Scientific collaboration with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) presents both opportunities and challenges to European universities. While cooperation with China is intense and appreciated in many areas, concerns about China’s motives, a growing awareness of dependencies, as well as political pressure have contributed to discussions on how Europe should position itself vis-à-vis Chinese partners. Caught between a desire to expand research collaboration, knowledge sharing and scientific freedom on the one hand and mindfulness of reputational risks and public scrutiny on the other, European higher education institutions (HEIs) today face significant trade-offs in their collaborations with Chinese partners, particularly in fields deemed sensitive for dual use.
Against this background, the China Competence Centre of the University of Würzburg (CCCUW) and the Coimbra Group (CG) Global Partnerships Working Group invite colleagues from CG Universities to learn about the current state of EU-China relations among HEIs, to exchange experiences with related national and EU policies, and to discuss ways ahead that allow universities to continue cooperation while raising awareness and mitigating risks.
The four panels on 1) developments of EU-China relations, 2) S&T education and science diplomacy, 3) national strategies to deal with Chinese HEIs and 4) Coimbra Group universities’ approaches to cooperating with China, offer significant opportunities to share practices across Europe.
The conference will be held on Thursday 29 February and Friday 1 March 2024 at the Burkardushaus in Würzburg, Germany.
To register for this conference, please send an e-mail at chinacentre@uni-wuerzburg.de with your name, affiliation, and the number of participants.
Should you require support in finding accommodation or have questions related to the conference programme, do not hesitate to contact the CCCUW at the e-mail provided for registration.
In the lead up to the new academic year, the members of the Executive Board met in Turku where EU and worldwide experts debated the future of Europe at the city’s renowned annual “Europe Forum”. The board reflected on new initiatives and strategic priorities for the Coimbra Group (CG) in 2023-2024. We looked back to the past year, and forward to ongoing EU policy developments that are expected to impact on our universities. We tried to focus on CG’s identity and approach to defining the specific contribution we can commit to provide.
With the European elections (6-9 June 2024) just around the corner, the academic year 2023-2024 will undoubtedly bring about change and some uncertainties. We would like to see the challenges at stake for universities – hence for the future of our societies as a whole – prioritised in the upcoming electoral debates and programmes.
September saw the following two important new appointments:
Iliana Ivanova was appointed as new European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth.
Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen took over as the new Director-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture at the European Commission.
We very much look forward to the opportunity to meeting both of them very soon and we hope to develop the same level of trust and engagement as was the case with their predecessors.
Very importantly for all our communities, a political agreement was eventually reached towards the association of the United Kingdom (UK) to Horizon Europe and Copernicus, a highly welcomed decision. We firmly believe that these possibilities for enhanced cooperation across the Channel will strengthen both programmes. And it is our hope that UK universities one day get reintegrated back into the Erasmus+ programme as well.
The political changes in the European Parliament and European Commission next year will occur amidst intense negotiations on the next EU multi-annual financial framework (MFF 2028-2034) and parallel discussions on the shape of the future funding instruments, Erasmus+ and the next framework programme for research and innovation (FP10). By leveraging the power and reach of the Coimbra Group, it is our priority to inform and convince EU policymakers to commit to bold decisions for education and research.
In 2023-2024 we will also further internally reflect on the evaluation of the potential evolution of the network, preparing for celebrations of CG’s 40th anniversary in the year 2025.
Considering this analysis and after consultation with the Rectors’ Advisory Group, it was agreed that the Executive Board will focus this year on three sets of priorities:
Play the role of a scientific scene-setter of themes and articulate a solid vision in societal engagement and open science
Two topics come to the fore when assessing CG’s own identity and strengths:
–Civic and societal engagement: with the adoption of the Poitiers Declaration back in 2016, CG has been a pioneer of emphasizing the role of the University in the City. In the context of the European elections, CG will continue to foster activities that contribute to strengthen universities’ engagement with society and universities’ social responsibility, with the view to promote a more holistic approach of excellence in higher education.
– Open Science: we want CG to play an active role in shaping the emerging understanding of ‘excellence’ in the context of Universities and Open Science. The High-Level Seminar on Research Policy that we are organising on 13-14 November in Brussels is an important first step in this area.
Help shaping and pioneering EU policies that are relevant for its members:
Coimbra Group will continue to intensify its presence and influence in the following European policy-making processes and initiatives, as well as its contribution to the development of the following programmes:
–EU Multi-Annual Financial Framework (MFF)
–European Education Area (EEA)
–European Research Area (ERA): continuation of the implementation of the eight ERA Policy Actions to which CG has committed
–European Strategy for Universities
–European Universities Initiative
–Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe
–Research Careers and Research Assessment: participation in the new CoARA Working Group on Multilingualism and Linguistic Biases.
–Impact of Brexit on academic and scientific cooperation with the UK and further efforts on strengthening cooperation with Switzerland
–International cooperation: increased engagement of CG Development Cooperation and Latin America Working Groups in bi-regional policy dialogues.
Drive CG’s internal development through new initiatives:
– We aim to deepen our connection to CG members and the professional communities we represent. In that respect, 2023-2024 will see the launch of two pilot calls for the allocation of targeted funding to Coimbra Group Working Groups. This new initiative will also fulfil the longstanding objective to enhance inter-WGs cooperation.
– We will provide space for continuing the discussions on the future of the network initiated at the General Assembly in Cologne in June 2023. The aim is to reach a consensus on our collective vision ahead of the celebrations of CG’s 40th anniversary in 2025. This year we will also make proposals about membership enlargement.
As we conclude this editorial, we have special thoughts for the Ukrainian academic and student community who are beginning the first semester of 2023-2024 under conditions of war and conflict for the second consecutive year, and we would like to extend our best wishes to all those who have suffered through this terrible time.
To all colleagues and friends, and to all our readers, we wish you the best for this academic year and we look forward to seeing you around at one of the many Coimbra Group’s meetings and events taking place these coming months.
From 14 to 15 September 2023 in Barcelona, the Spanish Ministry of Universities organized the second Forum of European Universities Alliances as part of the official programme of the Spanish Presidency of the EU Council. The objective was to contribute to the development of the European Universities Initiative (EUI). This outstanding event gathered more than 400 higher education actors of which 70% represented an Alliance, but also Member States, national authorities, student organisations and higher education networks. The event was held in presence of the Commission’s Vice-President Margaritis Schinas, Spanish Universities Minister Joan Subirats and French Higher Education and Research Minister Sylvie Retailleau, who have unanimously applauded the progress so far, and called for greater steps forward.
