Lorenzo and Anna Sofia: A month of rural exploration in the land of Lăpuş through UNITA Rural Mobility
Lorenzo Bottino, a graduate student in Sociology, and Anna Sofia Monticelli, a student in Intercultural Communication, from Università degli Studi di Torino, lived an unforgettable experience at Groșii Țibleșului, in the county of Maramureș, in this summer. The two, who are passionate about local culture and traditions, chose to participate in the Rural Mobility programme within UNITA University Alliance, in order to explore rural life for a month. The Rural Mobility programme provides the students of all partner universities with the opportunity to experience everyday life and practices of rural communities through internship programmes. The purpose of this programme is to discover how the locals live, to understand the dynamics of social interactions and to contribute to the capitalization on the cultural heritage of the region. “We were warmly welcomed by the community of Groșii Țibleșului, a small place, but full of heart and traditions. A walk here is a journey through time and cultures, revealing the wisdom and beauty of simple village life. Past and present harmoniously intertwine, keeping traditions alive and treating visitors like family members. The people we met made us feel at home and live another reality, changing our perspective” said the two students. The Village Hall of Groșii Țibleșului supported this initiative which contributed to the promotion of the commune and its traditions. Part of the Italian students’ adventure in the Land of Lăpuș is documented on the Facebook and Instagram pages LapusXplorers. Watch the video»
Beyond borders in Europe with BIP UNITA Borders
34 students from different European countries took part in the second edition of the UNITA Borders Blended Intensive Program from July 12 to 19, organized by the University of Turin in collaboration with Saarland University of the European Alliance Transform4Europe. The students, coming from UNITA Alliance universities and six other European universities, participated in the second edition of the UNITA Borders Blended Intensive Program which took place at the campus Luigi Einaudi from July 15 to 19. This is one of the first initiatives proposed by the European Alliance UNITA together with universities belonging to other European alliances: in particular, the BIP was organized with the University of Saarland, which is part of the Transform4Europe (T4EU) alliance. The results of this cooperation can be seen in the number and diverse backgrounds of the participants: a group with an international and multicultural background that allowed everyone to have an important experience in the internationalization of their studies. BIP UNITA Borders focuses on the cultural, social and political importance of borders in the context of the transformations the world is currently witnessing. The concept of “border” was approached with a multidisciplinary approach through the participation of 11 faculty members from various universities of different countries and disciplinary fields. The discussed topics ranged from the physical wall as a boundary between countries, to the metaphysical wall of identity and citizenship; from the externalization of borders, to the forms of art and activism that arise in the context of the border; from the border in the field of political science, to the border in the field of philosophy. This interdisciplinary approach allowed students to reflect on the border without limiting their thoughts to their fields of expertise. The Erasmus Blended Intensive Programs (BIP) allow for an experience of internationalization that combines short physical mobility (usually one week) with virtual mobility. The BIP Erasmus programs proposed by UNITA aim to bring together groups of students from at least three universities belonging to the UNITA alliance with the goal of exploring issues from a European approach. Watch the UNITA Borders BIP video presentation and learn how to participate in the UNITA BIP programs.
UNIGHT – European Researchers’ Night 2024
Europe’s largest event on research is back in Turin on Friday, September 27 and Saturday, September 28, 2024 For the third year, the European Researchers’ Night – UNIGHT in Turin is organized by the University and Polytechnic of Turin in collaboration with the Royal Museums and the UNITA – Universitas Montium Alliance, under the patronage of the City of Turin and the Piedmont Region. Following the success of the 2023 edition, the event will be held again in the striking setting of the Royal Museums in Turin on Friday, Sept. 27, from 5 p.m. to midnight, and Saturday, Sept. 28, from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. The event will take place along seven thematic routes from Piazzetta Reale to the Royal Gardens among open-air workshops, science cafes and games for all ages, while on the Roman theater (Museum of Antiquities) there will be shows and musical performances. Topics will range from climate change adaptation to human health, from cultural heritage to the frontiers of research, with the aim of encouraging active participation in the improvement of knowledge and its impact on our daily lives and respond together to the important future challenges affecting our health and that of the planet. UNITA will join UNIGHT in Turin with several activities: The planned activities have been co-designed by multidisciplinary teams of researchers from Turin’s universities and several research centers who have been working since January to share their research with the public through fun and stimulating activities. UNIGHT also involves other places in the city: many museums open until midnight such as the Xké? Curiosity Lab, the “Arturo Graf” University Archives and Historical Library at the Rectorate of the University of Turin, and the “Luigi Rolando” Anatomy and “Cesare Lombroso” Criminal Anthropology University Museums. UNIGHT 2024 will also take place in the University of Turin venues in Cuneo and Savigliano. Follow updates on the UNIGHT program on the website https://unightproject.eu/en
