Exchanging ideas with other European University Alliances has always proven to be a great source of insight and inspiration. E³UDRES² Lead Coordinator Hannes Raffaseder of St. Pölten UAS travelled to Brussels, Belgium, at the end of January to do exactly that: On 30 and 31 January, rectors of various European University Alliances met in order to talk about their good practices, visions and challenges. As head of the E³UDRES² alliance, Raffaseder reported on the most important experiences, best practices, and challenges in the context of leading a European Universities Alliance.
enriching dialogue with Mariya Gabriel
“The direct exchange with representatives of European higher education institutions and the Commission is an important source of inspiration for the concrete further development of the European higher education area and the active design of an extensive transformation process”, emphasises Raffaseder. Following the event, the outcomes of the debates were directly be discussed with Commissioner Mariya Gabriel, with Hannes Raffaseder acting as one of the rapporteurs recapitulating the main findings. Gabriel used the event to highlight the achievements and significance of the European Universities initiative for the transformation of the European higher education, research, and innovation area.
In his report, Raffaseder pointed out the special significance of universities of applied sciences for the establishment and strengthening of innovation in regional ecosystems. This relates particularly to the education of young talents, the creation of promoting framework conditions for the foundation of businesses, and the networking of relevant players and stakeholders in the regions.
