UBI at the 1st BAUHAUS4EU Forum
UBI was invited to participate in the 1st BAUHAUS4EU Forum, in a session on European University Alliances, which took place at the Instituto Politécnico de Castelo Branco (IPCB) between June 11 and 13. Representing UBI, the Pro-Rector for International Cooperation, Célia Nunes, and the Coordinator of the UNITA Office at UBI, Francisco do Adro, presented the UNITA – Universitas Montium Alliance. This Forum brought together around 150 representatives from the 10 European higher education institutions that are part of BAUHAUS4EU, a European Alliance of which IPCB is a partner institution. The event aimed to publicize the potential impact of the project in the regions where the Alliance partners are located.
Visit of Prof. Olivier Naef (HES-SO) to UPPA: three days of shared practices
From June 17 to 19, the University of Pau and the Adour Region (UPPA) hosted Professor Olivier Naef, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture at HES-SO, for a scientific visit focused on sharing best practices and fostering academic cooperation. Du 17 au 19 juin, l’Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour a accueilli le Professeur Olivier Naef, doyen de la Faculté d’ingénierie et d’architecture de la HES-SO (Haute école spécialisée de Suisse occidentale), actuellement en congé scientifique. Cette venue s’inscrivait dans une dynamique de partage de bonnes pratiques et de coopération académique, en lien avec les actions menées dans le cadre de l’alliance UNITA – Universitas Montium. Organisée par le bureau UNITA de l’UPPA, cette visite de trois jours a permis d’aborder de nombreux sujets liés à la formation, à la recherche, à l’internationalisation, aux relations partenariales avec le secteur non-académique et à l’innovation pédagogique. Le programme comprenait : Une présentation du projet GREEN et des actions interdisciplinaires qu’il fédère autour des transitions ; Des échanges sur les doubles diplômes, la codirection de thèses, et les modèles de co-diplômation dans un contexte européen ; Une rencontre avec la direction de la recherche et les services d’appui pour évoquer les financements européens, les mobilités croisées, et les dispositifs d’accompagnement des chercheurs ; Des temps d’observation et de discussion dans plusieurs composantes de l’université, notamment l’ISA BTP, l’IPRA, l’IAE, l’IUT et l’IAE Bayonne ; Des moments conviviaux qui ont permis de nourrir les échanges informels et de créer un véritable lien humain et professionnel. Le professeur Naef a salué l’ouverture, la diversité des approches et la qualité de l’accueil qui lui ont été réservés. Il a particulièrement souligné le potentiel du projet GREEN comme socle de coopérations structurantes entre l’UPPA et la HES-SO. « Les échanges ont été particulièrement riches et inspirants. Ils témoignent de la vitalité de l’UPPA et de sa capacité à construire des réponses innovantes aux enjeux contemporains », a-t-il précisé dans son compte rendu. Un rapport de synthèse de cette visite a été transmis à l’alliance UNITA et sera partagé avec les instances de la HES-SO afin d’envisager les prochaines étapes de cette collaboration. Un grand merci à l’ensemble des collègues impliqués dans cette visite, et à toutes celles et ceux qui font vivre au quotidien l’ouverture européenne et internationale de l’UPPA !