The Forum offered a space for stimulating discussions and networking around important issues currently facing the Alliances. Coimbra Group had the pleasure of preparing and moderating two panel discussions: the session on the EUI’s monitoring framework, managed by EB Chair Ludovic Thilly, also coordinator of FOREU2 and the EC2U Alliance, while the session on the Alliances’ external dimension and their cooperation with partners from third countries, was chaired by Director Emmanuelle Gardan.
Other topics addressed at the Forum include, inter alia, the Alliances’ financial sustainability, their R&I activities, and their social dimension. Noteworthy this was also the first time that all pilot projects currently co-funded by the Commission for the experimentation of a future European Degree label, and for developing recommendations on a European legal status for the Alliances, were on stage together, presenting their respective objectives and state of play. The Forum organisers have announced that the recordings and the main outcomes of the sessions, as well as the photo gallery, would be available on the Forum’s official website shortly.
The success of this Forum, held only one year after the first edition was initiated by the French Presidency of the EU Council in June 2022 in Versailles, is a testimony of the growing importance and influence of the Alliances and how they are contributing to shape the ever-changing landscape of institutional transnational cooperation in Europe. Coimbra Group members have embraced the European Universities Initiative wholeheartedly and now find themselves as frontrunners of these major transformations in the sector, as was reflected in Barcelona by their participation as speakers or moderators in many sessions of the Forum. As repeatedly said during the event, it will be of key importance that EU Members States, with the active support of the Commission, maintain the momentum, step up reform efforts in areas where progress is still needed and secure the necessary funding to reach the ambitious political goals.
We therefore look forward to the Forum’s third edition, hoping that it will mark another milestone in celebrating key new achievements for the EUI. At the Coimbra Group we will continue fostering internal dialogue and critical reflection among our membership on the further development of the EUI, as well as gathering the experience from the eight Alliances with CG members, to provide further input to policy makers and ensure the universities’ transformational potential and efforts are recognised and supported appropriately. Of the forty Coimbra Group member universities, thirty-five now form part of an Alliance. Furthermore, five Alliances have set up a framework of cooperation with the Coimbra Group through associated partnership status (ARQUS, CHARM-EU, Circle U., EC2U and Una Europa).
The Coimbra Group Research Support Officers Working Group (RSO WG) is organising, in partnership with our member Charles University Prague, two different events with focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI), on 22-23 November 2023.
On the 23 November, Charles University Prague will host the Conference “Responsible Use of AI in Universities”. The full-day event will cover topics such as Machine Translation and Conversational Agents, Natural Language Generation for Local Languages, Deepfakes and AI-generated misinformation, Ethics of AI and AI Policy in the European Context. At the end of the day, the Future of Responsible AI in Universities will be the topic for a panel discussion. You can find the draft programme for the conference here. Attendance to the conference is free but registration is mandatory through this link.
An Educational workshop on ChatGPT and other text generators will take place in the afternoon of the day before, 22 November, for a limited audience. This session will focus on an introduction to the context of AI and text generators, a broad overview of the potential of ChatGPT and other text generators (e.g. Bing Chat, Bard, Claude) and a glimpse of other useful AI applications (such as image and video generators, voice synthesis…). Priority is given to the members of the Research Support Officers Working Group.
Coimbra Group Social Sciences and Humanities Working Group’s seminar Jagiellonian University, Krakow 16-17.11.2023
Global warming and climate change are one of the most important topics of contemporary debates and activities. They bring together international institutions, national governments and local activists. Although climate change appeared as a political issue only in the 1970s the phenomenon has been known for centuries and its impact on civilisation has been studied by generations of scholars. The current changes in the environment caused by human activity lead to unprecedented changes both in their scope and pace. Studies on climate change entered all major disciplines of science but also became a broadly discussed public issue since ecological grief became a widespread psychological consequence of the changes. During the seminar, the climate crisis will be approached from the perspective of the Humanities and Social Sciences. Each of the panels will be preceded by a short keynote lecture. The event is free and there is no registration needed.
The Coimbra Group welcomes the announcement of a long-awaited political agreement between the European Commission (EC) and the United Kingdom (UK) government paving the way for UK’s association to Horizon Europe as well as to Copernicus Earth Observation programme.
We are delighted that UK researchers will be able to fully participate in the Horizon Europe programme on the same terms as other associated countries. From the 2024 Work Programmes and onwards UK researchers will be eligible to lead consortia. For calls from the 2023 Work Programmes, the EC will continue to administer transitional arrangements and the UK will continue to provide funding under the UK Guarantee.
Ludovic Thilly, Executive Board Chair declares: “Finally, common sense and collective interest have prevailed. In times of multiple crises such as those we are living through, open international research collaboration has never been so essential. We will now do everything we can to support Coimbra Group members in resuming smooth cooperation across the Channel for the sake of excellent research. Given its place among scientific nations, it is also an important step that the UK can soon take part in the discussions about the next framework programme and post-2027 research priorities.”
The Coimbra Group, which brings together 40 long-established European multidisciplinary universities including 3 in the UK, the University of Bristol, Durham University and the University of Edinburgh, has long been calling for a swift agreement on the association of both the UK and Switzerland to Horizon Europe.
Traumata and Intentional Memory: Reconciliation Resources for our European Union
BIP in Jena, Germany – March 11-22, 2024 (Virtual Week: March 11th-15th/Week in Jena: March 18th-22nd)
This intensive two-week Spring course in the field of Peace and Conflict Studies is hosted at the Friedrich Schiller University in Jena, Germany, and intended for Masters-level students from participating universities in the Coimbra Group’s CGMIPCS Network. It is an ERASMUS+ supported Blended Intensive Programme – BIP – focusing on Memory Studies: Peace, Conflict and Transformation, and organized by scholars at the MA program for Applied Ethics and Conflict Management and the Jena Center for Reconciliation Studies (JCRS).
Course Goals, Content, and Structure: Historical trauma impacts current political and intergroup conflict situations in obvious and subtle ways. This course provides a survey of recent interdisciplinary scholarship regarding how the past impacts our present. There is special attention given to the European context regarding how we continue to interpret traumatic events and how the narratives of those events impact our contemporary political union. This short, intensive programme combines mixed mobility (one week virtual and one week physical) with learning activities for students, academics, and staff. The experience includes a guided field trip to the Buchenwald Memorial and reflections upon how Holocaust remembrance impacts the European social situation. The summer course enables scientific exchange and collaborative projects as well as brings academic activities in the field of reconciliation studies closer to the partner university communities; fostering knowledge of theories, methods and practices related to the field.
