vilppu is responsible for the day-to-day activit ies at FIRIPO\, such as making sure that the laboratories function efficie ntly\, coordinating research-related activities\, supporting visiting rese archers\, and maintaining the infrastructure needed for high-quality publi c opinion and deliberation studies.In his role\, Vilppu works closely with researchers and other project partners to facilitate the planning and imp lementation of experiments\, surveys\, and events. He also contributes to the development and promotion of FIRIPO’s services\, helping researchers make use of innovative methods and facilities for studying public opinion \, citizen participation\, and democratic processes.Vilppu’s background is in humanities\, and he is interested in various aspects of societies\, cultures and human interaction. \n \n Ma rvin MendyStrategic Partnerships Officer at the University of Montpellier \n Marvin Mendy is Strategic Partnerships Officer at the University of Montpellier and leads Work Package 14 (Worldwide Academic Partnership Net work). Over the past eight years\, he has worked at the intersection of in ternational relations\, diplomacy and project management across the higher education\, public and private sectors. His expertise includes the design and implementation of international cooperation strategies\, institutiona l partnerships and multi-stakeholder initiatives.Within CHARM-EU\, Marvin is responsible for developing long-term partnerships beyond Europe and adv ancing the Alliance's global engagement strategy\, particularly with Afric a and other strategic regions. His work focuses on building sustainable in ternational cooperation frameworks that connect higher education\, researc h and societal stakeholders. \n \n Chris toph Mohamad-KlotzbachPolitical Scientist at the Institute of Political Sc ience and Sociology at the JMU Würzburg\n \n Dr. Christoph Mohamad-Kl otzbach is a Political Scientist at the Institute of Political Science and Sociology at the JMU Würzburg. His research focuses on democracy and dem ocratization\, scientific concepts\, political culture\, statehood\, polit ical parties\, environmental health and sustainability. He is currently pa rt of the EU-funded interdisciplinary research project MARKOPOLO\, which i s attached to the Professorship of Social Science Sustainability Studies\, and studies knowledge transfer in environmental health. \n \n Nelli PiehlCHARM-EU alumna and Teaching &\; Proj ect Assistant at Åbo Akademi \n Nelli Piehl is a CHARM-EU alumna and Teaching and Project Assistant at Åbo Akademi\, where she also supports CHARM-EU's Diversity\, Equity and Inclusion work. She is an early-career s ocio-ecological researcher with a particular interest in participatory app roaches and equity and inclusion across international contexts.  \n \n Phoebe SacaresCHARM-EU MSc in Global Chall enges for Sustainability alumna \n Phoebe Sacares is a graduate of the CHARM-EU MSc in Global Challenges for Sustainability\,  having studied i n Barcelona and Montpellier over two years of transdisciplinary learning a nd research. Specialising in the Water track\, her work focused on a range of water-related sustainability challenges\, including supporting livelih oods amid aquatic ecosystem disruption in East Africa\, developing water-e fficient infrastructure in Dublin\, and addressing drought resilience in C atalonia. These experiences sparked a strong interest in tackling water-re lated sustainability issues.Prior to joining CHARM-EU\, she completed a BS c in Physics and Astrophysics at the University of York (UK). With a keen interest in applying science\, data analysis\, and mapping to environmenta l challenges\, she is pursuing a career at the intersection of sustainabil ity and evidence-based decision-making. She is currently volunteering with the London Wildlife Trust\, contributing to practical conservation projec ts and gaining first-hand insight into the importance of community engagem ent in translating global climate goals into local action. \n \n Nina ShielResponsible Research &\; Innovation Specialist for CHARM-EU at Trinity College Dublin \n Dr Nina Shiel (sh e/they) is Responsible Research &\; Innovation Specialist for CHARM-EU\ , based at Trinity College Dublin. With a PhD in Comparative Literature fo cusing on immersive virtual spaces\, and over a decade of experience in re search development and European R&\;I strategy across leading Irish and UK universities\, her professional interests include inter/transdisciplin ary research\, research culture\, and intersectional equality\, diversity and inclusion. Her work as the leader of two work packages in the Horizon 2020 Science with and for Society (SwafS)-funded TORCH project\, developin g CHARM-EU's shared research and innovation agenda\, was recognised with t he Trinity Research Excellence Award in 2023. She is committed to fosterin g inclusive\, challenge-driven research and international collaboration.    \n \n Martin Meggele SjøenProfessor of Educational Studies at the Institute of Education at the University of Bergen \n Dr. Martin Meggele Sjøen is a Professor of Educational Stud ies at the Institute of Education at the University of Bergen. He holds a Ph.D. in Security Studies from the University of Stavanger. Dr. Sjøen’s research explores democracy\, education\, political violence and peacebui lding\, with a specific focus on the intersection of education and securit y. \n \n Karl StoeckelExecutive Director of the CIVIS European University Alliance \n Karl Stoeckel is Executi ve Director of the CIVIS European University Alliance\, coordinated by Aix -Marseille University\, where he leads the alliance’s coordination team and supports its governance\, strategic development and long-term sustaina bility. CIVIS brings together 17 universities across Europe and Africa\, r epresenting more than 500\,000 students and 80\,000 academic and professio nal staff. With over 15 years of experience in European research\, innova tion and higher education policy\, Karl has worked extensively on European strategy\, institutional relations\, science diplomacy\, international pa rtnerships and the development and management of EU-funded projects. He pr eviously represented Aix-Marseille University in Brussels\, working with t he European Commission\, the European Parliament\, Member States’ Perman ent Representations and European research and innovation stakeholders. Hi s experience also includes senior responsibilities at the French National Research Institute for Development (IRD)\, where he contributed to Europea n strategy and Horizon Europe programming\, and teaching European research and innovation policy at Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne. He is particularly i nterested in building sustainable\, place-based partnerships and in streng thening cooperation between universities\, research organisations and Euro pean and international stakeholders.  \n \n Roger StrandProfessor at the University of Bergen\, Norway \n Rog er Strand is Professor at the University of Bergen\, Norway. His research focuses on the governance of science\, technology\, and innovation\, with particular attention to complexity\, uncertainty\, and sustainability. He works at the intersection of philosophy\, science and technology studies\, and policy-oriented research\, contributing to the development of framewo rks for responsible research and innovation (RRI). A record of his scholar ly publications is found at https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6159-1586.Strand h as been involved in a range of European and international projects address ing the role of expertise\, interdisciplinary collaboration\, and societal engagement in research and innovation. His work includes contributions to environmental governance\, sustainability transitions\, and science-polic y interfaces. He is the Co-Director of the non-profit NGO called the Europ ean Centre for Governance in Complexity (www.ecgc.eu). \n \n Ferenc TakóMember of the CHARM-EU Executive Board\, CHARM-EU Director and Head of the Rector’s Cabinet CHARM-EU Office\, Eö tvös Loránd University (ELTE) \n Ferenc Takó studied Philosophy an d Japanese Studies at Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE)\, Budapest\, Hung ary\, where he currently lectures at the Department of Japanese Studies. H e used to be head of the Rector’s Cabinet International Strategy Office at ELTE between 2018 and 2021. Since 2021\, he is head of the Rector’s C abinet CHARM-EU Office and ELTE Executive Director of CHARM-EU. \n \n Ádám TóthResearcher at the Copernicus In stitute of Sustainable Development at Utrecht University. \n Ádám T óth is a researcher in (ground)water\, sustainability and education innov ation at the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development at Utrecht Un iversity. Ádám is the co-lead of the educational practice work package o f the CHARM-EIGHT project. He is involved in updating the existing master' s programme in Global Challenges for Sustainability\, exploring educationa l opportunities for a broader audience to develop knowledge\, including a strategy for micro-credentials\, badges\, and continuing education\, as we ll as a team-based\, transdisciplinary joint CHARM-EU Doctoral programme. \n \n Dr. Annisa TriyantiAssistant Profe ssor\, Disaster and Climate Risk Governance for Sustainability\, at Utrech t University \n Dr. Annisa Triyanti is an Assistant Professor of Disas ter and Climate Risk Governance for Sustainability at Utrecht University. Born in Indonesia\, she earned her PhD from the University of Amsterdam. H er research connects grassroots practices with global policy\, focusing on community self-governance and mangrove ecosystem-based disaster risk redu ction in Asia. In her teaching\, she emphasizes public engagement and prom otes the role of European University Alliances in addressing societal chal lenges. Serving as Academic Director of CHARM-EU for Utrecht University\, she supports collaborative\, cross-boundary education. For three consecuti ve years\, she has also coordinated the Capstone module for the CHARM-EU M aster’s in Global Challenges for Sustainability\, a transdisciplinary pr ogram where students conduct research alongside external stakeholders to t ackle real-world issues. Beyond her academic roles\, Dr. Triyanti has enga ged in intergovernmental policy dialogues on climate change and sustainabl e development since 2014. As part of this work\, she represented young sci entists in the Global Science and Technology Advisory Group for the UN Off ice for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) from 2017 to 2019. \n \n Oriol UviedoLaboratory and project technician\, s pecialized in microplastics and citizen science \n Ever since my child hood\, I have known that I wanted to pursue a career related to the ocean\ , and that has indeed been the case. In 2020\, I graduated with a degree i n Marine Sciences from the University of Barcelona (UB)\, and I currently serve as a laboratory and project technician\, specialized in microplastic s and citizen science. One of the principal initiatives I lead is the 'Sur fing For Science' project\, which has a well-defined objective: to quantif y and characterize microplastics in the coastal areas of the western Medit erranean through citizen science. In this manner\, we generate scientific knowledge while simultaneously raising awareness about the critical issue of plastic pollution in our seas and oceans.Utilizing the methodology deve loped in 'Surfing For Science'\, we initiated the TRAP project. While shar ing the same core objectives\, this initiative expands the scope of resear ch to rivers\, combined sewer overflows (CSOs)\, and the open sea in order to analyse the transport and exchange of particles across these diverse s ystems. Furthermore\, I have participated in the OSES project (Ocean Susta inability Through Education and Sport)\, where we developed best-practice manuals and fieldwork kits designed to enable marine recreational users\, as sailors\, divers or surfers\, to collect reliable scientific data. Thro ugh these efforts\, our ultimate goal is to foster public awareness regard ing the anthropogenic threats and impacts currently facing our marine ecos ystems. \n \n Isak VentoSenior Universit y Lecturer \n PhD Isak Vento is Senior University Lecturer in politic al science and methods at Åbo Akademi University. His research focuses on political attitudes and behavior. \n \n Mireia Via\nResearch Support Technician at CHARM-EU \n Mireia Via obt ained her PhD in Theoretical Chemistry and Computational Modelling from th e University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). After that\, she left academ ia aside but not the world of research entirely. Since then\, she has dedi cated her career to supporting research\, working as a support technician in a chemistry research group at the University of Barcelona (UB)\, and at the UB's International Research Projects Office. She has also been an adj unct lecturer at the UB\, teaching practical classes on the Biology and Ch emistry bachelor's degree programmes. She currently supports the research and innovation dimension of the CHARM-EU alliance. \n \n Lena WassermannAdvisor to the Vice President for Internat ionalisation at the University of Würzburg and supports the university’ s strategic engagement within the CHARM-EU Alliance \n Dr. Lena Wasser mann is Advisor to the Vice President for Internationalisation at the Univ ersity of Würzburg and supports the university’s strategic engagement w ithin the CHARM-EU Alliance. Her work focuses on European university coope ration\, internationalisation strategies\, and cross-institutional collabo ration. Drawing on experience in academia\, policy\, and international par tnerships\, she is particularly interested in how universities can work to gether to address shared societal challenges and foster innovation