Rowena Mathew (USMB), Andreea E. Vantu (UNITBV), and Ilaria Guia (UNITO) win “My 3-Minute PhD Thesis” competition
PhD candidate Rowena Mathew, a student at Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB), was the winner of the 2025 edition of the “My 3-Minute PhD Thesis” Andreea E. Vantu, from Universitatea Transilvania din Brașov (UNITBV), and Ilaria Guia, from Università degli Studi di Torino (UNITO), took second and third place, respectively. UPNA was the university responsible for organizing the final of the contest. A total of eighteen PhD candidates from nine universities of the Alliance participated in the final round. The jury, composed of researchers from all the member universities, evaluated each presentation based on pre-established criteria. The event, open to the public, was also streamed live, allowing audiences across all UNITA universities to follow the competition. Winning Theses The winner, Rowena Mathew (USMB), from the field of energy economics, presented her thesis titled “Electric Vehicles, Solar Energy and Storage Potential” Second place went to Andreea E. Vantu (UNITBV), from the field of systems engineering, who defended her work “Uncertainty Quantification in Deep Learning-Based Classification and Regression – Application to Medical Data and Images” Ilaria Guia (UNITO) secured third place with her neuroscience thesis: “What Does Love Smell Like? Studying Dopamine in the Mouse Olfactory Bulb to Understand How Sexual Odors Are Processed in the Brain”
EU Law Rights and Remedies before National Courts: the 6th edition of the Turin Spring School on EU Integration, Law and Justice
The sixth edition of the Turin Spring School on EU Integration, Law and Justice took place at the University of Turin from 28 to 30 May 2025. This year’s edition, hosted by the Jean Monnet Chair “Civic Engagement, Rights and Remedies in EU Law”, focused on the evolving system of judicial protection in the EU, exploring the role of national courts in ensuring the effectiveness of EU rights and remedies, and addressing key issues such as direct effect, primacy, and judicial cooperation. From 28 to 30 May 2025, the sixth edition of the Turin Spring School on EU Integration, Law and Justice was held at the Luigi Einaudi Campus of the University of Turin, focusing on the theme:“EU Law Rights and Remedies before National Courts: Continuity and Change.” The Spring School offered a critical reflection on the evolution of remedies provided by EU law before national courts, exploring topics such as: The School, organised within the framework of UNITA – Universitas Montium,hosted 35 participants, including university students, PhD candidates, and research fellowsfrom 12 European universities. Over the three days, the programme featured lectures by internationally renowned experts in EU law,who addressed key theoretical and practical issues related to the protection of rights and the effectiveness of judicial remedies within the EU legal order. The event, organised in collaboration with the Italian Society for International Organization – Piedmont and Aosta Valley Section,is part of the activities of the Jean Monnet Chair “Civic Engagement, Rights and Remedies in EU Law” (Prof. Stefano Montaldo),and falls within the scope of Hub 3 – Environment and Climate Change of the Department of Law’s Excellence Project. The scientific committee of the Turin Spring School includes:Francesco Costamagna, Alberto Miglio, Stefano Montaldo, and Virginia Passalacqua.Leonardo Labriola also contributed to the organisation of this year’s edition.
Cristina Prandi elected new Rector of UniTo: first woman in 621 years of history
Cristina Prandi is the new Rector of the University of Turin for the 2025–2031 term, elected in the second round of voting and officially proclaimed today by Dean Giuseppe Monateri. She is the first woman to hold this position in the 621-year history of UniTo. Cristina Prandi è la nuova Rettrice dell’Università di Torino per il mandato 2025-2031, eletta al secondo turno di votazione e proclamata oggi dal Decano Giuseppe Monateri. Si tratta della prima donna a ricoprire questa carica in 621 anni di storia di UniTo. Il Prorettore indicato dalla nuova Rettrice è Gianluca Cuniberti, docente di Storia greca. Al primo turno aveva partecipato come candidata Rettrice anche Laura Scomparin, che poi si è successivamente ritirata dalla corsa. Cristina Prandi, nata nel 1965 in provincia di Novara e cresciuta a Torino, è professoressa ordinaria di Chimica Organica al Dipartimento di Chimica di UniTo. Dopo il dottorato in Biologia e Biotecnologie, si è specializzata nella sintesi di fitormoni naturali e chimica verde. Ha ricoperto il ruolo di Vice-Rettrice per la Ricerca e coordina progetti su tecnologie sostenibili. “Sono molto emozionata – dichiara a caldo Cristina Prandi – di essere la prima Rettrice di questa storica università, spero di essere la prima tra tante. Il soffitto di cristallo diventa finalmente accessibile. Nella lunga campagna elettorale ci ha seguito passo passo una squadra allargata, ringrazio il futuro prorettore Gianluca Cuniberti e tutte e tutti quelli che ci hanno votato. Partiremo dalle azioni indicate nei primi 100 giorni con priorità riguardo l’edilizia, l’internazionalizzazione e la velocizzazione dei processi amministrativi”. “La partecipazione eccezionale registrata anche in questo secondo turno conferma – sottolinea l’attuale Rettore Stefano Geuna – la straordinaria vitalità che anima il nostro Ateneo. Una vitalità che, nel corso di questi anni di mandato rettorale, abbiamo avuto modo di apprezzare in molte occasioni e che abbiamo sempre riconosciuto come un autentico valore. Per questo l’abbiamo coltivata e tutelata, riconoscendola come una risorsa preziosa per l’intera comunità accademica. Anche per questo, l’esito del voto rappresenta un segnale chiaro: l’idea di un Ateneo conflittuale e negativo non rispecchia la visione della maggioranza della nostra comunità. Alla nuova Rettrice, prima donna in oltre 600 anni di storia, e al nuovo Prorettore vanno le nostre più sincere congratulazioni e l’augurio di un proficuo lavoro al servizio dell’Università”.