Course Credits: The course counts as 5 ECTS. Activity hours include 60 total hours, 30 hours per virtual or physical week. Prior preparation for course includes reading of provided literature. Qualification for the ECTS requires participants to attend all parts of the course. Allocation of credits is in line with students’ home university’s rules and procedures.
Call for participation of scholars: Organizers of this event welcome participation of scholars from partner universities to share their substantial knowledge in various disciplines such as political science, philosophy, psychology, history, and sociology. This offers an innovative and exciting forum to debate the theoretical, empirical, and methodological issues central to a collaborative understanding of reconciliation. DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS IS NOVEMBER 1st, 2023 (but we offer flexibility with later dates in case there are further interested persons who would like to jump in after the basic program is set).
Students – Application process: students from the partner universities must apply directly through their own universities. Students can apply by sending a transcript of academic records and a motivational letter to their university’s contact person. Please consult with your home university’s International Office regarding the possibility to receive an additional ERASMUS+ grant for travel and other daily expenses. DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS IS JANUARY 31ST, 2024.
Rector Jacek Popiel, Jagiellonian University in Krakow
The current year has been declared the Year of Nicolaus Copernicus in Poland. This decision was made to honour the 550th anniversary of birth of a figure thoroughly deserving recognition for science, whose achievements undoubtedly transcended the horizons of his own era.
A special place in the calendar of events accompanying the celebration of this jubilee is reserved for the World Copernican Congress, an international scientific event organized by three Polish universities: Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Jagiellonian University in Krakow and the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn. I say “international”, because scientists from almost every corner of the globe, representing leading scientific and academic institutions from Australia, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Luxembourg, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, and Italy, have chosen to pay tribute by their presence.
Scheduled for almost the entire year of 2023, the World Copernican Congress (the “Krakow” part took place between May 24 and 26) represents an attempt to encompass Nicolaus Copernicus’ heterogeneous and multidisciplinary work from the broadest possible perspective. It allows for the exploration of themes and aspects beyond just the astronomical, such as economic, social, philosophical, historical, literary, and artistic dimensions.
However, the World Copernican Congress primarily serves as a reminder of the never-fading relevance of Nicolaus Copernicus’ original and timeless ideas. Simultaneously, it highlights that groundbreaking concepts leading to paradigmatic shifts and transformations in the realm of science often result from both intellectual independence and genius (understood as a particular mental disposition) as well as from the specific qualities of individuals: their boldness, tenacity, non-conformity, and even audacious courage. Only such a personality is capable of overcoming social and environmental ostracism. As history shows in numerous scientific cases, discoveries challenging established beliefs can sometimes subject their authors and continuators to painful persecutions.
I have absolutely no doubt that Copernicus, confined to his private workshop atop a tower in the picturesque seaside town of Frombork, would never have presented his monumental, groundbreaking work “De revolutionibus orbium coelestium” to the world if he had lacked the courage of a true scientist. Moreover, he probably would not have done so, had he not travelled across late-Renaissance Europe (studying at the University of Krakow, the University of Bologna and the University of Padua – all three Coimbra Group Universities, and obtaining doctorate at the University of Ferrara), and had he not possessed a unique gifted mind, delving into medicine, economics, philosophy, and military art parallel with his pursuits of astronomy.
After so many years, it is worth exploring the mysteries of Nicolaus Copernicus unique biography to find the origins of ideas – ideas that were considered heretical by many of his contemporaries – which changed the order of the world forever.
Vice-Chancellor Anders Hagfeldt, Uppsala University
The Swedish EU presidency can probably be best described as efficient and unglamorous. Run on a shoestring budget, with most meetings located at Arlanda airport, it focused on making progress on EU legislation (migration, data, AI, climate) – and quite successfully so. In the areas of research and education, where there was no legislation in the pipeline, the Presidency picked up on strategic, forward-looking discussions. If there were a main problematique to these discussions, it was openness, or rather the calibration of Europe’s openness to the world.
Openness is top of my mind as a rector, as it touches upon the fundamental issues of academic freedom and academic responsibility. Let me illustrate by considering the Presidency’s achievements.
At their meeting on 23 May, EU research ministers staked out the agenda on Open Publishing, calling for immediate and unrestricted open access in publishing research involving public funds. The Lund Declaration, adopted on 20 June, reaffirmed the importance of Open Science practices in the research process and data infrastructures. Rightly so!
Research ministers also held the first ever EU debate on responsible internationalization, launching the slogan: As open as possible, as secure as necessary. In the debate, knowledge security featured prominently, illustrated by host of security-driven restrictions planned or implemented in different member states. On 23 June, the European Commission threw its weight behind this agenda; in its communication on Economic Security, it talks about knowledge leakage and the particular need to control knowledge relating to security critical technology.
Now the tension in this agenda is obvious: if we are to publish everything openly there is bound to be “leakage”, whatever that means. However, we also need to acknowledge that there are conflicting aims that need managing. After all, as academic leaders, we balance conflicting aims every day, for instance by promoting international mobility while simultaneously seeking to reduce our carbon footprint. Balancing openness against security is no different, but it requires both vigilance and strategy.
We need to be particularly vigilant regarding how openness is calibrated. On substance, any new measure needs to be proportional, and not go beyond what is required for the stated aims, while respecting academic freedom. On procedure, any new measures needs to be introduced in dialogue, acknowledging the principle of academic responsibility. Political interference in academic freedom and academic responsibility is not acceptable.
Our longer-term strategy needs to be to educate policy-makers. Few deny the point and value of expanding the boundaries of human knowledge. However, not many understand the efforts and conditions required to do so effectively. For instance, despite its tremendously successful track-record, the European Research Council feels under constant attack by those that do not understand the point of it being independent.
As educators we need the energy and courage to consistently restate the value of basic research, while also mobilizing support from others beyond the academic community. The EU is a hugely important platform for this endeavor. We rely on the Coimbra Group and others to help us mobilize and express the need and requirements for basic research.
Ceterum censeo: I want to thank the Coimbra Group for its firm reaction to the Swedish government’s proposal to shorten the mandate of university board members. This issue is still not resolved, and I maintain the view that the change is misguided and ineffective.
