Anniversary annual meeting in Bologna
10 June 2025
This week, the Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna hosts the 2025 Coimbra Group Annual Conference and General Assembly, celebrating 40 years of the Coimbra Group. With the theme “Forty Years of Impact: Universities and Cities Shaping a Sustainable Future”, the event brings together almost 300 representatives from all our member universities, to reflect on four decades of collaboration and innovation in European higher education.
A major highlight of this year’s Assembly is the renewed focus on two foundational pillars of the network: the Poitiers Declaration and the newly launched Durham Declaration. While the Poitiers Declaration underlines the vital link between universities and their cities in fostering social, cultural, and economic development, the Durham Declaration focuses on the pressing need for climate action and sustainability leadership in higher education.
During the open conference on Environmental Challenges (11 June, 14:30 CEST), participants will explore the outcomes of the Durham-led initiatives and hear from the Coimbra Group Climate Symposium 2025. A dedicated session on sustainability – developed in partnership with Durham University – will showcase how academic institutions can be drivers of environmental transformation.
The second open conference, “Empowering Local and Global Communities: From the Poitiers Declaration to the Future” (12 June, 11:30 CEST), will bring together rectors and city mayors in a high-level roundtable to discuss the evolving university-city alliance and how these partnerships can inspire global models of inclusive growth and shared responsibility.
The programme also features:
– Meetings of the very dynamic 12 Working Groups
– The 3 Minute Thesis (3MT) Live Final
– An Open Session on the European Universities Alliances focused on social responsibility
– Opportunities for peer exchange between Erasmus Student Network and CG contact points
Livestreams of key sessions will be available via the University of Bologna’s official YouTube channel, allowing participants across Europe and beyond to join in. You will find here all the sessions which will be livestreamed.
As we look ahead to the next 40 years, this week is not just a celebration – it’s a call to action!