Ana Paula Duarte elected Rector of UBI
Ana Paula Coelho Duarte will be the next Rector of the University of Beira Interior (UBI), having been elected on 6 June by the institution’s General Council. She will be the sixth person to lead the Rectorate of UBI, and the first woman to hold the position. The elected Rector is 63 years old and has a degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Coimbra. She obtained her PhD in Paper Engineering at UBI, where she also presented her Aggregation Exams in Paper Engineering. She became a Full Professor in 2009. In addition to her career as a teacher and researcher, she has participated in various bodies at UBI, notably as Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation between 2009 and 2013, having created the Research Coordination Institute, which she also chaired. She was also elected to the first General Council of UBI in 2008 and for the terms beginning in 2016, 2020 and 2024, having headed lists in the first two. She coordinated the Health Sciences Research Centre (CICS-UBI) for two successive terms between 2015 and 2019. She is currently Vice-President of the Faculty of Health Sciences for Research, Community Projects and Faculty Centre Management, a position she has held since 2017. Ana Paula Duarte is also director of the Doctorate/3rd Cycle in Pharmaceutical Sciences. She is expected to take office as Rector later this month.
Matching event of the Digital Transition hub at UPNA
On 29 and 30 May, UPNA hosted a Matching event in Digital Transition, one of the Alliance’s hubs. Under the heading ‘Green and secure ICT for the digital society in the Anthropocene’, 22 researchers from different UNITA universities addressed various areas related to sustainable ICTs, information processing and communications, IoT, cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing and Industry 4.0, among others. The aim of this meeting, which was aimed at research staff from scientific and technical areas with the same interests and willingness to work collectively on sustainable and secure digital technologies, was to strengthen and expand the UNITA research community in this particular area. In order to give continuity to the activity generated, a call for Starting Grants has been published to fund collaborative projects. These projects must respect the theme of the event and be developed by teams in which at least three UNITA universities are represented.
UNITA GEIE is Hiring: Project Development Officer: new deadline is June 16th at 12.00 CEST
UNITA GEIE (European Economic Interest Grouping) is seeking a Project Development Officer to join its team in Torino, Italy. The selected candidate will support UNITA GEIE in scouting, catalyzing and supporting the development of collaborative projects within the alliance. The ideal profile includes an advanced degree (Master’s or PhD) in a relevant field, relevant job experience, fluency in Italian and English. This is a two-year fixed-term contract (20 hours/week). 📌 Apply by June 16th, 2025, 12.00 PM CEST: Send your CV and motivation letter to unita.geie@ gmail.com (mailto:unita.geie@ gmail.com) Full call
UNITA – CALL FOR STARTING TECH TRANSFER GRANTS Apply by June 6th, 2025 / Information webinar: 21 May at 14:00 (CET)
UNITA Task 4.1, – Interterritorial Interfaces for Innovation –, has launched a new CALL FOR STARTING TECH TRANSFER GRANTS, aligned with the alliance’s mission to harmonize best practices in technology transfer, enhance regional innovation ecosystems, and stimulate the creation of joint research-to-market pathways across institutions. Starting Tech Transfer Grants are designed to fund early-stage proof-of-concept initiatives (Technology Readiness Levels 2-3), developed collaboratively by teams from at least two UNITA partner universities. The teams will consist primarily of researchers and PhD candidates, while also welcoming the involvement of administrative innovation staff and master’s students. Proposals must be aligned with regional Smart Specialization Strategies (S3/S4), with preference given to those addressing the thematic areas of the UNITA Research & Innovation Hubs: Green