The Coimbra Group, together with other major research organisations, has endorsed a joint statement raising concern about threats to academic freedom and institutional autonomy in Israel if the proposed judicial reforms proceed:
Freedom and Autonomy of Science and Research in Israel
Scientific collaboration with Israel, a leading nation in research and innovation, is essential to us. In the light of decades of inspiring intellectual exchange and the special relationship between research organisations in our countries, we feel compelled to take a stand on recent developments that can negatively affect international cooperation. In particular, we share concerns of our colleagues and friends in Israel that the current judicial reform plans endanger academic freedom and may greatly restrict our joint scientific and innovative potential. We firmly believe that freedom of research and autonomy of academic institutions are essential for the continued prosperity of societies in Israel, Germany and worldwide.
On 24 July 2023, the Israeli parliament approved a key piece of the controversial judicial reform, passing a bill that sharply curtails the Supreme Court’s authority. The elimination of the “reasonableness” standard fills the Israeli researchers and scholars with great concern. Further signatories of the statement are welcome.
Please find here the official page of the statement.
Professor Jean-Marie Boisson
It is with deep sadness that we inform you of the death of Professor Jean-Marie Boisson, who passed away on 20 July 2023. Prof. Boisson notably served the Coimbra Group as Executive Board member for two full terms (2005-2013) and he continued contributing to the activities of the group regularly for a long time.
He was Emeritus Professor of Economics at the University of Montpellier and a Jean Monnet Chair-holder. His fields of specialization were environmental economics, agricultural policy and European economic integration. Prof. Boisson has made huge contributions to the development of the Coimbra Group and was highly esteemed by everyone in the network.
To view the online obituary and to share your condolences, please visit this website.
The Coimbra Group community extends heartfelt condolences to Prof. Boisson’s family and friends during this very difficult time.
The Latin America Working Group (LAWG) participated in the event organised by the European Commission, with the support of a Steering Group of Civil Society Organisations (CSO) titled “EU-Latin America and the Caribbean Forum: Partners in Change” in advance of the EU-CELAC Summit where EU leaders and leaders from the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).
The event was aimed to engage civil society in dialogue and deliberation together with representatives from international organisations from both regions. Due to the close collaboration established between the CG LAWG and EU-LAC, Prof Soledad Garcia Ferrari was invited to participate from a panel titled “Partnerships and Multi-Stakeholders’ Engagements: Democracy, Knowledge, Gender Equality and Just Transitions”, and the “EU-Latin America and the Caribbean Forum: Partners in Change.”
The panel showcased the results of the fora organised by EU-LAC over the past year and presented the recommendations and opportunities identified during the previous events. Prof Garcia Ferrari focused on the results from the Knowledge Forum, which took place in Montevideo last April. She stressed that “there is an opportunity to carve out distinctive development pathways, through education, research, innovation and policy development, and create fulfilling work that steer a sustainable and productive path for LAC. However, we need to shift economic, political and social frameworks.”
“A decolonial approach will be essential to challenge and transform unequal power dynamics, promote social justice, and respect the self-determination and agency of Latin American countries and communities”
Chair of the Coimbra Group Latin America Working Group Mara Constantinescu (University of Leiden), with Mario Torres Jarrín, director of the Institute of European Studies and Human Rights (UPSA) and Hans Egil Offerdal (University of Bergen). Photo: Universidad de Alcalá.
From 6-8 July, representatives from the Latin America Working Group (LAWG) participated at the 5th LAC-EU Permanent Academic Forum (FAP-ALC-UE) hosted by the Universidad de Alcalá (UAH) in Spain. The delegation consisted of the Chair of LAWG Mara Constantinescu (University of Leiden), M. Cristina Sanz (University of Barcelona) and Hans Egil Offerdal (University of Bergen).
The forum focused on a range of themes, such as the shared challenges for Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe with respect to climate change, economy, and democracy. A rectors’ roundtable explored challenges and opportunities around the creation of a common space for higher education, science, technology, and innovation. A session on the role of universities in promoting a culture of peace included valuable reflections from the former Director-General of UNESCO, Federico Mayor.
From LAWG, Mara Constantinescu contributed with a presentation titled: “Development: the role of education in present and future EU-LAC relations”, where she challenged the dominant concept of development and argued that universities must create just and inclusive ‘knowledge spaces’, while never forgetting the commitment of universities to serve the needs of marginalised sectors of society. Academia should always have a community outlook, and universities in Europe have much to learn from Latin America, she stated.
During the days of the meetings, LAWG representatives held bilateral meetings and conversations with various actors attending the event, such as with representatives from the Institute of European Studies and Human Rights at the Pontifical University of Salamanca (UPSA), and the Latin American Caribbean Centre at The University of the West Indies.
Julien Bobineau, Chair Development Cooperation Working Group, University of Jena
From July 4 to 7, 2023, the Conference of Rectors, Vice Chancellors & Presidents of African University (COREVIP), was held in Namibia under the title “Advancing Excellence in African Higher Education”, organized by the Association of African Universities (AAU). In addition to important African and European HEI organizations, the Coimbra Group was also represented on site by the Chair of the Development Cooperation Working Group (DC WG), Julien Bobineau. Besides substantive discussions, workshops, and an education fair with over 800 participants from Africa, Europe, Asia and Latin America, the focus was on the launch of the “Africa Charter for Transformative Research Collaborations”. The Charter aims to establish a new era of equitable South-North and South-South collaboration based on African intellectual thought and to foster African perspectives on research, development, and funding. The document was signed during an official ceremony by various stakeholders, including the Coimbra Group.
The four-day conference focused on topics such as Strategy Development for Advancing Excellence in African HEI, Open Science Policy Dialogues, Research Publishing Strategies, and Research Leadership. A highlight of the conference was the launch and signing of the “Africa Charter for Transformative Research Collaborations”, a joint endeavour of Africa’s major higher education bodies and networks, including the AAU, the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA), the Inter-University Council for Eastern Africa (IUCEA), the Association of West African Universities (AWAU), the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA), and the African Academy of Sciences (AAS).
The Charter defines key principles for transformative research collaboration and sets out broad aspirations for change in policy and regulatory frameworks – by HEI and networks, funders, research and HEI assessment bodies, publishers, governments, and international science policy bodies – to establish such a collaboration mode as best and standard. Measures are proposed to reduce global imbalances, such as longer-term programs of Africa-led research on priorities identified in the continent, the centring on African languages at every stage of knowledge production and the initial critical examination and acknowledgement of collaborators’ epistemic positions. From HEIs and HE networks like the Coimbra Group it is expected that they align their organizational policies, guidelines, and internal funding to actively require, enable and reward debate and learning activities on research collaboration.
