EUt+ Plovdiv Week : Where the Future of Technology Meets Millenia of History
Published on October 26, 2026–Updated on October 26, 2026
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Dates
from October 19, 2026 to October 23, 2026
From 19 to 23 October 2026, the Plovdiv branch of Technical University of Sofia welcomed colleagues from across the EUt+ alliance for a week of collaboration and joint work. The gathering also marked the 40th anniversary of the Plovdiv branch, connecting its academic heritage with the alliance’s vision for the future of European higher education.
The week opened at the Philippopolis Basilica, where participants were welcomed by Plamen Panov, Deputy Mayor of Plovdiv, and had the opportunity to discover the city’s rich heritage.
Then, the European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva welcomed participants and highlighted the importance of cross-border cooperation in shaping the future of European higher education, presenting EUt+ as a model of European collaboration.
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"EUt+ shows what European cooperation can achieve when we work together across borders. Nine universities pooling expertise, opening opportunities for students and researchers, and connecting education, research and innovation. This is Europe at its best. Not nine separate stories, but one shared ambition."
This spirit of cooperation also extended beyond EUt+. Representatives of ECIU joined EUt+ colleagues to mark the launch of VALORWIDE, a newly approved collaborative project. A panel discussion featuring Mark Majewsky Anderson, Janina Fengel and Alessandro Rossi explored opportunities for collaboration between European university alliances and the value of working towards shared objectives.
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Throughout the week, EUt+ working groups continued to advance the alliance’s priorities in areas such as equality, diversity and inclusion, sustainability, entrepreneurship, student involvement and work-based learning. Progress was also made towards putting the EUt+ research strategy into practice, with the next steps agreed upon. Meanwhile, a new curriculum convergence working group on Materials Science was established, laying a strong foundation for further collaboration. Colleagues also discussed communication priorities for the coming months, exploring how to strengthen and better coordinate EUt+’s visibility across partner campuses.
From translating shared strategies into practical action to building new partnerships, the week in Plovdiv demonstrated how European cooperation takes shape through the collective efforts of the people who make the alliance work.
