From the 18th to 21st of October, the E³UDRES² team travelled to Politehnica University Timisoara (UPT), Romania, to participate in a whole array of events hosted by the partnering university. UPT and its various campus buildings became the venue not only for the second edition of the E³UDRES² International Engagement Circus, an event series aiming to connect local entrepreneurs, students and university staff, but also organized the second E³UDRES² Strategy Forum, the kick-off event of this year's Umbrella I Living Labs, as well as various other internal meetings, including gatherings for E.I.N.S., the E³UDRES² Entrepreneurship and Innovation Network for Smart and Sustainable European Regions.
A deep-dive into the ecosystem of regional entrepreneurs
Visits such as the one to Faber/Ambasada, a multi-functional building that brings together the creative community and the people who help it become an engine of change for Timisoara, various keynotes for example by Alexandra Riegler of BETA Timisoara or Diana Andone presenting the Spotlight Timisoara initiative, enabled all participants to get a glimpse into the impressive entrepreneurial and innovative side of Timisoara. Visits to the Timis Country Youth Foundation and the Nokia Garage, a co-creative space which supports innovation projects, marked some of the highlights of the event.
Envisioning the future of E³UDRES²
With the second E³UDRES² Strategy Forum taking place on 20 October, the E³UDRES² team got to discuss possible scenarios for the next years in the E³UDRES² alliance. Various "World Cafés" encouraged the participants coming from all institutions and various backgrounds to bring forward their ideas on topics such as "Capacity Building" or the "Vision for Future Universities". The outcomes of those discussions were then collected and will be incorporated in the proposal for the prolongation of E³UDRES².
The most delightful part of the event certainly was the celebration and official signing ceremony welcoming Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences as the newest E³UDRES² partner, extending the network of the Alliance to nine institutions all over Europe.
Overall, all participants agreed that the events hosted in Timisoara were a successful step forward for the E³UDRES² Alliance, as well as for the E.I.N.S. project. Participants experienced a varied programme that was thought-provoking, intense and fun for all. We are already looking forward to the next on-site events plannedto take place at E³UDRES²-lead St. Pölten UAS, Austria, later this year.