The Coimbra Group, and its member universities, have a long tradition of cooperation with the African continent in education and in research. The launch of the Charter fits perfectly with the strategic orientation of the DC WG, which aims to dismantle Eurocentric approaches in global cooperation with HEIs in Africa and other parts of the world. Serious orientation towards the ideas, views and needs of our partners outside Europe has always been one of the main concerns of the DC WG and the Coimbra Group as a whole. Therefore, the establishment of equitable South-North partnerships and the promotion of unprejudiced cooperation on a bilateral South-South and trilateral South-South-Nord level have been on the agenda for years. For this reason, the DC WG has been working closely with the Latin America Working Group for more than a year to think South America and Africa more closely together. A deeper cooperation with the AAU is planned on the basis of the charter on the level of the DC WG as well as the enlargement of the Coimbra Group partnerships with other African-centred HEIs from the AAU network.
As Coimbra Group, we explicitly welcome the launch of the “Africa Charter for Transformative Research Collaborations”. We are convinced that the proposals and recommendations underlying the Charter will make an important and sustainable contribution to increasing African participation in global knowledge production and thus creating a more equitable educational landscape. The role of the Coimbra Group will be to work with our African partners and the AAU to promote the principles of the Charter in Europe, to our members, national and international donors, and European institutions.
„Today we need a new common educational policy and more humility on the European side: revision of curricula and encyclopedias, more empowerment of non-European epistemologies and indigenous knowledge, and easier access to resources. (…) In particular, the major European and national research funding programs that our members conducts have little focus on the needs, knowledge, and personnel of African partners. We, as Coimbra Group, are trying to raise awareness among our members and donors about this most important issue and to advocate for a new relativism.“
Julien Bobineau, Coimbra Group, Chair of the Development Cooperation Working Group, University of Jena
Rector Axel Freimuth, University of Cologne
Dear Friends and Colleagues of the Coimbra Group,
On behalf of the rectorate of the University of Cologne, I would like to thank you for attending the 2023 Annual Conference in Cologne.
The participants of two major conferences ‒ in addition to the Coimbra Group Annual Meeting, the European Conference for African Studies took place in Cologne ‒ transformed Albertus-Magnus-Platz and the buildings around it into a lively conference center. The conferences also radiated far out into the city: a wide variety of locations in Cologne were included, from the Schauspielhaus alternative quarter in Schanzenstraße, to the Historic City Hall, to the rooftop bar of the LVR Tower. It was a great opportunity for intellectual exchange, but also to establish new contacts, catch up with long-time good friends, and to intensify links with partner universities from all over Europe.
Global responsibility and the cooperation with partners in Africa is an important part of the University of Cologne’s profile. Accordingly, we gladly seized the opportunity presented by the parallel meeting of the European Conference on African Studies at our university. Under the title “’Africa meets Europe’ – Academic Cooperation for a Sustainable Global Future”, the public conference in the framework of our Coimbra Group Annual Meeting formed an interesting thematic focus beyond our discussions on “European” topics in the area of higher education.
A sustainable global future is only possible if all academic forces are bundled under the heading of global responsibility and work together at eye level on the world’s major problems. Global responsibility links research, teaching, and internationalization with the transfer of knowledge and scientific methods to our local, regional and global networks and – with a view to the UN Sustainable Development Goals – contributes to global transformation and the strengthening of science worldwide.
Four years ago, in 2019, the University of Cologne celebrated the 100th anniversary of its re-foundation. After the ‘old’ university had been closed in the 18th century, its re-foundation 1919 was an initiative of the citizens of Cologne. On this occasion, the mayor of Cologne, and future German Chancellor, Konrad Adenauer, gave a speech in which he defined it as a key mission of the ‘new’ University of Cologne “to show that between all European peoples there is after all much more in common than in separation.”
Crises such as Brexit, or most recently the war in Ukraine, make us painfully aware that we need to make further efforts to achieve this goal. And it is clear that we cannot just focus on dismantling borders within Europe – if that means erecting new borders on the edges of Europe. Rather, we need to think globally, and put Adenauer’s words in perspective: We have so much more in common with the peoples of Africa, Asia, America and Australia, than sets us apart. Cooperation is the best way to solve problems that affect us all together. I am absolutely convinced that our activities within the framework of the Coimbra Group are decisive steps on this path.
I hope you enjoy reading this newsletter, and I wish you some nice summer holidays.
On 21 June, the Coimbra Group hosted the final conference of the “European Network on Teaching Excellence” (E-NOTE) project at the University Foundation in Brussels. It was the occasion for the consortium members (Leiden University, University of Coimbra, Charles University, Copenhagen University, Global Governance Institute, and the Coimbra Group) to present the fruits of the project’s three years of work, as well as to engage in lively discussions with higher education stakeholders and policymakers.
A policy roundtable closed the event, gathering representatives from the European Commission (Pauline Ravinet, Policy Officer at the Higher Education unit, DG EAC), Member States (Isabel Rodriguez Gregorio, Education Counsellor at the Permanent Representation of Spain to the EU) and the academic sector (Beatrix Busse, Vice-Rector for teaching and studies at the University of Cologne, EUniWell Alliance Chief Development Officer and CG Executive Board Vice-Chair). It was the opportunity to discuss the project’s potential policy impact, stressing possible articulations with ongoing discussions at European level notably the development of a framework for attractive and sustainable careers in higher education and more globally the progress of the European Education Area.
The presentations can be found below, as well as links to the tools developed in the framework of the project:
Please, find here (here) the slides from the E-NOTE final conference.
E-NOTE resources are already available on the project website. You can find the comprehensive mapping exercise, the main features identified for a common curriculum, the best practices guidelines to foster a culture of excellence at European higher education institutions, the common training scheme, as well as a self-assessment tool. More deliverables, such as a “Teaching Excellence handbook”, will also be available on the website soon.
On 3 May 2023, the Board of the European Innovation Council (EIC) published a statement on the Intellectual Property (IP) rules applicable to EIC Pathfinder and Transition projects. Our associations of knowledge transfer professionals, research and technology organisations, and universities, including the Coimbra Group, praise the efforts of the EIC Board especially the then interim president, Mark Ferguson, and the chair of the IP working group, Špela Stres – in listening to the concerns of the community, including as we elaborated in December 2022. Throughout our dialogue, it became obvious that our associations and the EIC Board share the same objective (bolstering breakthrough innovation in Europe) and that we all recognize that researchers and research-performing organisations need to collaborate closely to maximise the exploitation of research outcomes.
