30th UNICA IRO Meeting | Tallinn University, 10-12 December 2025

International Relations Officers from UNICA member universities are invited to take part in the annual UNICA IRO meeting “Strategic Internationalisation: Navigating Diplomacy, Partnerships, and Intercultural Competence in a Changing World“, which will be kindly hosted by Tallinn University, 10-12 December 2025, and will mark an important milestone as the IRO group celebrates its 30th founding anniversary in 2025!

Registration is closed

Schedule

• Day 0 – 10 December: Welcome reception
• Day 1 – 11 December: Full day programme, social programme and 30th anniversary of the IRO Group dinner
• Day 2 – 12 December: half-day programme (until 2:00pm approx., including the farewell lunch)

Theme of the meeting and key discussion areas

“Strategic Internationalisation: Navigating Diplomacy, Partnerships, and Intercultural Competence in a Changing World“

In an era of increasing global complexity, the role of International Relations Officers (IROs) extends beyond traditional mobility and programme management. It is becoming a strategic and diplomatic function, crucial for institutional growth and reputation. This theme builds on the foundations of the 2024 meeting’s focus on “Building the Ideal International Relations Office,” moving the conversation forward to the “why” and “who” of international cooperation. Tallinn University, with its leadership’s proactive approach to internationalisation and its establishment of broad global connections, is uniquely positioned to host a discussion on this topic. This theme will allow participants to explore how UNICA members can leverage strategic partnerships to achieve institutional goals, while also fostering a deeper understanding of the diplomatic and cultural nuances involved.

Key Discussion Areas:

1. The Strategic Imperative: Why institutions choose to cooperate with specific partners.
   • Identifying institutional priorities and aligning internationalisation efforts.
   • Developing a strategic roadmap for global engagement.
   • Case studies on successful university-to-university delegations and network-building.
2. The Diplomatic Dimension: The IRO as a diplomatic actor.
   • Understanding the role of higher education in public and cultural diplomacy.
   • Negotiating and maintaining complex international agreements.
   • Navigating geopolitical factors in international partnerships.
3. Workshop: “Improving Intercultural Communication and Inclusivity in Professional Settings”.

Documents

• Programme
• Briefing of the sessions
• List of participants
• Biographies of speakers and chairs and abstracts
• Practical information

Target group

Heads and Senior Officers of International Relations Offices from UNICA Member Universities 

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