UNICA outlines its umbrella role for European university alliances during ESN’s Erasmus Generation Meeting in Seville | Read the report!

11 April 2024 | From UNICA

On April 11th -14th 2024, UNICA attended ESN’s Erasmus Generation Meeting in Seville, the biggest conference where the Erasmus Generation meets to learn and discuss the future of mobility in Europe and beyond.

The theme of this year’s edition was the future of mobility – Erasmus+ programme 2021-2027. The topics addressed at the conference were closely connected to digitalisation, environmental sustainability, inclusion, and democratic participation. With 1600 attendees and 180 volunteers, this was the largest ever student event in Europe year, marking a momentous occasion for the EGM.

UNICA was invited to speak at the panel discussion “Be part of the co-creation process of the European University Initiatives”. The panel aimed to provide a comprehensive exploration of the challenges, opportunities, and aspirations influencing the future of European universities to participants of the EGM. Along with Brian Talty, UNICA’s Advocacy and Policy Officer, the panel included Melih Oezkardes of ENHANCE Alliance, Daniel Santos, Vice Rector at Oviedo University and INGENIUM Alliance, Rocío Martínez de Pablos of Ulysseus Alliance, and Philipp Höhne, President of ESN Berlin.

During the session, UNICA outlined its role as that of a network being an umbrella organisation for Alliances, a role that assists alliances and universities to foster collaboration and networking within higher education. Rather than directly engaging in implementation processes, UNICA aims to address shared challenges like alliance fatigue and amplifying common objectives such as tackling urban challenges across multiple alliances and the network.

This and other conclusions from the session have been compiled in a short report about the event. The report is elucidating to understand how UNICA has been positioning itself in relation to European university alliances. In also sheds a light on the relevance of student involvement in university governance.

UNICA is grateful for ESN’s invitation to participate in this event and to be part of the conversation on the European university alliances!

More about UNICA and ESN

UNICA and ESN have a longstanding history of working together to promote academic excellence, facilitate student mobility, and address shared challenges in the ever-evolving landscape of higher education. Nonetheless, in more recent years, UNICA has committed to deepen the focus on student engagement for its member universities. This commitment was crystallised with the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding between ESN and UNICA, during the inaugural UNICA Days conference in Brussels, in February 2024. This MoU serves as a testament to the commitment of both parties to elevate their partnership to a formalised and strategic level, recognising the significance of collaborative efforts in the pursuit of educational and research excellence.