General moderation: Amanda Crowfoot, EUA Secretary General

08.30-09.00 Onsite registration and welcome coffee

09.00-09.15 Introductory speech by Amanda Crowfoot, EUA Secretary General 

09.15-09.45 Academic perspectives on present and future of transnational university cooperation

• Jeroen Huisman, Professor for Higher Education, Ghent University, Belgium
• Liviu Matei, Professor of Higher Education and Public Policy, King’s College, London, UK

Moderation: Irina Ferencz, Director, Academic Cooperation Association (ACA)

09.45-10.45 Panel 1 – Purposes, current formats, frameworks and challenges

Transnational collaboration is a key feature of the European university landscape, and it takes many different forms from student mobility to small scale collaboration projects, peer-to-peer research collaboration to fully fledged multilateral partnerships like the alliances under the European Universities Initiative.

Transnational university collaboration is also a big focus of European level policy discussions in the context of the European Strategy for Universities and the Bologna Process and there are many policy goals attached to it. But what are the academic purposes and added value and how can we make sure they are kept in focus and balanced with political goals? Diverse formats also come with different needs and challenges. What are these challenges and are current frameworks fit for purpose to support these diverse formats of collaboration?

After showcasing concrete examples of collaboration, these questions will be discussed together with university and student representatives as well as policy makers.

Speakers:
• Michael Murphy, President, European University Association
• Kathleen O’Connor, Vice-President for International and European Networks, University of Lille, France
• Matteo Vespa, President, European Students Union
• Sophia Eriksson-Waterschoot, Director for Youth, Education and Erasmus+, Directorate General for Education and Culture, European Commission

Moderation: Anna-Lena Claeys-Kulik, Deputy Director for Policy Coordination and Foresight, EUA

10.45-11.15 Coffee break

11.15-12.15 Panel 2 – Future prospects and international outlook

The world is changing rapidly as we are sliding from the pandemic into a major geopolitical crisis that ultimately also affects universities and the way they collaborate in Europe and beyond. What does the future hold for transnational collaboration and where do we want to go? Is crisis the new normal? Will universities be able to remain globally connected or will we see a refocusing of partnerships due to political constraints? What does this mean for higher education and research? These questions will be discussed in session 2 together with representatives from universities, the EU institutions and other stakeholders.

Speakers
• Verena Blechinger-Talcott, Vice-President for International Affairs, Free University of Berlin
• Marcello Scalisi, Director, Mediterranean Universities Union (UNIMED)
• Martina Hartl, Deputy Head of Department for International Research Cooperation and Science Diplomacy, Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research, Austria and Member of the ERA Subgroup on the Global Approach to R&I cooperation
• Martin Penny, Head of Unit for International Cooperation, Europe, Americas and thematic coherence, Directorate General for Research and Innovation, European Commission

Moderation: Thomas Jørgensen, Director for Policy Coordination

12.15-12.30 Wrap-up and closing by Amanda Crowfoot, Secretary General, EUA

12.30-13.30 Lunch