in high er education. \n \n Gunilla Widén\nProf essor of Information Studies at Åbo Akademi University (ÅAU) since 2008 \n Gunilla Widén is Professor of Information Studies at Åbo Akademi University (ÅAU) since 2008. Her research focuses on information behaviou r\, knowledge management\, and trust in information. She has led several l arge research projects\, e.g. on organizational key skills in information society\, the role of social media in libraries\, the importance of inform ation literacy in various contexts such as workplaces and in migration.Wid én has been involved in European projects on youth information\, and in N ordic library research\, e.g. on cultural policy decision-making\, the cas e of Helsinki Central Libary Oodi. She has been involved in several collab orative networks both nationally and internationally\, appointed as extern al expert in different evaluation committees\, and published widely in her areas of expertise.She has long organizational experience at ÅAU\, recen tly she has been Vice-Rector for Education 2022-25\, and served as Acting Rector from April 2025 until she was appointed as Rector in January 2026. \n \n information about Turku \n \n \n Venue Information \n \n \n \n CHARM-EU ANN UAL CONFERENCE 2026 at Åbo Akademi UniversityÅbo (Turku in Finnish) 14 O ctober 2026VENUE FOR THE MEETINGAstra\, Porthansgatan 3\, 20500 ÅboRoom: Bonfire \n \n \n \n General Information about Turk u \n \n \n \n Turku (in Finnish)/Åbo (in Swedish) is vib rant city of 200\,000 inhabitants and the sixth largest city in Finland af ter Helsinki\, Espoo\, Tampere\, Vantaa and Oulu. Finland having two main official languages\, Turku/Åbo is officially bilingual and 5\,2 percent o f its population identify Swedish as their mother-tongue.Åbo Akademi Univ ersity is the only Swedish-language multidisciplinary academic university in Finland. The campus is located in the old city centre\, at a walking di stance from the hotels listed in this document.When speaking about the cit y in English\, the Finnish name Turku is usually used\, as the majority of the inhabitants are Finnish-speaking. You will however see most names of streets in both languages\, so remember this when you are wondering about two very different street names/addresses indicating the same location!Tur ku is the oldest city in Finland and the former capital of the country and will celebrate its 800th anniversary in 2029. Located on the seaside of S outhwest Finland\, Turku is a regional hub for education\, culture and bus iness and the third biggest urban area in Finland. Students make up a fift h of the city’s population. \n \n \n \n Travel t o Turku \n \n \n \n BY AIR ALL THE WAY TO TURKUTurku Airp ort is eight kilometres/30-minutes by local bus (line 1)/15 minutes by tax i from the city centre. If you can find a reasonable flight to Turku Airpo rt (TKU)\, it is the most convenient option. (If your arrival time to Turk u Airport is after the last bus and there is no taxi to be found\, you can order one by using the service phone which is located near the exit on th e arrivals level of the terminal).The air companies operating in Turku are :o Finnair (through Helsinki-Vantaa Airport and Stockholm Arlanda)o SAS (t hrough Copenhagen Kastrup and Stockholm Arlanda)o Air Baltic (through Riga )o WizzAir (through Vilnius\, Gdańsk and Bucharest) BY AIR THROUGH HELSI NKI OR STOCKHOLMMany airlines operate flights to Helsinki Airport\, e.g. F innair. From Helsinki-Vantaa Airport (HEL) you can take a bus or train to Turku. Turku–Helsinki is 166 km\; the bus or train will take you about 2 \,5 hrs.–\; Bus connection from Helsinki–Vantaa Airport (Matkahuolt o)Your end station would be “Turku Tuomiokirkko” or “Turku linja-aut oasema = Turku bus station”.–\; Train connection from Helsinki–Va ntaa Airport (VR)\, with a transfer in Pasila.Your end train station when arriving from Helsinki is “Kupittaa (Turku)” or the main station “Tu rku (City Centre\, Logomo)”. BY FERRY THROUGH STOCKHOLMFrom Stockholm t here is a night ferry to Turku. You sleep on the ferry and arrive in the P ort of Turku the next morning. The ferries are operated by Viking Line and Silja Line. \n \n \n \n Moving Around in Turku \n \n \n \n Central Turku is quite small and easiest to get around on foot. Turku is easy to navigate also on bike or electric scoote r. Föli offers city bikes and e.g. Voi\, Dott and Ryde operate electric scooters. There is an extensive local bus network (going all the way to o ur nearest National Park). Bus tickets cost ca. 3-4€ and can be purchase d beforehand in an app or by card (contactless payment) on the bus. For ti metables and bus