Languages Staff Week Romance.pt with partners from UNITA Alliance at UBI
This week the University of Beira Interior (UBI) welcomed 11 participants from some of the UNITA Alliance partners, namely USMB, UPPA and HES-SO for a Staff Week of Intercomprehension in Romance languages. É a segunda vez que a UBI é anfitriã desta iniciativa onde o grande propósito é fazer jus a um dos pilares da UNITA – a Intercompreensão. Foi uma semana de partilha intercultural e linguística, em que os participantes tiveram a oportunidade de aprofundar conhecimentos sobre a Língua e a Cultura Portuguesas e adquirir competências de intercompreensão. Não só as aulas fizeram parte da agenda deste evento, mas também a visita ao Instituto Politécnico da Guarda (IPG), igualmente parceiro da UNITA. Na cidade da Guarda, além de conhecerem as instalações do IPG, tiveram oportunidade de participar num “World Café” – conversa informal sob o tema da Cidadania Europeia e visitaram, ainda, o centro histórico da cidade. Todos os envolvidos adquiriram competências de compreensão oral e escrita da Língua Portuguesa, bem como vocabulário para se poderem expressar em Português. Estes cinco dias foram, sem dúvida, uma experiência que todos gostariam de repetir.
UNITA at the EAIE Conference and Exhibition in Toulouse, 2024
For the first time, UNITA will participate at the EAIE Conference and Exhibition, that will take place between 17-20 September 2024, in Toulouse, France. This is Europe’s biggest event dedicated to the internationalisation of higher education, covering all important topics in the field, as well as exhibitors from all over the world. It is an important opportunity for showcasting best practices, training, networking and deepening international cooperation overall for all participants and their respective institutions. UNITA’s first major exhibition presence will provide a unique opportunity to connect with European and global partners. Thus, our participation at the EAIE 2024 will offer extensive opportunities to connect with other alliances and partners from the UNITA Geminae network. It will, simultaneously, be an opportunity to develop new avenues for collaboration for UNITA and to support the growth of our alliance’s international dimension, in Europe and beyond. Putting UNITA on the EAIE programme map UNITA will be represented on the EAIE conference programme by alliance partners’ representatives, showcasing once again the cooperation of our members for the common goals we set for our European University. An important aspect of our presence in Toulouse is that fact that UNITA will be present in the session “UNLOCKING GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES: OUTREACH PROGRAMS WITHIN EUROPEAN UNIVERSITIES ALLIANCES” with Francisco Do Adro zooming in on the best practices and cooperation with non-EU partners, in a cross-alliance collaborative presentation with two other alliances. Connecting with partners in Europe and beyond UNITA is organizing bilateral meetings in the space B01. Priority will be given to discussions with GEMINAE partners. Additionally, on Wednesday, 18th of September, at 15h30 local time, we will organize a UNITA GEMINAE connecting event with a chocolate tasting. Moreover, on Thursday, at 15h30, anyone willing to find out more about our alliance can participate in a Discover UNITA raffle based on the business card received during the event at our booth. Looking ahead to the next EAIE Conference and Exhibition in Toulouse, and taking into account the success of the FOREU project dedicated to the creation of a community of practice for European Alliances #foreu4all, UNITA strongly believes in the the critical importance of collaboration across alliances for good practice exchanges and in the visibility of European Alliances as flagships of European Higher Education. The context offered by the EAIE can definitely help us reach these goals, which focus on the bigger picture of the European Universities Initiative and underline the quality and competitiveness of European higher education at global level. For UNITA is important to underscore for the public the critical role of the European University Initiative (EUI) in shaping the future of higher education in Europe. More than 20 alliances will be represented at the EAIE in Toulouse and this is just the beginning. We look forward to further strengthening European Alliances status as challenging entities within the global higher education landscape. In fact, this presence at the EAIE will amplify the dissemination of knowledge about the European Universities Initiative and their impact on enriching the value of European higher education and its the internationalisation. The results will surely follow. We look forward to seeing UNITA’ impactful work reach new audiences at EAIE 2024 in Toulouse. To check the full programme go on: https://www.eaie.org/events/toulouse.html
