The University of Torino had the honor of welcoming Roxana Mînzatu, Vice-President of the European Commission, as guest speaker at the event “Empowering through Skills: The Role of the European Alliances”. The initiative, held on 15 September, was a great success and featured Mînzatu’s keynote speech on the Union of Skills and the EU’s strategies for building the European university of the future.
“My presence here is a signal of the European Commission’s commitment to supporting the European University Alliances in their next steps. This is not yet a project, but a process—a true laboratory of European integration.” With these words, Mînzatu, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission with responsibility for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Employment, and Preparedness for Change, opened her speech in the Aula Magna of the University of Torino. The day was dedicated to the future of European universities and to the strategic role of the Alliances in shaping a more integrated and competitive European Higher Education and Research Area.
The event, organized by the University of Torino within the framework of the UNITA Universitas Montium Alliance and under the patronage of the Italian Rectors’ Conference (CRUI), brought together representatives from nearly 60 Italian and European universities belonging to 33 Alliances. They shared projects and best practices, with the ambitious goal of building the European university of the future.
The University of Torino plays a leading role in this long-term process: among the 65 European University Alliances currently funded by the European Commission through Erasmus+—involving over 570 institutions across Europe—UniTo is the only Italian university serving as coordinator. Moreover, the UNITA Alliance has been visionary in strengthening the European dimension of education.
“I would like to congratulate all the members of UNITA,” added Mînzatu, “for taking part in pioneering initiatives and showing the way forward for the entire European higher education sector.” She concluded by reaffirming the Commission’s support: “Europe is backing this ambition, with a planned 50% increase in education funding through Erasmus+ in the next EU budget.”
A perspective warmly welcomed by the Rector of the University of Torino, Stefano Geuna: “Education is one of the most important challenges in Europe,” Geuna said, “and we are honored that Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu chose our university to promote the Union of Skills and the strategic role of the European Alliances in creating an increasingly integrated area of research and higher education.”
Alongside Rector Geuna, the European Commission Vice-President was welcomed at the Rector’s Hall by Cristina Prandi, Rector-elect of the University of Torino, who will officially take office on 1 October and has made internationalization one of the cornerstones of her rectoral program.
The program continued on 16–17 September with the governance meeting of the UNITA Alliance, focused on defining its long-term strategy and working towards the ambitious goal of creating the first confederal European university—an institution fulfilling all university missions and responsible for implementing joint actions.