We note that we share the views of both the European Parliament and the EIC Board that the present IP rules, especially the provisions relative to EIC inventors’ access rights, must be amended as they pose obstacles to successful knowledge valorisation.
We welcome the EIC Board’s recommendations for clarifying the definition of EIC inventors and for granting the EIC inventors granted access rights. The latter may take place only after a certain time period following the end of the EIC project if either of the following conditions are fulfilled: the EIC beneficiary declares that it does not intend to exploit the results, or the EIC inventors demonstrate that the EIC beneficiary has not provided them with sufficient support for the exploitation of the results. Our associations urge the European Commission to implement these recommendations by translating them into the EIC work programme from 2024 onwards, or earlier, where possible.
The amendments to the EIC work programme must also ensure that EIC beneficiaries have a leading role in the exploitation of the outcomes of EIC Pathfinder and Transition projects. In addition, when EIC inventors wish to play a more active role, a collaborative working relationship with the knowledge valorisation services of the employing research organisations should be ensured.
We strongly recommend that the EIC inventors exercise their access rights on the basis of the institutional, regional and national rules, best practices and procedures on handling and management of IP. Systematically giving EIC inventors royalty-free access rights would create problems through an unfair advantage provided over other potential commercialisation partners, and thus, it would create complexities and potential issues around competition regulations and risks of conflict of interest.
We welcome the recommendation that the EIC beneficiaries that supported the exploitation of research outcomes should receive, as with other successful commercialisations of IP, fair and proportionate returns. The amendments of the European Commission must ensure that fairness applies to both EIC beneficiaries and EIC inventors and that these returns are in line with state aid rules and competition law.
Our associations are committed to collaborating with the EIC Board and the European Commission services to support translating these recommendations into the future EIC work programme and Horizon Europe Model Grant Agreement along these lines, leveraging existing best practices for knowledge valorisation and with full respect for the institutional autonomy of research organisations.
On 14 June 2023, Coimbra Group represented by RSO WG members Ondřej Daniel (Charles University) and Börje Dahrén (Uppsala University) attended a R&I stakeholders‘ online meeting organised by the Commission’s DG RTD on the future of the Open Research Europe platform (ORE), “Towards a collective open access publishing service“. The main takeaways from the meeting are presented below.
Open Research Europe (ORE) was founded in 2020 to set an example for open science practices in academic publishing. Main features of ORE are open access publishing with no fees (APC:s), open peer review, and in general publishing policies that adhere closely to open science mandates related to ERC grants. Also, the platform has chosen to avoid journal-level metrics such as impact factors, which is more in line with the principles of the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA) initiative. Instead, ORE uses article level indicators and metrics largely based on altmetrics. ORE publishes only original research, it is not a repository.. It is currently only available to authors involved in Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe and Euratom projects for publishing their research stemming from such funding, but the long-term goal is to make it available to everyone and thereby make the platform more inclusive and truer to its core open science philosophy. However it will not become mandatory for EC-funded projects.
While ORE has enjoyed continuous support from the Commission since its launch in March 2021, this will soon come to an end as the EC wants to pass the ownership on to funders and institutions who will support ORE for public good. The future ownership structure could take the form of a contribution/membership approach that could possibly be proportional to committed organisations. In any case, ORE will remain non-profit and the mode of funding will not be APC-based, as this model is perceived as inherently flawed and tends to drive costs and quantity over quality. Rather, they envisage a more direct and cost effective funding model from member organisations. For reference, the current cost for publishing in ORE corresponds to about 10-30% of the median cost of the hyper-inflated APC:s charged by the major publishers. In conclusion, ORE now enters a highly dynamic phase of intense development and evolution which will be interesting to follow. The presentation is available on the intranet for CG members only.
By Luca Pietrantoni (University off Bologna), Katrine Moland Hansen (University of Bergen) and Sergi Martinez Rigol (University of Barcelona)
On 16 June the Coimbra Group, represented by members of the Employability Working Group, Sergi Martinez Rigol (University of Barcelona) and Katrine Moland Hansen (University of Bergen), and by expert Prof. Luca Pietrantoni (University of Bologna), participated in the ad hoc ERA Forum online workshop on the “Digital transition and working life: R&I actions, gaps and challenges”. This meeting contributes to the implementation of the ERA Policy Agenda Action 11.3 (“ERA4FutureWork”) which aims to identify and recommend best practices, gaps and future priorities for R&I investment, leading to a Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) for the future of work.
For this second ERA4FutureWork workshop, after the one on the “Green transition and working life” in April 2023, the Commission’s DGs for Research and Innovation (RTD) and for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (EMPL) have partnered with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland and the Project Management Agency Karlsruhe at KIT on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research. The workshop’s two main objectives were to identify emerging trends and knowledge gaps at the intersection of the digital transition and working life in the EU, and to formulate research and innovation questions and priorities for the next decade, including how to address them.
The first session focused on the digitalization and transformation of work. The keynote address was delivered by Tuomo Alasoini, PhD, Adjunct Professor and Research Professor at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, who discussed the current state and future prospects of digitalization and work transformation in Finnish workplaces. Following this, a presentation by Professor Anne Kovalainen, Dr. Sc. (Econ.) in Economic Sociology from the University of Turku, provided insights on platformisation as a new development in the economy and society and – its implications for future research.
Regarding the digitalization and transformation of work in Finnish workplaces, it was observed that there is a varying degree of digital maturity and use of data analytics between different sectors and public sectors. However, the gaps in digitalization are widening rather than leveling. Employees generally have a more positive than negative attitude towards data collection. Digitalization is seen as important for companies due to its association with innovation performance. Differences in digital sophistication exist, and the digital divide is widening. It is predicted that digitalization will further increase productivity differences between companies. The discussion has mainly focused on work-displacing effects and speculation about possible mass unemployment, but neither management nor personnel seem to be overly concerned about widespread job reduction due to digitalization. The integrative effects of digitalization within organisations have been typical so far. In the future, the effects of evolving AI will most strongly impact professionals and white-collar workers, rather than blue-collar or lower-level white-collar workers. In Finland, it may curb the growth of high-skilled professions, but it is not expected to lead to a decrease.
The two presenters talked about the rapid evolution in work environments across Europe. The platformisation of work, characterized by the growth of digital platforms as mediators of labour processes, is transforming the way we understand and conduct work. These platforms have introduced new dynamics into the labour market. They are reshaping work relationships, working conditions, and the very nature of work itself. In this context, transparency becomes crucial. It ensures that workers have clear information about their rights, pay, and the algorithms controlling their work. It can help to maintain fairness, reduce exploitation, and improve working conditions. At the same time, transparency is vital for businesses to help build trust, improve their reputation, and attract a more skilled and dedicated workforce.
