2025 CG’s 40th Anniversary High-Level Seminar, Brussels: “Reinventing Campus Democracy – Bridging Divides and Advancing Solutions
Brussels, 21 November 2025
See the post-event news and photo gallery here.
The Coimbra Group, in collaboration with Utrecht University, and with support from the European Students’ Union (ESU), co-organised the High-Level Seminar “Reinventing Campus Democracy: Bridging Divides and Advancing Solutions”, to reflect on and advance the role of universities in strengthening democratic engagement on campuses. This event, marking the conclusion of the Coimbra Group’s 40th anniversary celebrations, took place on 21 November (8h30 – 16h30), at the University Foundation, Rue d´Egmont 11, Brussels.
Link to the detailed programme
Background
In the context of growing social and political tensions, both globally and within our own campuses, universities are increasingly called upon to serve as models of open dialogue, inclusive governance, and democratic resilience. However, recent events show the limits and challenges universities face in fulfilling this role.
This seminar aimed to explore how universities can foster dialogue, navigate disagreement, and reinforce democratic principles on campus. It seeks to bridge the gap between scholarly research and campus discourse by asking:
- What insights and examples do universities offer to contribute to a viable and sustainable democracy?
- What principles and concrete practices should universities adopt to fulfill this renewed democratic ambition?
The seminar aimed to set a reference point for future activities within individual Coimbra Group (CG) universities and across the network, enabling us to work together to repair and reinvent democracy on campus.
Objectives of the seminar:
- Empower participants on the topic of campus democracy
- Rethink university governance
- Set examples of dialogue and reconciliation on societal issues.
One of the key principles guiding the whole event was active participation from all involved: students, staff and faculty, as well as other audience members affiliated with EU institutions and CG partner organisations.
Programme
The seminar included opening keynote speeches and six interactive breakout sessions, divided into two rounds of three parallel sessions. For the complete and updated programme, please refer to this page.
Keynote speeches:
- Henk Kummeling, Professor of Constitutional Law and former Rector Magnificus of Utrecht University
- Second speaker to be announced soon.
- Address by Arno Schrooyen (Vice-President, European Students’ Union – ESU)
Each breakout session was introduced by one (or more) expert(s) and facilitated by a moderator. We envisioned single cases to spark a conversation with audience participants on shared goals and challenges and how to address them through concrete practices, capable of fostering democracy on campus.
Audience participants were invited to play a key role, actively contributing to the discussion: asking questions, expressing doubts or criticisms, sharing comments, challenges and best practices from their own institutions. In order to facilitate this degree of participation, preparatory questions were made available to everyone ahead of the sessions [see the programme to know more].
Breakout sessions titles:
- Partnership in practice: Modelling best practice in institutional-student collaboration
- Universities and the future(s) of representative democracy
- Climate change scepticism and anti-scientific sentiment: What role for universities?
- The many roles of a university: Rethinking democratic responsibility
- Why EDI matters: Fostering inclusive dialogue and campus democracy
- Opening campuses, opening minds: Universities as living spaces of democracy
The outcomes of each breakout session were shared and discussed in the seminar’s concluding panel.
Coordination team: Ludovic Thilly (CG Executive board), Beatrix Busse (CG Executive board), Eva Voldřichová – Beránková (CG Executive board), Bart van de Laar (Utrecht University), Arno Schrooyen (ESU), Ester Zangrandi, Ivonne Mejia and Emmanuelle Gardan (CG Office).