stops\, please see here. The bus stop nearest the ÅAU ca mpus\, by the Cathedral is called “Tuomiokirkkotori” and the bus stops closest to the city centre are all called “Kauppatori” (there are sev eral around the Market square). Buses do not automatically stop at every s top. Passengers wanting to get on board must wave their hand. \n \n \n \n Q&\;A on Travelling \n \n \n \n Do you recommend the train or the bus from HEL?This will depend on where your hotel is located. If in the city centre\, the bus is better. But if staying next to the train station (Sokos Hotel Kupittaa)\, the train may b e more convenient.There are buses and taxis outside the station\, so you w ill easily get into town\, but taking the bus at the airport will take you closer to the city centre directly.The bus stop for the bus taking you fr om Helsinki to Turku that is closest to your hotel will probably be at the Cathedral (Tuomiokirkko)\, but you can also go until the bus station\, wh ich is not far either.How much time is needed between my arrival at the ai rport and taking the train or bus?If the flight is on time and you are tra velling light\, with hand-luggage only\, 30-40 minutes will be enough for you to catch both options. Check the information and follow the signs.The bus/train schedule says there is a transfer/connection\, will I manage?Yes !For the train\, there will be a transfer from the commuter train to the i ntercity train in Pasila\, which is 25 minutes from the airport. The platf orms are side by side\, so it takes only a few minutes to change trains.Fo r the bus\, if there is a transfer (rare occurrence)\, the first bus will take you to the second bus and not leave before the second bus is there. T he transfer is 20-25 minutes after the departure from the airport.Should I buy my ticket in advance for the day when I arrive in Finland?It is a goo d idea to buy it in advance\; the tickets are usually cheaper when bought in advance. On the other hand\, if your flight is delayed\, you will lose the ticket. You could also wait until you land and buy the ticket online\, on your mobile phone (see the links provided above)\, when exiting the ai rcraft or while waiting for the train. And if you notice the bus/train is full when buying the ticket\, maybe you can take another option instead.Fo r the bus\, you can also buy the ticket from the bus driver. For the train \, there is a ticket machine on the platform.How about the day when I leav e Finland\, should I buy my bus/train ticket already now?You can buy it al ready before arrival. \n \n \n \n Hotels in Turku \n \n \n \n Participants are responsible for finding and booking their own accommodation. For some hotels there is a special rate\, which is mentioned for every hotel separately.Closest to ÅAU (ca 10 min walk)Scandic Julia https://www.scandichotels.fi/hotellit/suomi/turku/scand ic-julia (500 m to the campus)We are happy to offer your guests a discount on room reservations at Scandic Julia\, Scandic Hamburger Börs\, Scandic Plaza Turku and Scandic Go\, Eerikinkatu 30. Reservations can be easily m ade through the following link: BOOK WITH SCANDIC\, booking code CGRO. Thr ough the link\, guests can directly book rooms at a discounted rate.Guests can choose their preferred room type and receive an additional discount w hen paying for the reservation upon booking. The cancellation policy for i ndividual bookings depends on the booking type chosen by the guest. To con firm the reservation\, guests must provide valid credit card information. Rooms are subject to availability and should be booked 10 days before arri val at the latest. Scandic Friends members should also check for availabl e loyalty offers.Centro Hotel https://centrohotel.com/ (600 m to the campu s)Use booking code: CHARM-EU for reduced rate on the rooms. Single room 11 2EUR/night\, Double room 132EUR/night – including breakfast. Book direct ly with the Centro Hotel. Limited availability.Scandic Hamburger Börs htt ps://www.scandichotels.com/en/hotels/scandic-hamburger-bors (700 m to the campus)Use the booking code CGRO for discounted rates: https://www.scandic hotels.com/en?bookingcode=CGROSokos Hotel Wiklund https://www.sokoshotels. fi/hotellit/turku/original-sokos-hotel-wiklund (700 m to the campus)Bob W Turku City Centre https://bobw.co/locations/turkuOmena Hotelli Kauppiaskat u https://www.omenahotels.com/fi/hotellit/turku-kauppiaskatu/Ineon Hotel h ttps://ineon.fi/enCity Center (10+ min walk)Scandic Hotel Plaza https://ww w.scandichotels.fi/hotellit/suomi/turku/scandic-plaza-turkuUse the booking code CGRO for discounted rates: https://www.scandichotels.com/en?bookingc ode=CGROHelmi Hotelli