Long-term transformations, such as technological, ecological, and demographic changes, reshape the workforce landscape, the geography of work and exacerbate skilled labour shortages. These changes pose significant challenges to the economy’s value creation model, with the skilled labour gap in Germany projected to reach up to 5 million by 2030. In addition to societal challenges, such as reorganizing qualified immigration and revitalizing academic and vocational training, there are specific work design needs. These needs include creating demographically resilient value, fostering trust-based international collaboration, encouraging autonomy, and co-creating platforms. There’s also a need for organizational and individual resilience during ongoing change, expert and simulation-based methods for predictive assessment of collaboration processes in companies and business networks, and a drive towards sustainable work in digital ecosystems. This involves advocating for self-determination and sovereignty in virtual and real living and working environments.
Following the presentations, a group session took place where participants shared their views on future competencies and skills in digital environments in breakout rooms. The group session was followed by plenary feedback, exchange, and a brief break. Issues that were highlighted included: the relationship between institutions, platforms, and governance is a crucial aspect, as are the effects on education and the need for digital literacy, data analytics, and communication skills. The platformisation phenomenon also raises questions about the role of human-to-human learning, motivation in the school system, digital divide, citizenship, and participation. The integration of the educational area and work life was emphasized, and discussions centered on creating management processes in digitalization, and exploring issues such as gender dynamics. The need for synergies between research and education and training at all levels was also discussed.
The second session focused on R&I for the future of value creation. Alexander Lucumi, Head of the Department from the Project Management Agency Karlsruhe (PTKA), KIT, presented on the “R&D Program: The Future of Value Creation – Research on Production, Services, and Work.” Following this, Oliver Sträter from the German Society for Work Science (GfA) & University of Kassel, Head of the Department of Work and Organizational Psychology, discussed humane work design to meet future work challenges.
Prof. Oliver Strater highlighted the R&I gaps was asking “Where are we with the current methods and approaches?” from “humane driven design” to a “human reactivity considered” approach. There are different “control modes”. The strategic control mode considers higher-level goals and interactions, looks broadly into the past and future, and recognizes and explains uncertainty, using adapted guidelines, planning, and considering dependencies for decision-making. The tactical mode focuses on defined individual goals with a broader look into the past and minimal future projections. Uncertainties are recognized and decisions are made based on guidelines and limited planning. The opportunistic mode is characterized by poorly defined goals, a present and immediate time horizon, and limited recognition of uncertainty. Decisions are made based on habits and pattern recognition. Finally, the scrambled mode lacks goal interactions, has no time horizon consideration, and does not consider uncertainty, leading to random decision-making.
The importance of humane planning and design tools is demonstrated in two different sequences.
Classic design and proactive design approaches differ fundamentally in their sequence and focus areas. Classic design starts with assessing existing technical abilities, followed by developing design elements like blueprints or prototypes. This design is tested and validated for functionality, applied in real-world scenarios, and continuously used, with ongoing updates and refinements as necessary. On the other hand, proactive design commences with an innovative technical idea. Rather than adapting to existing capabilities, it shapes the process around how the design will function in its intended environment right from the beginning. This is followed by creating an integral concept encompassing all design aspects, and the design is developed based on this. Lastly, like classic design, the final product is continuously used with regular improvements and adjustments made as required.
In the digitalization process of an SME in Italy, a Classic Design approach starts with assessing current technical capabilities, followed by the development of a digital system, such as digitizing paper files. This system is then tested and validated before being implemented across the organization. The system is continuously used, with periodic adjustments and updates. In contrast, a Proactive Design approach begins with an innovative idea, like an e-commerce platform, considering the real context and user needs from the outset. An integral concept of the platform, including features to improve customer experience, is created and developed. Once launched, the platform’s performance is continuously monitored and adjusted to better meet user needs.
Research and Innovation highlights the need for more advanced methods to model, assess, and design work in adaptive AI systems. AI technology has resulted in adaptive and creative systems, such as autonomous driving and human-robot collaboration, or tools like ChatGPT and image generation programmes. However, there is a contrast between this reality and traditional work design and assessment methods, which are often reactive and predetermined. Examples of these methods include designing functional sets before ergonomic assessments. Advanced work design and assessment methods that are proactive and resilient are required to design and assess adaptivity and creativity in AI systems. There is a need for a more humane approach to design in the Metaverse, starting with human properties. This includes facilitating psychological equality in hybrid situations and developing collaborative design methodologies in IT environments. In addition, creating methods for adaptive system design and establishing ethical standards are crucial for humane AI design. It’s important to note that while automation can increase efficiency, the quality of human interaction and personalized service is often crucial in many sectors, and the balance between automation and human involvement is a subject of ongoing discussion and research.
Like in the first session, this was followed by a group session where participants discussed humane work design, collaboration, and networking in hybrid communities. This session was concluded with plenary feedback and exchange. Challenges for research on work design were identified, such as dealing with increasing mental demands due to digital systems, addressing the gap between knowledge work and production, understanding the emerging behaviour of AI systems, and ensuring resilience and leadership in the face of changing work environments. Future studies should focus on increased heterogeneity, gender aspects in human-centered design, and the difference between human-centric and humane approaches. The need for digital innovation in the public and private sector alike was also highlighted.
The Coimbra Group (CG) 2023 Annual Conference and General Assembly took place from 31 May to 2 June 2023 in the beautiful city of Cologne, hosted by our member the University of Cologne. Around 250 representatives of the 40 Coimbra Group member universities gathered in the event for a full 3-day programme. You can watch the public part, which was broadcasted live, on the Coimbra Group YouTube channel (Public Conference on Europe-Africa Cooperation, 3MT Competition Live Final and Open Session on European University Alliances).
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The first day started with a meeting between the Executive Board, Coimbra Group representatives and all Working Groups Chairs and Vice-Chairs. This was the occasion to exchange on their respective roles, enhance communication between the different organs and inform about ongoing initiatives and activities. The meeting was continued at the end of the day, after all the Working Groups had met, with ideas for continuous improvement.
The 12 Working Groups held their meetings throughout the day and, in the afternoon, while some continued their individual meetings, others had organised 4 parallel sessions open to all the Coimbra Group community, on the following topics:
“Racism at CG Universities: Historical and Current Perspectives” – a session organised between the Working Groups Equality and Diversity and Heritage, where participants explored the intellectual foundations and heritage of academic institutions, alongside a present-day analysis of everyday racism in the form of micro-aggressions or racist statements, of discriminatory institutional practices, and the contents of teaching and research.
