EUt+ Week at TU Dublin highlights European cooperation during Ireland’s EU Council Presidency

The week took place at a particularly symbolic moment for European cooperation, as the Presidency of the Council of the European Union rotated from Cyprus to Ireland, which are two countries represented within the EUt+ alliance.

Strengthening European cooperation in higher education EUt+ Week welcomed Thomas Byrne, Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence, who addressed the role of European cooperation in higher education during his visit. In his speech, Minister Byrne highlighted the importance of connections between people and institutions across Europe, and the role of programmes such as Erasmus in broadening perspectives and supporting Europe's social and economic development.

Education [...] has really been the foundation of our economic and social progress. But the connections between people, between institutions, between academics all across Europe that have been facilitated by the European Union, including in the Erasmus programme, have also been critical to broadening our horizons and putting that development to the fore.

His remarks underlined the wider relevance of initiatives such as EUt+, which bring European higher education institutions closer together and create new opportunities for collaboration, exchange and innovation.
 

Developing new research and academic collaborations

Throughout the week, academics and researchers from across the alliance met in person to develop new collaborations around interdisciplinary topics including energy, business and economics. The discussions focused not only on identifying areas of shared interest, but also on how these collaborations can be structured and developed further, including through engagement with external stakeholders. These exchanges are an important step towards building longer-term, cross-European initiatives that connect expertise across the EUt+ member universities.
 

Turning ideas into real-world solutions

The week also marked the conclusion of the second EUt+ Incubation Programme. The programme brought together student and academic teams from across the alliance, supporting them in transforming innovative ideas into potential real-world solutions through training, mentoring and interaction with academics and industry experts. Nine of the strongest teams came together during EUt+ Week to pitch their projects, showcasing the creativity and entrepreneurial potential emerging across the alliance.

Find out more about the Incubation Programme through short interviews: 

 

Advancing shared priorities across the alliance

Alongside research and innovation activities, EUt+ members continued work on a range of cross-cutting priorities, including equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), multilingualism, technological foresight and sustainability. Working groups focused on developing frameworks and self-assessment tools designed to support the integration of these priorities into the wider activities of the alliance. This work contributes to the development of a shared approach across EUt+ and supports the long-term ambition of embedding these themes throughout its education, research and institutional activities.
 

Students at the heart of EUt+

Students were also central to the activities of the week. Representatives of the EUt+ Student Board worked closely with the different task groups, contributing student perspectives to discussions and activities across the alliance. The Student Board also elected its new executive team for the year ahead, marking the beginning of a new phase of student representation within EUt+. The involvement of students reflects the alliance's commitment to ensuring that its development is shaped not only by institutional and academic perspectives, but also by the experiences and aspirations of its students.

 

Advancing the governance of EUt+

The week concluded with meetings involving the rectors of the EUt+ member institutions, who continued discussions on the future structure and governance of the alliance. Among the topics addressed was progress towards establishing a legal entity for EUt+, an important step in strengthening the alliance's long-term organisational foundations. TU Dublin President Deirdre Lillis highlighted the significance of the progress achieved during the week:

The work we do here is binding, building a new Europe for the new European generation.

Her words captured the broader ambition of EUt+: to create lasting connections between institutions, communities and generations across Europe.

Looking ahead EUt+ Week at TU Dublin provided an opportunity to strengthen existing partnerships, develop new collaborations and advance important work across research, education, student engagement and institutional development. The momentum generated during the week will continue as members of the alliance prepare for the next EUt+ physical meeting, which will take place in September at Università degli Studi di Cassino e del Lazio Meridionale in Italy.

The continued commitment of students, academics, researchers and institutional leaders across the alliance demonstrates the growing depth of cooperation within EUt+ and its ambition to contribute to the future of European higher education.

Watch the recap of the week: