UNITA presents its Geminae Network: 19 universities from 11 countries gather at the Geminae Conference hosted by the Universidad de Zaragoza
The Universidad de Zaragoza hosted the event, during which the Best Practices Awards of the Geminae universities were presented. Representatives from 19 Geminae universities of the European Alliance UNITA travelled to Zaragoza on September 4th and 5th to present mobility and collaborative learning projects and to attend the awards ceremony for best university practices. “We share many things: a commitment to sustainability, to our territories, and to the people who live in them,” said Ana Yetano, coordinator of the event. The conference included networking sessions, workshops on rural and virtual mobility, and the presentation of the Geminae network and its research Hubs (Cultural Heritage, Green Energy, Circular Economy and Environment, Digital Transitions, Global Health, and Inclusive Societies). One of the key moments of the event was the presentation of the Geminae Best Practices Awards for Geminae univeristies, which recognised innovative projects from the Universidade Federal de Viçosa (Brazil), the Universidad Nacional de La Plata (Argentina), the Universidad de los Andes (Colombia), the Université de Antananarivo (Madagascar), and the Universidad del Rosario (Colombia). The event concluded with remarks from Sergio Salinas, Vice-Rector for Internationalisation at the University of Zaragoza: ‘I hope these days have been very fruitful for cooperation among all of us, and I look forward to seeing you again soon.’ The next edition of the Geminae Awards is scheduled to take place in Brussels in 2027.
UNITA at European Universities Student Ambassador Forum 2025
From September 4 to 6, 2025, the European Universities Student Ambassador Forum (EUSAF) took place in Warsaw, bringing together student representatives from all European University Alliances (EUAs) for three days of discussions, collaboration, and idea-sharing.The event is part of the EUC voices project and was created to give student ambassadors a real, lasting role in shaping the European University initiative.This year, UNITA was represented by a student from the University of Turin, Mirela Secrieri, who actively took part in the sessions and brought back valuable insights for the alliance. The 2025 edition opened with a session introducing the role of alliances in building Europe’s academic and cultural future: the key messages included the importance of long-term student engagement through alumni involvement and of restoring trust in European projects by placing youth participation at the centre of institutional processes. The second day focused on sharing concrete experiences: students presented posters highlighting best practices from their alliances, including initiatives related to virtual campuses, inclusion, student mobility and cultural events. Interactive workshops allowed students working in groups to design outreach activities aimed at increasing awareness of alliances at the local level. The final day featured insights from past EUSAF participants, who spoke about how the experience had shaped their involvement in their alliances. The forum then turned to open discussion, with students exchanging views on how to improve democratic processes, increase transparency in student representation, and ensure that the outcomes of the EUSAF are communicated both internally and at the EU level. Participants committed in producing a final report or letter to be sent to the European Parliament, summarising the key priorities and suggestions raised by students. The reflections that emerged during the forum will contribute to ongoing work within the alliance, particularly in areas such as student engagement, stakeholder collaboration, and communication strategies. The experience also underlined the importance of continuing to support student ambassadors and ensuring they are empowered to represent and connect with their peers effectively, both within UNITA and at the European level.