“Universities in Multilingual Europe: Experiences in CG Universities” – a topic proposed by the Education Innovation Working Group, with case-studies from different CG Universities and an open debate on the topic.
“Latin America and European partnerships in today’s world: perspectives from Europe” – organised by the Latin America Working Group. Speakers included Anneken Reise (ENRICH Global), Fernando Galván (University of Alcalá) and Ferdinando Fava (University of Padua).
Joint meeting between the Development Cooperation and Latin America Working Groups.
Three Working Groups were holding elections for their next Chair. Congratulations to Francesco de Anna (University of Würzburg) who was elected new STEM WG Chair, and to Annalisa Oboe (University of Padua) and Nicoleta Popa (Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași) who got re-elected for a second term as Chair of the Equality & Diversity WG and Chair of the Education and Innovation WG respectively!
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The second day of the Coimbra Group 2023 Annual Conference and General Assembly took place in the impressive Aula of the main building of the University of Cologne.
Throughout the day the posters of all 12 CG Working Groups were exhibited in the common area. The posters showcased each group’s aims and highlights, as well as their future events or initiatives.
Public Conference “Africa meets Europe”
Thursday 1 June started with the annual public conference, this year on Africa-Europe cooperation under the title “Africa meets Europe”, with keynote addresses by Domenico Rosa (European Commission, DG International Partnerships) and by Hirut Woldemariam (Addis Ababa University) who spoke about “Empowering female scientists in Africa: a prerequisite for sustainable and inclusive development”.
Two panel discussions followed, on “Empowering Young Talents” and “For a Sustainable Global Future”. Recording of the conference here.
Coimbra Group 3 Minute-Thesis Competition
The afternoon started with the traditional Coimbra Group 3MT Competition where the 3 finalists, Ida Cecilie Jensen (Aarhus University), Juhi Parmar (Jena University) and Michaela Raab (Edinburgh University) presented their thesis in 3 minutes for a physical and virtual audience.
The jury was composed by Mikael Lindfelt (Rector of Åbo Akademi University and 3MT jury spokesperson), Mireille Van Poppel (Vice-Rector for Internationalization and Equal Opportunities, University of Graz), Pierre-Antoine Bonnet (Vice-Chair of CG Life Sciences WG, University of Montpellier), Elisabeth Hoffmann (Chief Communication Officer at the University of Cologne) and Adriana Zait (Chair of CG Doctoral Studies WG, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași).
After deliberation, the jury decided to award the first prize to Ida Cecilie Jensen (€ 3000), and the other two candidates were ex-aequo the runners-up (€ 1500). On the 2023 edition, a total of 26 out of the 40 member universities of the Coimbra Group took part in the competition. Watch the replay of the contest here.
Open Session on Alliances: “Becoming global actors: Opportunities and challenges”
The 4th CG Open Session on the European Universities Alliances was oriented towards a reflection on the global outreach and contribution to Europe’s global competitiveness of the Alliances. Moderated by Danny Donoghue (Executive Board member, Durham University), the session counted with the participation of Vanessa Debiais-Sainton (Head of Unit, Higher Education, DG EAC, European Commission).
The discussion was completed with experiences from Alliances of European Universities with CG Members: 4EU+ (Lenka Rovná, Charles University; Olivier Vincent, University of Geneva), Arqus (Dorothy Kelly, University of Granada) and CHARM-EU (Raúl Ramos Lobo, University of Barcelona).
Full recording of the session here. Presentations:
Meeting between the Erasmus Student Network and Coimbra Group contact points
Another new feature this year was the first physical meeting between ESN local sections-CG Contact points meeting. The Erasmus Student Network and the Coimbra Group signed a Memorandum of Understanding in June 2021. Both have since then been meeting virtually, working together to enhance student mobility, internationalisation and empower international students.
This meeting focused on the European Universities Alliances, the Green Erasmus project and ESNSurvey 2023. The meeting introduced current best practices implemented by ESN sections and CG Universities and provided space for dialogue and brainstorming on joint initiatives that could be developed in the near future.
Closed Rectors’ Meeting
The Closed Rectors’ Meeting this year discussed the “European Strategy for Universities: Recommendations on upcoming developments in relation to teaching excellence, academic careers, and the further roll-out of the Alliances”, a session moderated by Rector Axel Freimuth (University of Cologne), and “Horizon Europe & FP10: Recommendations on future priorities, European Excellence Initiative and UK/Switzerland association”, a session moderated by Rector Margareth Hagen (University of Bergen).
It was also the occasion to approve the three new members proposed by the Executive Board for the Rectors’ Advisory Group:
Rector Joan Guàrdia Olmos (University of Barcelona)
Rector Milena Králíčková (Charles University)
President Annetje Ottow (Leiden University)
General Assembly
The highlight of Friday 2 June was the Coimbra Group General Assembly chaired by Rector Axel Freimuth (University of Cologne). Executive Board (EB) chair Ludovic Thilly (University of Poitiers), vice-chair Cláudia Cavadas (University of Coimbra), treasurer Luca Verzichelli (EB, University of Siena) and CG Office director Emmanuelle Gardan presented the annual report. The new Coimbra Groupinstitutional video highlighting the past year’s main achievements was shown to CG members for the first time.
The results of the electronic votes on the statutory decisions and EB vacancies were announced. Piia Björn (University of Turku), Antonella Forlino (University of Pavia) and João Ramalho-Santos (University of Coimbra) were elected as new members of the Executive Board, replacing Cláudia Cavadas, Elmer Sterken (University of Groningen) and Luca Verzichelli who stepped down this year. After the GA, the new EB held a closed meeting where Beatrix Busse (University of Cologne) was elected the new vice-chair, while Danny Donoghue (Durham University) was elected the new treasurer.
The General Assembly hosted a lively discussion among delegates on the way forward for the Coimbra Group (“Looking to the future: towards CG’s 40th anniversary in 2025”) , which started with vibrant introductory pitches by members of the CG community.
2024 Coimbra Group Annual Meeting: save the date!
The Universities of Åbo Akademi and Turku will be co-hosting the Coimbra Group Annual Conference and General Assembly, 4 – 7 June 2024!
The topic of the Annual Conference will be: “Research and Education – Most Impactful Together”.
Copyright: University of Cologne, International Affairs
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