2 UNITO students and 1 from UVT win the My 3min PhD Thesis UNITA competition
superlead temporário On Thursday, 18 candidates from 8 universities belonging to the UNITA alliance competed in the final of the second edition of My 3min PhD Thesis UNITA. The students were welcomed on Monday at the Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour (UPPA) for an intensive week (Blended Intensive Programme) of drama, public speaking and communication classes. The competition, which was broadcast live, helped to decide between the candidates. First prize went to Rebecca Sabatini, from Università degli Studi di Torino (UNITO) for her thesis: “Exposing humans: Mummies, rituals and heritage-making” Second place went to Irene VIOLA, also from UNITO for her thesis: “Establishment of an in vitro model to study autophagy during early placenta development in sheep” Finally, third place went to Karla CSUROS, from Universitatea de Vest din Timișoara (UVT) for her thesis: “Get to Work! A Corpus-Based Inquiry into the language of Contemporary American Workplace Sitcoms” Friday was dedicated to a leisure activity, giving the students a chance to take a breather after the competition and enjoy some last moments with their mates. All the candidates’ video presentations will soon be available on the UNITA YouTube channel. UNITA thanks all the participants: Daniel ALÁEZ GÓMEZ (UPNA), Amelia TOTH (UVT), Samuele SUTERA (UNITO), Carmen RODRIGO CARBÓ (UNIZAR), Muhammed AMINU (UPPA), Praveena PACHAIAPPAN (UNIBS), Mariana FIADEIRO (UBI), Manuel SOTO RAMOS (UNITBV), Laura LARRODERA (UNIZAR), Liuder Isidoro RODRÍGUEZ COCA (UNITBV), Olivia RENARD (UPPA), Rafael LOPES (UBI), Ana Laura GIAMBELLUCA (UPNA), Alejandro FRESNEDA CRUZ (UNIZAR), Francesca TANGHETTI (UNIBS).
BIP-Blended Intensive Program “Environmental Issues in the European Union” at UVT: A Week of Intensive Studies and Educational Visits
În perioada 19-28 iunie 2024, Facultatea de Drept din cadrul Universității de Vest din Timișoara a organizat și găzduit Blended Intensive Program intitulat „Environmental Issues in the European Union”. Acest eveniment a reunit 25 de participanți din 6 universități, oferindu-le o oportunitate unică de a explora diverse perspective asupra problemelor de mediu în contextul Uniunii Europene. Programul a inclus o componentă online, desfășurată între 19 și 21 iunie 2024, unde participanții au avut ocazia să se familiarizeze cu temele și conceptele principale înainte de a se întâlni față în față. Această fază introductivă a oferit o bază solidă de cunoștințe și a facilitat discuțiile interactive și colaborările ulterioare. Componenta la fața locului s-a desfășurat între 24 și 28 iunie 2024, la Universitatea de Vest din Timișoara și a inclus vizite de studiu la Institutul de Cercetări Avansate de Mediu (ICAM) și Curtea de Apel Timișoara. Studenții au luat parte la dezbateri, studii de caz și prelegeri pe tema BIP-ului și au avut experiența unui proces simulat.
Courses in Spanish as a Foreign Language at UNIZAR
As every summer since 1927, the Courses in Spanish as a Foreign Language of the University of Zaragoza move their activity to the city of Jaca, located in Huesca, during August. They are a perfect opportunity to start or improve the study of Spanish from experienced teachers in two-weeks or four-weeks courses (29 July-9 August; 12-23 August; or both fortnights), meeting people from other countries. Together with the Spanish Courses for Foreign Students, Spanish Teacher Training Courses are also offered. Spanish-speaking students participate in these courses allowing Spanish and Foreign students the opportunity to spend time together and practise their language skills. The University of Zaragoza has an excellent residence hall with dining room, garden and swimming pool, where students live in a favorable atmosphere for learning. In addition to lessons, we organize tourist visits and trips to must-seen places of the beautiful Jaca and its surroundings (cathedral, citadel, Ansó, Hecho, Loarre Castle, Canfranc…). Jaca is a little first-class tourist city in the Pyrenees, that stands out for it varied cultural offer: concerts, markets, exhibitions, cultural events, etc., in an ideal natural environment for developing different sportive activities. Cursos de Español: https://cursosdeespanol.unizar.es/en/courses-jaca/language-culture-jaca Cursos de Profesores: https://cursosdeespanol.unizar.es/cursos-de-verano-en-jaca/formacion-de-profesores-jaca
1st meeting of the Governance Board for the RECIPES project: progress on tools for the internationalization of training programs