https://www.hotellihelmi.fi/en-gb/homeUse booking co de: CHARM-EU for reduced rate on the rooms. Single room 89EUR/night\, Doub le room 119EUR/night – including breakfast. Book directly with the Helmi Hotelli. Limited availability.Sokos Hotel Turun Seurahuone https://www.so koshotels.fi/hotellit/turku/solo-sokos-hotel-turun-seurahuoneScandic Go\, Eerikinkatu 30 https://www.scandichotels.com/fi/hotellit/scandic-go-eeriki nkatu-30Use the booking code CGRO for discounted rates: https://www.scandi chotels.com/en?bookingcode=CGROOmena Hotelli Humalistonkatu https://www.om enahotels.com/fi/hotellit/turku-humalistonkatu/Forenum Aparthotels https:/ /www.forenom.com/aparthotels/turku/Sokos Hotel Kupittaa https://www.sokosh otels.fi/en/hotels/turku/original-sokos-hotel-kupittaa (next to the Kupitt aa train station\, not in the centre\, 1.2 kms to campus)Use booking code: BCHARMEU for reduced rate on the rooms. Single room 105EUR/night\, Double room 125EUR/night – including breakfast and sauna. Book directly with S okos Hotel Kupittaa. Limited availability\, discounted rates until Septemb er 11. \n \n \n \n Other Practical Information \n \n \n \n The eduroam WiFi is available throughout the who le campus\; you can access it using your home university login.Finland use s the euro. Cards are widely used and notes larger than 50 € may not be accepted everywhere. Contactless payment with cards is common. Some places are cash-free.In October\, it might still be relatively warm during the d aytime but the weather can be unpredictable (prepare for rain) and evening s are colder. Daytime temperatures are 10 degrees and nighttime temperatur es 5 degrees on average in southern Finland and the sun rises at 8 am and sets after 6 pm in October.Please note that some restaurants and most muse ums are closed on Mondays. Often kitchens close in restaurants around 9 or 10 pm. Some restaurants may have longer service hours during the weekends . \n \n \n \n To Do in Turku \n \n \n \n Campus walk (ÅAU Main building\, Sibelius Museum\, Juridicum\, Ar ken\, Aurum\, Astra)The history of ÅAU’s buildings: Åbo Akademi Univer sity FoundationWalk by the river (3\,5 kms between the ÅAU campus and Tur ku Castle)Turku Cathedral (closed for renovations) and AboaVetus (medieval Turku)Art museumTurku Market Hall (Kauppahalli / Saluhallen)Kakola area: shop\, brewery\, spa and restaurants in former prison and prison areaHansa shopping centre for Marimekko\, Iittala and Finnish souvenirsKui at Krist iinankatu for more local souvenirsSauna and swimmingSaaronniemiJärveläIs poisFor more information\, please see Visit Turku \n \n \n \n Questions? \n \n \n \n Pia le Grand\, CHARM-E U Manager\, pia.legrand@abo.fi\, +358 50 321 1400Harriet Klåvus\, CHARM-E U Manager\, harriet.klavus@abo.fi\, +358 46 921 6130Matias Dahlbäck\, WP1 7\, matias.dahlback@abo.fi\, +358 50 475 1515Sara Joas\, WP6\, sara.joas@a bo.fi\, +358 50 465 3965 \n \n CHARM-EU ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2026 at Åbo Akademi UniversityÅbo (Turku in Finnish) 14 October 2026VENUE FO R THE MEETINGAstra\, Porthansgatan 3\, 20500 ÅboRoom: BonfireTurku (in Fi nnish)/Åbo (in Swedish) is vibrant city of 200\,000 inhabitants and the s ixth largest city in Finland after Helsinki\, Espoo\, Tampere\, Vantaa and Oulu. Finland having two main official languages\, Turku/Åbo is official ly bilingual and 5\,2 percent of its population identify Swedish as their mother-tongue.Åbo Akademi University is the only Swedish-language multidi sciplinary academic university in Finland. The campus is located in the ol d city centre\, at a walking distance from the hotels listed in this docum ent.When speaking about the city in English\, the Finnish name Turku is us ually used\, as the majority of the inhabitants are Finnish-speaking. You will however see most names of streets in both languages\, so remember thi s when you are wondering about two very different street names/addresses i ndicating the same location!Turku is the oldest city in Finland and the fo rmer capital of the country and will celebrate its 800th anniversary in 20 29. Located on the seaside of Southwest Finland\, Turku is a regional hub for education\, culture and business and the third biggest urban area in F inland. Students make up a fifth of the city’s population.BY AIR ALL THE WAY TO TURKUTurku Airport is eight kilometres/30-minutes by local bus (li ne 1)/15 minutes by taxi from the city centre. If you can find a reasonabl e flight to Turku Airport (TKU)\, it is the most convenient option. (If yo ur arrival time to Turku Airport is after the last bus and there is no tax i to be found\, you can order one by using the service phone which is loca ted near the exit on the arrivals level of the terminal).The air companies operating in Turku are:o Finnair (through Helsinki-Vantaa Airport and Sto ckholm Arlanda)o SAS (through Copenhagen Kastrup and Stockholm Arlanda)o A ir Baltic (through Riga)o WizzAir (through Vilnius\, Gdańsk and Bucharest ) BY AIR THROUGH HELSINKI OR STOCKHOLMMany airlines operate flights to He lsinki Airport\, e.g. Finnair. From Helsinki-Vantaa Airport (HEL) you can take a bus or train to Turku. Turku–Helsinki is 166 km\; the bus or trai n will take you about 2\,5 hrs.