energy, Circular economy and environment, Cultural heritage, Digital transitions. Global health and Inclusive societies. Projects must also demonstrate clear potential for internationalization and a sustainable long-term impact on the market. The application deadline is Friday 6th June 2025 at midnight (CET). Key facts and dates Total Budget Available: 130.200€Number of Starting TT Grants: 18 Maximum Funding per Grant: 7.233,33€ Implementation Timeline: Projects must be implemented between July 2025 and March 2026, with a maximum duration of 9 months. Application deadline: Friday 6th June 2025. You can join the information webinar to be held on 21 May at 14:00 CET, on this link (https://datacloud.univ-unita.eu/index.php/apps/bbb/b/4XS6PsLYxZxg4tXF), to find out more about the call and the application process. FULL CALL APPLY NOW: Application link (https://surveysbg.univ-unita.eu/index.php/377838? lang=en) 🔗 Recording of the Info Webinar (21 May): (https://bbb- cluster.di.unito.it/playback/presentation/2.3/a89e8c86eafc7f393dfd4d72cc04fe9637c274e3- 1747827085691)🔗 FAQ document (updated) (https://datacloud.univ- unita.eu/index.php/apps/onlyoffice/2126871? filePath=%2F5_Unita_Phase_II%2FUNITA%2FWP4%2FTask4.1%2FA.4.1.1.%20Chart%20the%20Cartograp UNITA S3/S4 Cartography (https://datacloud.univ-unita.eu/index.php/apps/files/files/2103066? dir=/5_Unita_Phase_II/UNITA/WP4/Task4.1/A.4.1.1.%20Chart%20the%20Cartography%20of%20the%2
Matching Event of the Inclusive Societies Hub organized at UNITBV
As part of the activities dedicated to the UNITA Alliance, Transilvania University of Brașov organized a Matching Event on May 22 and 23, 2025. This event, managed by the Inclusive Societies hub, focused on the scientific topic of “Pathways to Inclusive Societies: Exploring the Role of Democracy, Institutions, Politics, Citizenship, and Information”. The main goal of this meeting was to strengthen and support the UNITA community by bringing together researchers and academic staff who shared similar or complementary interests in the field of the Inclusive Societies research hub. By organizing this event, the UNITBV team aimed to achieve several strategic objectives. The goal was to develop strong networks of UNITA researchers with interests in related thematic areas, thus facilitating the initiation of joint research projects across the entire alliance. The event was also designed to actively promote international cooperation in research and innovation and to contribute significantly to the activities of the UNITA research and innovation hub. Over the course of the two dedicated days, 29 participants were engaged in a series of dynamic and interactive activities aimed at stimulating the exchange of ideas and building partnerships. The program included a welcoming speech offered by Professor Carmen Buzea, Vice-Rector for Research of Transilvania University of Brasov, and Professor Monica Răileanu-Szeles, Co-leader of the Inclusive Societies Hub. The special guest on the first day of the event was Associate Professor Antonio Momoc, from the Faculty of Journalism and Communication, University of Bucharest, who presented his research on Populism, democracy, disinformation, and polarization. Next, short ‘elevator pitch’ presentations showcased research interests of all the participants, followed by dedicated one-to-one ‘matching’ sessions to identify potential collaborators. Thematic working groups were organized for in-depth discussions and the development of concrete courses of action, along with various networking activities, both formal and informal. This event structure was designed to encourage the identification of new areas of collaboration and lay the foundations for future international cooperation projects. The aim was to amplify the impact of research and initiatives developed within the UNITA University Alliance. Furthermore, as a natural continuation of this networking event, a call for “UNITA Starting Grants” program is planned for June 2025. These grants are intended to provide the necessary funding to strengthen the research networks within the Inclusive Societies research hub, through the topics addressed.