Transilvania University of Brașov was the host for UNITA WEEK, a significant event running from June 17-21, 2024. The gathering brought together participants from partner universities within the UNITA – Universitas Montium European Alliance of Universities, to discuss and collaborate on key issues pertinent to the alliance’s goals. During this event, several critical topics were addressed, including the development of the UNITA community, the creation of personalized, multilingual, and international study programs for students, the enhancement of the digital campus, and the optimization of research infrastructure. Other focal points included promoting international mobility for students and faculty, stimulating innovation, and contributing to the development of local and regional communities. On June 20, Transilvania University of Brașov also hosted the 1st Governance Board of the project UNITA RECIPES for INTERNATIONALISATION, in the presence of the Vice-rectors of the full and associated partners of the project, as well as of the scientific leaders and managers of the project, who joined the event online. Laurence Vignollet, the representative of USMB in the Governance Board of Unita Recipes for Internationalisation presented the main objective of the project as well as the progress on each work package. She also addressed the “UNITApedia” tool, a specialized wiki for the alliance, on which UNITA is also working now and which will include the future handbook of RECIPES delivered through the project, accessible online. This handbook aims to be responsive and user-friendly, integrating a powerful research engine to aid users. The methodology for developing these tools, including a self-assessment tool and the collection of requirements from partner universities, was also a topic of discussion. The alliance plans to make these tools available in multiple languages, including all UNITA languages and English. A crucial part of this development involves discussing user experience (UX) design methodologies to capture requirements and needs effectively. Further discussions will be scheduled to consult colleagues on the tools currently used in education for this purpose. To ensure the successful integration and compatibility of these tools with UNITApedia, there will also be meetings with other partners to discuss recommendations for future technologies. They will also explore the creation of additional handbooks, for future issues or needs. UNITA WEEK 2024 was a landmark event for the UNITA – Universitas Montium Alliance, fostering collaboration, innovation, and community development among its member universities.
European Universities alliances unite to create a joint Community of Practice
European Universities alliances are joining forces in a project called FOR-EU4All. The project brings together all current and future European Universities alliances—numbering over 60—into a unified, cohesive structure. The goal is to foster a collaborative and supportive environment where best practices and experiences can be shared not only among the alliances themselves but also with the broader European Higher Education (HE) sector. As flagships of the European Education Area (EEA) and the European Research Area (ERA), European Universities alliances are leading the way in developing new and innovative concepts for deep transnational institutional cooperation to stimulate long-lasting transformation of European higher education as a whole. Evolution of the FOR-EU Network The informal alliance network FORum of European Universities (FOR-EU) has been in place since the start of the European Universities initiative (EUI). Alliance experts have been brought together across countries and institutions to form active communities on strategic topics, such as education cooperation, governance, research & innovation dimension of alliances, or student engagement. FOR-EU has currently 20+ subgroups in place and different parallel fora where the coordinators and alliances’ experts meet. Due to the increasingly large-scale nature and impact of the EUI, a merger of all FOR-EU groups is now necessary, and dedicated resources are required. Formalising Collaboration FOR-EU4All will reflect the fruitful collaboration and related extensive expertise that exists in FOR-EU. It will merge, formalise, and scale up the informal processes and structures that naturally developed over the past four years, and focus on supporting efficient administration, coordination, communication and dissemination. Moreover, FOR-EU4All will strongly focus on linkages with the wider HE sector, collaboration with existing networks and stakeholder representatives, as well as engagement with decision-makers on both achievements and challenges related to the EUI. This is also reflected in the project name, we simply are stronger together. Outreach activities and the dissemination of good practices and learnings are expected to help bringing transnational cooperation in HE in Europe to the next level. Commitment to EEA and ERA Objectives European Universities alliances are committed to contributing to the realisation of both the EEA and ERA policy objectives. In collaboration with stakeholders, this project will furthermore focus on addressing challenges to transnational collaboration that persist in the EHEA to date – ranging from joint educational provision to mobility as well as digital and R&I collaboration. With FOR-EU4All, alliances are committed to working together with each other, with relevant stakeholders and policy-makers to overcome obstacles to transnational collaboration and to realise the long-lasting transformation of European higher education. The FOR-EU4All project has been awarded 1.8 million euros by the European Commission and should last 48 months, starting on the 1st of November 2024. The European University Association – EUA, the European Students’ Union – ESU, the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education – ENQA, the European Association of Institutions in Higher Education – EURASHE and the Erasmus Student Network – ESN are associated partner of the project. Discover the FOREU4ALL project