- Bus connection from Helsinki–Vantaa Air port (Matkahuolto)Your end station would be “Turku Tuomiokirkko” or “Turku linja-autoasema = Turku bus station”.- Train connection from He lsinki–Vantaa Airport (VR)\, with a transfer in Pasila.Your end train st ation when arriving from Helsinki is “Kupittaa (Turku)” or the main st ation “Turku (City Centre\, Logomo)”. BY FERRY THROUGH STOCKHOLMFrom Stockholm there is a night ferry to Turku. You sleep on the ferry and arri ve in the Port of Turku the next morning. The ferries are operated by Viki ng Line and Silja Line.Central Turku is quite small and easiest to get aro und on foot. Turku is easy to navigate also on bike or electric scooter. F öli offers city bikes and e.g. Voi\, Dott and Ryde operate electric scoo ters. There is an extensive local bus network (going all the way to our n earest National Park). Bus tickets cost ca. 3-4€ and can be purchased be forehand in an app or by card (contactless payment) on the bus. For timeta bles and bus stops\, please see here. The bus stop nearest the ÅAU campus \, by the Cathedral is called “Tuomiokirkkotori” and the bus stops clo sest to the city centre are all called “Kauppatori” (there are several around the Market square). Buses do not automatically stop at every stop. Passengers wanting to get on board must wave their hand.Do you recommend the train or the bus from HEL?This will depend on where your hotel is loca ted. If in the city centre\, the bus is better. But if staying next to the train station (Sokos Hotel Kupittaa)\, the train may be more convenient.T here are buses and taxis outside the station\, so you will easily get into town\, but taking the bus at the airport will take you closer to the city centre directly.The bus stop for the bus taking you from Helsinki to Turk u that is closest to your hotel will probably be at the Cathedral (Tuomiok irkko)\, but you can also go until the bus station\, which is not far eith er.How much time is needed between my arrival at the airport and taking th e train or bus?If the flight is on time and you are travelling light\, wit h hand-luggage only\, 30-40 minutes will be enough for you to catch both o ptions. Check the information and follow the signs.The bus/train schedule says there is a transfer/connection\, will I manage?Yes!For the train\, th ere will be a transfer from the commuter train to the intercity train in P asila\, which is 25 minutes from the airport. The platforms are side by si de\, so it takes only a few minutes to change trains.For the bus\, if ther e is a transfer (rare occurrence)\, the first bus will take you to the sec ond bus and not leave before the second bus is there. The transfer is 20-2 5 minutes after the departure from the airport.Should I buy my ticket in a dvance for the day when I arrive in Finland?It is a good idea to buy it in advance\; the tickets are usually cheaper when bought in advance. On the other hand\, if your flight is delayed\, you will lose the ticket. You cou ld also wait until you land and buy the ticket online\, on your mobile pho ne (see the links provided above)\, when exiting the aircraft or while wai ting for the train. And if you notice the bus/train is full when buying th e ticket\, maybe you can take another option instead.For the bus\, you can also buy the ticket from the bus driver. For the train\, there is a ticke t machine on the platform.How about the day when I leave Finland\, should I buy my bus/train ticket already now?You can buy it already before arriva l.Participants are responsible for finding and booking their own accommoda tion. For some hotels there is a special rate\, which is mentioned for eve ry hotel separately.Closest to ÅAU (ca 10 min walk)Scandic Julia https:// www.scandichotels.fi/hotellit/suomi/turku/scandic-julia (500 m to the camp us)We are happy to offer your guests a discount on room reservations at Sc andic Julia\, Scandic Hamburger Börs\, Scandic Plaza Turku and Scandic Go \, Eerikinkatu 30. Reservations can be easily made through the following l ink: BOOK WITH SCANDIC\, booking code CGRO. Through the link\, guests can directly book rooms at a discounted rate.Guests can choose their preferred room type and receive an additional discount when paying for the reservat ion upon booking. The cancellation policy for individual bookings depends on the booking type chosen by the guest. To confirm the reservation\, gues ts must provide valid credit card information. Rooms are subject to availa bility and should be booked 10 days before arrival at the latest. Scandic Friends members should also check for available loyalty offers.Centro Hot el https://centrohotel.com/ (600 m to the campus)Use booking code: CHARM-E U for reduced rate on the rooms. Single room 112EUR/night\, Double room 13 2EUR/night – including breakfast. Book directly with the Centro Hotel. L imited availability.Scandic Hamburger Börs https://www.scandichotels.com/ en/hotels/scandic-hamburger-bors (700 m to the campus)Use the booking code CGRO for discounted rates: https://www.scandichotels.com/en?bookingcode=C GROSokos Hotel Wiklund https://www.sokoshotels.fi/hotellit/turku/original- sokos-hotel-wiklund (700 m to the campus)Bob W Turku City Centre https://b obw.co/locations/turkuOmena Hotelli Kauppiaskatu https://www.omenahotels.c om/fi/hotellit/turku-kauppiaskatu/Ineon Hotel https://ineon.fi/enCity Cent er (10+ min walk)Scandic Hotel Plaza https://www.scandichotels.fi/hotellit /suomi/turku/scandic-plaza-turkuUse the booking code CGRO for discounted r ates: https://www.scandichotels.com/en?bookingcode=CGROHelmi Hotelli https ://www.hotellihelmi.fi/en-gb/homeUse booking code: CHARM-EU for reduced ra te on the rooms. Single room 89EUR/night\, Double room 119EUR/night – in cluding breakfast. Book directly with the Helmi Hotelli. Limited availabil ity.Sokos Hotel Turun Seurahuone https://www.sokoshotels.fi/hotellit/turku /solo-sokos-hotel-turun-seurahuoneScandic Go\, Eerikinkatu 30 https://www. scandichotels.com/fi/hotellit/scandic-go-eerikinkatu-30Use the booking cod e CGRO for discounted rates: https://www.scandichotels.com/en?bookingcode= CGROOmena Hotelli Humalistonkatu https://www.omenahotels.com/fi/hotellit/t urku-humalistonkatu/Forenum Aparthotels https://www.forenom.com/aparthotel s/turku/Sokos Hotel Kupittaa https://www.sokoshotels.fi/en/hotels/turku/or iginal-sokos-hotel-kupittaa (next to the Kupittaa train station\, not in t he centre\, 1.2 kms to campus)Use booking code: BCHARMEU for reduced rate on the rooms. Single room 105EUR/night\, Double room 125EUR/night – incl uding breakfast and sauna. Book directly with Sokos Hotel Kupittaa. Limite d availability\, discounted rates until September 11.The eduroam WiFi is a vailable throughout the whole campus\; you can access it using your home u niversity login.Finland uses the euro. Cards are widely used and notes lar ger than 50 € may not be accepted everywhere. Contactless payment with c ards is common. Some places are cash-free.In October\, it might still be r elatively warm during the daytime but the weather can be unpredictable (pr epare for rain) and evenings are colder. Daytime temperatures are 10 degre es and nighttime temperatures 5 degrees on average in southern Finland and the sun rises at 8 am and sets after 6 pm in October.Please note that som e restaurants and most museums are closed on Mondays. Often kitchens close in restaurants around 9 or 10 pm. Some restaurants may have longer servic e hours during the weekends.Campus walk (ÅAU Main building\, Sibelius Mus eum\, Juridicum\, Arken\, Aurum\, Astra)The history of ÅAU’s buildings: Åbo Akademi University FoundationWalk by the river (3\,5 kms between the ÅAU campus and Turku Castle)Turku Cathedral (closed for renovations) and AboaVetus (medieval Turku)Art museumTurku Market Hall (Kauppahalli / Salu hallen)Kakola area: shop\, brewery\, spa and restaurants in former prison and prison areaHansa shopping centre for Marimekko\, Iittala and Finnish s ouvenirsKui at Kristiinankatu for more local souvenirsSauna and swimmingSa aronniemiJärveläIspoisFor more information\, please see Visit TurkuPia l e Grand\, CHARM-EU Manager\, pia.legrand@abo.fi\, +358 50 321 1400Harriet Klåvus\, CHARM-EU Manager\, harriet.klavus@abo.fi\, +358 46 921 6130Matia s Dahlbäck\, WP17\, matias.dahlback@abo.fi\, +358 50 475 1515Sara Joas\, WP6\, sara.joas@abo.fi\, +358 50 465 3965 CATEGORIES:CHARM-EU event,Governance,Research,Teaching LOCATION:Astra\, Åbo Akademi University\, Porthaninkatu 3\, Turku\, 20500\ , Finland X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Porthaninkatu 3\, Turku\, 2 0500\, Finland;X-APPLE-RADIUS=100;X-TITLE=Astra\, Åbo Akademi University: geo:0,0 END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR