EUTOPIA acknowledges the role of our universities in responding to the current pandemic.

An expert panel came together during the second EUTOPIA week (23 - 27 Nov 2020) to highlight some of the excellent research-led contributions made by colleagues towards combatting COVID-19.

Rewatch the expert panel here

Speakers:

• Tomas Grysell, Head of Unit for Pedagogical Development and Interactive Learning, Göteborgs Universitet
• Enric Vallduví, Vice Rector of Research, Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona
• Patrick Courilleau, Vice President Education, CY Cergy Paris Université

• Dirk Devroey, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel

EUTOPIA is not a straightforward project. on the contrary, it is a unique, complex, and intensive project that aims to transform universities profoundly.

It is unique, because it is the expression of the will of six sovereign universities to go through a process of collective self-transformation. It is a complex project because the process touches upon all aspects of the university. It is also an intense project as lots needs to be done in a short period. 

One of the distinctive aspects of EUTOPIA is that a new educational model is being developed where the focus is no longer on moving individuals from X to Z for a single short or long period, but on supporting the creation of long lasting and sustainable networks. Our educational model of the future will bring together academics, students and extra-academic stakeholders from all EUTOPIA partner universities. Together, they will co-create courses and learning material in so-called Connected Learning Communities.  In such EUTOPIA connected learning communities students, staff and extra academic partners will gain substantial added value and relevance by cooperating at a European scale. 

We realize that for reasons of sustainability we do have to change our travel policy. But we also have to acknowledge that EUTOPIA can never be only just a digital platform of collaboration. ‘Being there’ and ‘feeling connected’ remain an important element of the educational experience as well.  Short term and well-chosen mobility is needed as an instrument to allow participation of students in international experiments /assignments and to support staff in building the connectedness needed among colleagues that are willing to exchange pedagogical practices. In fact, connectedness is one of EUTOPIA’s educational model’s main pillars. The very first pilot cases are kicking off right now and we are looking forward to starting this exiting learning journey together.

- Caroline Pauwels, Rector Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Geared towards the challenges of the future
The alliance will be challenge-drive to prepare students and staff as European citizens and lifelong learners who care and act for the future of the planet and humanity.

Student-centered and student-led
The alliance will provide transformative and open learning opportunities, and extended horizons of expectation and ability, both across Europe and throughout the world.

Attentive to the plurality, potentiality and international pre-eminence of Europe’s regions
The alliance will build on its place-making strengths, connecting cultures and contexts in order to enhance European capability and creativity, and support the international pre-eminence of European innovation and influence.

Committed to the principles of openness and inclusion
The alliance will foster and support knowledge co-creation, by building open resources and collaborative platforms, endorsing open science agendas, and sponsoring the access, mobility and inclusivity mechanisms that liberate our intellectual and social potential.

Career Opportunities with the EU Institutions and EPSO selection processes

Find out more about employment and traineeship opportunities within European Union institutions

Students of the EUTOPIA alliance, come join us on Wednesday 20th January 2021 4pm-5pm CET to find out about employment and traineeship opportunities within European Union institutions.

EUTOPIA is an alliance of European universities that is working towards adapting the model of higher education to the needs of the twentyfirst century.

The EUTOPIA alliance is made up of six universities: Vrije Universiteit Brussel, CY Cergy Paris Université, the University of Gothenburg, the University of Ljubljana, Universitat Pompeu Fabra and the University of Warwick.

To find out more about working for a European Institution, sign up and learn about:

✔ Working at a European institution (student profiles, criteria and eligibility benefits)

✔ The selection procedure for Permanent Officials

✔ The selection procedure for Contract Agents

✔ Traineeship opportunities (e.g.: at the European Commission, the European Parliament or the Council of the European Union).

Sign up here and discover what opportunities the European Union holds for you! Guillem Martínez, EU and Eutopia Careers Student Ambassador and UNICAT Ambassador at Pompeu Fabra University, and POLITICO's EU Studies and Career Fair Ambassador, will be happy to talk you through all your options.

Open Science – an introduction by Jean-Claude Burgelman & key European experts

What?

Open Science (OS)  is the way forward in doing research in the 21^st century. How the modus operandi of science – due to digital tech but also due to the globalization of science - is changing and what it implies for stakeholders (researchers, but also funders, publishers etc.) will be at the core of this lecture series. In this unique course Jean-Claude Burgelman will initiate you in the 5 key components of Open Science and invited experts in the European Landscape to shed light on different aspects of OS. 

Sign up for this second semester introductory course now! More info here.

When? 

8 sessions starting in the beginning of February:

• 8/2 (1h):   Intro: what is OS? Purpose of the course
• 15/2: Open science:  history and context (OS as digital disruption, OS as better science)
• 22/2: European and global policies in OS
• 1/3: Open access in publications.
  guest lecture: Bianca Kramer (Utrecht ans LSE blog 101 innovations in scholarly publishing)
• 8/3: Open data and the European Open Science Cloud.
  guest lecture: Gareth o'Neill (Eurodoc and EOSC)
• 15/3: Open science: what skills are needed. 
  guest lecture Vinciane Gaillard (dep director EUA & member EOSC)
•  22/3: Open science and metrics.
  guest lecture: Rene Von Schomberg (EC and University of Dusseldorf)
• 29/3: Open software for open science.
  Guest lecture: Bob Jones (head digital CERN)

Sign up for this second semester course before the end of January!

The University of Gothenburg’s Summer School for Sustainability is a chance to take action on sustainability and deepen your understanding of global challenges and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. A chance to join an international cohort of likeminded people for four inspirational weeks in one of the most sustainable cities in the world.

Would you like to:

• participate in a European project with prestigious universities?
• work with students from all over Europe?
• actively contribute to improving your learning process and that of future generations?
• improve your resume and acquire new skills and competences?

If so, become a EUTOPIA Dissemination Ambassador and help create a new European University model!

More information here.

The EUTOPIA Student Council believes it is necessary to implement a series of platforms where students can express and share their brilliant work. That is why we created the EUTOPIA Student Think Tank (EUSTT), a place whose aim is to connect the knowledge, ideas and projects of students from the alliance.

WHAT IS A STUDENT THINK TANK?

• An organisation that involves young people in policy-making processes and promotes values and human rights.
• Collaboration in the organisation of events, debates and conferences that engage young people in the European University.
• Promotion of projects that will target a large following of young Europeans (through Website and Social Media) delivered with the credibility and the perspective of a youth organisation.

The Student Think Tank will be a platform whose aim is to connect the knowledge, ideas and projects of students from different universities and to move towards the creation of a true EUTOPIAn community’. The EUSTT will not only allow students to share their work but will also provide skill-training which involves the student community in policy-making or decision-making processes. As students of the alliance, we want a EUTOPIA student community that supports the EUTOPIAn University spirit and gives opportunities to future leaders.

The EUSTT will be an inclusive platform where students and PhD candidates will have the chance to publish their research. Therefore, others will be allowed to give comments and feedback on that!

We want to build a team to make this project come true. So we are counting on you!

The first stage will be to build up the Eutopia Student Think Tank: setting the mission, vision and values of the Think Tank. As well as building a website which will be filled with content and images that represent us. Once this is over, we can start publishing. That means that all the students from the alliance will be invited to share their research and articles. The team in charge of the Think Tank will be responsible for deciding the content to be published, creating working groups, organizing events, and building a bigger community …

WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

We want to create a multidisciplinary team. Do you consider yourself a proactive, enthusiastic, creative, innovative and curious person? We are looking for you!

Roles to be covered:

• General Coordinator: Responsible for the execution of the project and for managing the team.
• Editors: coordinate and revise material prior to its publication. Editors review the articles and decide the material to be published. During the review process, editors offer comments and suggestions to improve it.
• Director of Communication: The Director of Communication is the voice of the organisation. Their role is to elaborate the communication strategy of the think tank and implement it on the website and social media through adequate contents. The aim is to extend the impact of the think tank.
• International Officer: The role of the International Officer is to look for student ambassadors in the union’s universities. The international officer will have the job to seek for partnerships with other universities, so that the EUSTT can be a broad network of youth perspectives and youth policies.
• Website Designer: The web designer is responsible for creating the design and layout of the website.

HOW TO APPLY?

Send your CV and a motivation letter to eutopia.studentcouncil@upf.edu by 15 January.

OPEN SCIENCE – AN INTRODUCTION BY JEAN-CLAUDE BURGELMAN & KEY EUROPEAN EXPERTS

WHAT?

Open Science (OS)  is the way forward in doing research in the 21^st century. How the modus operandi of science – due to digital tech but also due to the globalization of science - is changing and what it implies for stakeholders (researchers, but also funders, publishers etc.) will be at the core of this lecture series. In this unique course Jean-Claude Burgelman will initiate you in the 5 key components of Open Science and invited experts in the European Landscape to shed light on different aspects of OS. 

Sign up for this second semester introductory course now! Full course description here.

WHEN? 

8 sessions starting in the beginning of February:

• 8/2 (1h):   Intro: what is OS? Purpose of the course
• 15/2: Open science:  history and context (OS as digital disruption, OS as better science)
• 22/2: European and global policies in OS
• 1/3: Open access in publications.
  guest lecture: Bianca Kramer (Utrecht ans LSE blog 101 innovations in scholarly publishing)
• 8/3: Open data and the European Open Science Cloud.
  guest lecture: Gareth o'Neill (Eurodoc and EOSC)
• 15/3: Open science: what skills are needed. 
  guest lecture Vinciane Gaillard (dep director EUA & member EOSC)
•  22/3: Open science and metrics.
  guest lecture: Rene Von Schomberg (EC and University of Dusseldorf)
• 29/3: Open software for open science.
  Guest lecture: Bob Jones (head digital CERN)

Sign up for this second semester course before the end of January!

Academic Careers in Higher Education – will the new European Research Area provide new momentum for change?

Rewatch here

Academic Careers are at the heart of the European Commission’s recently published European Research Area (ERA) Communication to establish the free movement of researchers and ideas. At its core are deep-rooted cross-European problems: 

• How do we better support the careers of PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers? 
• How can we achieve a better work-life balance for researchers, and improve their wellbeing? 
• How can we improve the mobility of researchers – across national boundaries, and across sectors? 
• And, finally, how can we address these issues in a way that enhances the diversity and general  balance of our communities at all levels? 

This panel will explore how individual universities and European University networks propose to provide new approaches to these key issues.

Speakers:

• Jan Palmowksi, Secretary General, The Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities (and UoW) (Chair)
• Christine Ennew OBE, Provost, UoW (EUTOPIA)
• Apostolia Karamali, Head of Unit Academic Research Organisations, European Commission
• Åse Gornitzka, Vice-Rector for Research and Internationalisation, University of Oslo (Circle-U)
• Stanisław Kistryn, Rector’s Proxy for UNA-Europa, Jagiellonian University (UNA-Europa)

12 PhD co-tutelle projects have been selected, with 4 partners of the EUTOPIA alliance, out of 21 projects submitted jointly by researchers and laboratories from CY Initiative (CY Cergy Paris University and ESSEC) and partner universities (Warwick, VUB, Ljubljana, Pompeu Fabra). The selected projects will be co-financed by CY Initiative for a total of 1.02M euros.  
 
Details of the results can be found through this link.
 
This call for projects has generated a great interest from CY Initiative’s scientific community. Thank you to all the project leaders for their interest and the energy mobilized.

PhD Scholarship ERC Starting Grant 'CURIAE VIRIDES' in the area of sustainable development law

The Institute for European Studies is looking for a PhD-student with a doctoral grant. 

About the Institute for European Studies (IES):

The IES aims to excel at cutting-edge, multidisciplinary and applied policy research on the most urgent governance challenges confronting policymakers in Europe and the wider world. Most notably, these include (i) the governance of sustainability transitions in Europe and  internationally (ii) the impact of migration on the economic potential, political cohesion and diverse identities of European societies, (iii) the implications of the return of great power competition for European security, diplomacy and defence policies, and (iv) the way in which digital technologies challenge the organisation of the public and private sectors as well as our understanding of democracy writ large. 

In this call, the IES is seeking an innovative and original PhD project within the first of the noted research themes, i.e. the sustainability transitions, more specific conducting research on “judicial (and social) activism on ecological governance gaps”. 

More information here

EUTOPIA CALL FOR PROPOSALS OPEN TO ACADEMICS FROM EUTOPIA UNIVERSITIES WISHING TO OBTAIN FUNDING FOR PHD CO-TUTELLE FELLOWSHIPS WITHIN THE EUTOPIA ALLIANCE.

The core mission of EUTOPIA is to promote a connected and inclusive academic community, addressing global and local challenges, advancing excellence, inclusion, impact and innovation.

The EUTOPIA PhD co-tutelle programme supports high-quality PhD projects in all research areas co-supervised by academics of the EUTOPIA member universities. It offers PhD fellowships for 3 to 4 years, depending on the length of doctoral studies in the partner universities. It is expected to lead to high-quality research projects with global impact, providing exciting research opportunities for PhD or doctoral candidates. They shall take full advantage of the vibrant scientific environment of the EUTOPIA alliance (the following links give access the research pages of the four EUTOPIA partner universities active in the 2021 programme):

• Vrije Universiteit Brussel
• CY Cergy Paris Université
• University of Ljubljana
• University of Warwick

APPLICATIONS MUST BE PRESENTED BY THE PHD PROJECTS’ SUPERVISORS (ACADEMICS FROM EUTOPIA PARTNER UNIVERSITIES). PHD CANDIDATES ARE NOT ENTITLED TO APPLY DIRECTLY TO THE CALL.

The Call Description and Application Form can be found here 

Call opens 13 January 2021, and closes 28 April 2021

The present call offers to fund for the following co-tutelle PhD fellowships:

Objectives

The Researcher Mobility Program will support research visits of EUTOPIA researchers across EUTOPIA partner universities. The main objective of this program is to foster research collaborations and to allow the sharing of expertise and infrastructures and the development of joint research activities (e.g. common publications, PhD co-tutelles, joint applications for external research funds etc.), in line with EUTOPIA’s mission to promote a connected and inclusive academic community, addressing global and local challenges and advancing excellence and inclusion.

The program is developed as part of the EUTOPIA 2050 Erasmus+ project. It will allow each EUTOPIA university to finance a minimum of 4 research mobility projects, for a total of 24 research visits over the duration of the EUTOPIA 2050 project.

All visits financed under the EUTOPIA Researcher Mobility Program should be project-led and allow the development and furthering of research collaborations between the researchers of the EUTOPIA Alliance. The program is open to all academic disciplines and topics. Projects addressing key societal challenges of our time, and related to EUTOPIA’s overarching theme “Planetary well-being” are especially encouraged.

Eligibility and funding

Who can apply?

• Faculty from all EUTOPIA partner universities, including post-doctoral fellows – 
• Pre-doctoral researchers are not eligible to this mobility program (but a dedicated doctoral mobility program is in preparation).
• Faculty from international partners of the six universities of EUTOPIA, within the frame of research projects involving researchers from multiple EUTOPIA member universities.

What can be funded ?

• The program supports short research visits of 2 to 3 weeks and covers travel, accommodation and living expenses during the stay, within the limit of 3000 euros per project.
• For EUTOPIA faculty, coverage and reimbursement will be defined in accordance with the financial rules of the home university of the researcher. For international faculty, the financial rules of the host university will apply.

Application procedure overview

A complete description of the application procedure will be provided online on 6 July 2020. 

The application will include:

• A description of the research project, to be carried out during the visit;
• The identification of a host researcher co-responsible for the conduct of the research project during the visit; who shall also be the main contact person for the visiting researcher in the host institution in the preparation of the project and during the visit; 
• the endorsement of the director of the host research center, confirming the research center’s capacity of offering good research conditions for the visit.

Research collaboration opportunities

For an overview of the research activities of the EUTOPIA partners and to establish contact with researchers or research centers at partner institutions, please refer to the following links:

• University of Warwick
• Vrije Universiteit Brussel
• CY Cergy Paris University and theparisseineinitiative.org
• University of Ljubljana
• Pompeu Fabra University
• University of Gothenburg

Contact for general inquiries:

Nicola Ebenburger, Director of International Scientific Development, CY Cergy Paris University, nicola.ebenburger@cyu.fr

Local referents of the EUTOPIA Research Mobility program will be nominated by each partner university early July.

EUTOPIA is pleased to announce the forthcoming opening of 20 post-doctoral fellowships, as part of the EUTOPIA Science and Innovation Fellowships Program (EUTOPIA-SIF). The EUTOPIA Science and Innovation Fellowship Program (EUTOPIA-SIF) has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement number 945380 and is co-funded by the member universities of EUTOPIA.

The EUTOPIA-SIF program aims at enhancing the research potential and career perspective of outstanding young researchers from around the world. It will provide the opportunity for early-career researchers to develop their independent research and undertake training. Fellows will be hosted by one of the partner universities of EUTOPIA and will be offered extensive mobility opportunities within EUTOPIA and beyond.
Please find more information on the Key Research Areas and on the benefits of the programme here.

Call opening and application procedure

For its first call for applications opening on October 19th, corresponding to the academic year 2020/21, the EUTOPIA alliance offers to PhD holders or equivalent, of any nationality, 20 grants as part of the EUTOPIA Science and Innovation Fellowships Programme (EUTOPIA-SIF), co-funded from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation Maria Sklodowska-Curie Actions.

This programme intends to enhance the research potential and the career perspectives of young researchers. The selected candidates of the 2020/21 call are expected to prove their capacity to bring original solutions to the social challenges faced in the five key research areas outlined by the programme. As academic experts, they shall help to understand and figure solutions to the difficulties faced by a planet with limited resources and complex societal issues.

Interdisciplinary interactions are appreciated, and applicants from the Arts and Humanities encouraged. The selected research areas are detailed on the EUTOPIA website.

The submission platform of this first call for proposals will be opened on October 19th, 2020. The deadline for submission of proposals is January 11th, 2021. 
Please check the short guide to learn more on this programme.

Joint research projects between EUTOPIA partners Vrije Universiteit Brussel and University of Ljubljana can be funded by a bilateral agreement between the Flemish and Slovenian funding agencies (FWO and ARRS). The objective of the call is to advance fundamental scientific research, on initiative of the researcher, in all scientific disciplines. 

Normal project duration is four years (minimum two years), expected  of projects Jan. 1^st, 2022. Junior and senior researchers projects can be awarded. Costs of staff, consumables and equipment are eligible for funding.

More info on weave platform (insert FWO and ARRS as organisations in the on-line tool)

Eligibility and funding conditions available here

Deadline for submission is April 1, 2021. Submission should be done at the 2 funding agencies based on a joint research project.
Express your interest to your European Liaison Office preferably by Jan. 25 and get in contact with potential partners.

More info and guidance?

- For VUB researchers: contact Tania Van Loon tania.van.loon@vub.be

- For UL researchers: contact Rebeka Lesjak rebeka.lesjak@uni-lj.si

Rewatch here

The principle of inclusion is central to EUTOPIA, and to the European Universities Initiative as a whole. But how do we define inclusion in a European University that spans six countries? And having defined it, how do we make inclusion a reality for our students and staff? Join us as we discuss these issues with our panel of guest experts.

Speakers

• Kulbir Shergill, Director of Inclusion, University of Warwick (Chair)

• Ana Marija Sobočan, Assistant Professor and Chair of Committee for Ethics in Research, Univerza v Ljubljani

• Binna Kandola OBE, Business Psychologist and co-founder of Pearn Kandola

• Supported by the University of Warwick, the Fernandes Fellowships aim to develop lasting research collaborations between Warwick and Europe, in particularly with EUTOPIA partners.
  The Fellowships will allow those in research, tenure-track or early academic positions at European institutions to undertake a three-month visit to Warwick (possibly split over two or three visits) in order to develop long-term research collaborations by participating in a specific program of research and scholarship with their host and other collaborators, and engaging with the wider Warwick research community.

  The Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) at Warwick has recently released details of projects that have been awarded Fernandes Fellowships. Researchers from the University of Pompeu Fabra, Vrije Universiteit Brussels, CY Cergy Paris Université and the University of Ljubljana have all notably been successful and will visit Warwick as Fellows for research projects.
  You can find more information through the link below.

  The scheme remains open for new applications but please contact the IAS ahead of applying to discuss the timings of planned visits in light of COVID-19. See below for further information.

  More information.

  Fernandes Fellowships

• Postdoc Researcher ERC Starting Grant 'CURIAE VIRIDES' in the area of sustainable development.
  More information here. 

EUTOPIA Student Career Ambassadors present: Career Opportunities with the EU Institutions and EPSO selection processes

Find out more about employment and traineeship opportunities within European Union institutions

Students of the Eutopia alliance, come join us January 20th 2021 4pm-5pm to find out about employment and traineeship opportunities within European Union institutions.

EUTOPIA is an alliance of European universities that is working towards adapting the model of higher education to the needs of the twentyfirst century.

The EUTOPIA alliance is made up of six universities: Vrije Universiteit Brussel, CY Cergy Paris Université, the University of Gothenburg, the University of Ljubljana, Universitat Pompeu Fabra and the University of Warwick.

To find out more about working for a European Institution, sign up and learn about:

✔ Working at a European institution (student profiles, criteria and eligibility benefits)

✔ The selection procedure for Permanent Officials

✔ The selection procedure for Contract Agents

✔ Traineeship opportunities (e.g.: at the European Commission, the European Parliament or the Council of the European Union).

Sign up and discover what opportunities the European Union holds for you! Guillem Martínez, EU and Eutopia Careers Student Ambassador and UNICAT Ambassador at Pompeu Fabra University, and POLITICO's EU Studies and Career Fair Ambassador, will be happy to talk you through all your options.

Sign up here

The EUTOPIA Science Fairs are one of the ways the EUTOPIA alliance chose to display the variety and the quality of its PhD and post-doctoral research. Due to the pandemic, the first EUTOPIA Science Fair will be organised as a virtual event—a Research Posters exhibition in EUTOPIA’s website—starting 15 February 2021.

WHO

The Science Fair intends to show the research developed by young and confirmed researchers, finishing a PhD or in a post-doctoral position, from all over the EUTOPIA Alliance.

WHAT

• A virtual exhibition displayed on EUTOPIA’s website of 60 Research Posters [10 Research Posters in .pdf or .ppt format from each university of the alliance, in its original language or in English, completed by 10 abstracts in English—350-400 words—and 10 short 3 minutes videos —.mp4 file, format: 16:9, quality: 1080 p—describing in English the core issues, or a remarkable side or fact of the research topic]. The Science Fair is open to all research areas, without restrictions. We expect to gather existing posters. During the inauguration day, the visitors to the exhibition will have the possibility to talk to the researchers via specific Zoom links.
• An enriched digital publication, with all the posters, the abstracts and the videos.
• Round-tables on transversal topics organised in February 2021.
• A real exhibition of the printed posters in the campuses of the EUTOPIA’s six universities, when the COVID-19 pandemic will allow it.

WHEN

All posters, abstracts and pitch videos should be in our possession by the 10 January 2021. The Science Fair will open on 15 February 2021. One or two round-tables will be organised on a transversal thematic by the end of February 2021.

WHY

Why participate? Because EUTOPIA is a European international alliance and that your Research theme may open new perspectives for other researchers of the consortium, including senior academic staff. You can expand the reach of your work to six countries, and later to a much broader audience, thanks to the publication of the EUTOPIA Science Fair catalogue. The Science Fair can also be the occasion to know and perhaps even work in an intercultural and integrated community of universities and researchers.

DOWNLOAD THE BROCHURE.

EUTOPIA-Science and Innovation Fellowships (EUTOPIA-SIF) offers 76 post-doctoral researchers a 2-year fellowship position. International post-doctoral researchers with a strong research proposal can apply for a fellowship at VUB, and VUB post-docs interested in international mobility can apply for positions at EUTOPIA's partners.

Selected researchers will first conduct research at their home institutions, followed up by two research secondments at international partners: one at one of the EUTOPIA partner universities, and one at a third party partner institution (academic or extra-academic stakeholder). Researchers will also enjoy unique training opportunities, career advice and academic guidance throughout their 2-year fellowship.

The first call for applications is now open, and closes January 11 2020. Research proposals in one of the four following transdisciplinary fields are eligible for funding: materials engineering, data & intelligence, health, sustainability, welfare & inclusion.

EUTOPIA-SIF is a case study in the recently published European Research Area (ERA) report ‘Towards a 2030 vision on the future of universities in Europe’ (p121), and was lauded extensively! 

"An example of the positive societal impact of universities being deeply integrated into innovation ecosystems are the EUTOPIA Science & Innovation post-doctoral Fellowships (EUTOPIA-SIF), which aims to fully exploit the integration between universities and local, regional, national, European and sometimes also global innovation ecosystems.” 

Ergo, EUTOPIA-SIF offers a prime opportunity to help build the university of the future! 

Interest picqued? Make sure to join the EUTOPIA-SIF info webinars November 9 and December 14 , or contact our project manager Cristina.Macovei@vub.be for more information.

WEDISCOVER DAYS BARCELONA: EUTOPIA AND THE CHALLENGE OF EUROPEAN CITIES

One of the main missions of EUTOPIA is to prepare future generations to face the constant changes and challenges that our society is experiencing. Higher education is undergoing radical transformations to adapt to the university of the future. EUTOPIA intends to prepare students, staff, teachers and researchers to become empowered European citizens for today’s disruptive world.

The Pompeu Fabra University organises the wediscover days barcelona on 28, 29 & 30 October 2020, as the first step of the Open Innovation Challenge initiative, which forms the axis of the Place Making policy of EUTOPIA.

This virtual event will be achieved thanks to the joint work, efforts and close collaboration with experts, institutions, cultural centres and local entities and industries. The objective is to discuss the current social problems that the main European cities are going through today.

The wediscover days barcelona  will help students to start a discovery and research process to acquire knowledge beyond the university campuses. With the motto “from local to global”, the idea is that students find inspiration in common problems and concerns of our societies, seeking practical solutions to issues that could also be implemented on a global scale.

With a programme that includes conferences, talks, seminars, screenings, debates, visits and workshops , the wediscover days barcelona  intend to familiarize students with an array of contemporary issues related to the main Sustainable Development Goals: Climate Emergency, Transport and Mobility, Healthy Food and Sustainable Food Production and Consumption, Social Inclusion and Fighting Inequality, Making Cities and Human Settlements Inclusive, Safe, Resilient and Sustainable.

The event will merge students from the six universities that have previously focused on the effect of the world emergencies at a local level. They will meet with some of UPF’s public and private partners, academics and journalists, bringing a plurality of voices to the idea that European cities are confronting similar difficulties.

The wediscover days barcelona are open, not only to EUTOPIA students who will be able to participate further in the challenge, but also to college students from all around Europe. High schoolers of Catalonia are also invited to engage and discover what the university of the future will look like. 

Given the evolution of the pandemic, the event will be entirely digital this time. The wediscover days barcelona will be broadcasted live through the following link: https://www.upf.edu/web/eutopia/wediscover-live.

Challenges are one of the attractive peculiarities of the EUTOPIA methodology of co-construction of answers to global problems that Europe is about to face in the near future, for students, helped by academic staff and public-private partners, are impelled to work collectively.  With its four stages, in four different cities, the Open Innovation Challenge is a good example of it. After Barcelona, the students should meet again in Brussels next spring, hosted by the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, where the team's projects will be outlined. The University of Gothenburg should then organize a European hackathon by the end of 2021, selecting the teams that will go to the finals hosted by the University of Warwick at the commencement of 2022.

For further information, visit the Pompeu Fabra University website (www.upf.edu) and the EUTOPIA website (www.eutopia-university.eu). Download in high-resolution the banners and A2 posters of the WeDiscover Days.

* * *

Together with its EUTOPIA partners, VUB is participating for the second year and we are proud to have six of our students present. They are all in action on 29 September, and we encourage the whole VUB community to join in and support them. All presentations can be followed via the ICUR App – check out the icurportal.com for more info and to see the programme of the two-day event. Our VUB students are Alisa Spriet (geography), Loyle Campbell and Paulina Rios Maya (political sciences), Yael Kahn (medicine), Sophie Coenen (biomedical engineering), and Arthur Meul (communications). 

"The ICUR allowed me to present my bachelor research to an audience of global peers from multiple leading universities. Not only was this a unique chance to present my work, but it also connected me to a cohort of like-minded students all around the world." - Loyle Wesley Campbell, Political Sciences, VUB

Through the app, anyone can attend ICUR 2020 virtually, watch sessions, participate, interact and ask questions without leaving your home. No matter what time zone anyone is in, participants can access any panel that is taking place while you are logged on the app. It’s a great opportunity to meet fellow students from across the world, to network, to ask questions, to interact with the presenters and audience and be part of a truly interdisciplinary international academic conference. 

It’s almost impossible to get more international than this event. Presenters from the EUTOPIA partners - Warwick University (UK), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium), Pompeu Fabra University (Spain), University of Ljubljana (Slovenia), and CY Cergy Paris University (France) - join forces with those from Monash University (in Australia and Malaysia), Nanyan Technological University (Singapore), University of Leeds (UK), Baruch College, City University of New York (US), University of British Colombia (Canada), University of Nebraska (US), and Stellenbosch University (South Africa).

"I am very grateful for the opportunity that I have had to present my research at The International Conference of Undergraduate Research 2020. Through this enriching experience you meet students from around the world, all with different fields of study and disciplines. Prior to the conference my co-panelists and I organized a roundtable. We got to know each other better, supported one another, discussed our presentations and scripts. During the ICUR journey, I had the chance to improve my presentation and academic writing skills. My best advice: enjoy the moment!” - Yaël Kahn, medical student at the VUB

Keynote by Helen Keen

This year the keynote will be given by Helen Keen, on Wednesday 30 September (9am, Belgian time). She is an award-winning performer and popular-science writer. In her BBC Radio 4 show about the history and development of human spaceflight, “It is Rocket Science”, she combines science with comedy. The critically-acclaimed show on the 2013 WISE Media Award and was nominated for the 2015 Writers’ Guild of Great Britain. During her career, she has hosted first live comedy night at CERN in Switzerland and was featured in a National Geographic series, StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson where she talked about making connections between pop culture and science. Her innovative approach to factual matters was recognised by WIRED magazine who appointed her as an Innovation Fellow. 

Monash University Opening Speakers 

This year Monash University will be hosting two distinguished guests to officially open the conference, hosted by the Monash ICUR Student Directors Ryan Buhagiar & Brooke Maat: Simone Pianko a current Monash Engineering Honours student and founder of the Borrow Cup Sustainability Initiative at Monash University & Dr. Brian Martin the Associate Dean, (Indigenous) and Senior Lecturer at Monash Art, Design & Architecture.

Undergraduate Research Alumni Panel 

You can also attend the alumni panel session, hear from past presenters about the value of undergraduate research, for their own careers and personal development.  

More information on ICUR 2020: https://www.icurportal.com/

The University of Ljubljana successfully hosted the first Western Balkans workshop on September 3-4, 2020. Throughout the three-year lifetime of EUTOPIA2050 project, there are six workshops planned. The primary goal of the online workshop was not merely regional inclusion, but the establishment of strong and long-lasting partnerships between European Universities and Western Balkans universities, as well as transfer of knowledge on relevant topics about research and development. The Western Balkans attendees that participated in the two-day workshop come from Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Republic of Kosovo and Montenegro. Topics covered during the workshop primarily related to EU research programmes and initiatives, as well as ways to increase research activities at universities of Western Balkans.  The said topics were presented by experts from the European Commission and ERC, PhD students and representatives from Western Balkans and EUTOPIA, with whom the Western Balkans participants had the opportunity to discuss different matters on the topics. The participants were interested in issues such as brain circulation, research funding and support, and ERC programme, producing highly interesting and useful dialogues among the participants and presenters. Videos of the workshop will be made available of EUTOPIA University YouTube channel soon. The next online Western Balkans workshop in the series is planned for the end of November 2020. Everyone is invited to join and enrich the workshop with their participation.

It was an intensive week which we hope: brought cohesion, strengthened a common Eutopian culture and disseminated EUTOPIA to a wider audience through: 

• 31 events organized during the week for a total of more than 400 participants  
• 31 videos disseminated through the EUTOPIA social networks made of cultural visits, Discover CY videos and Student’s associations’ videos 
• More than 1400 views for the different events on EUTOPIA’s YouTube channel 
• 2 contests launched, results here: Photo Contest & Pitch My EUTOPIA 
• 2 conferences and 3 Noon Talks broadcasted live on YouTube 
• 2 workshops uniting staff from all 6 universities around 2 topics: “Good practices on welcoming students in post-crisis situation” and “European calls: towards a EUTOPIA strategy” 
• A Student Forum, including students from all 6 universities, bringing a debate on sustainability and launching the European Universities Student Think Tank (EUSTT) 
• 14 Work meetings and 4 Board meetings  

Do visit our YouTube channel and our Facebook page to check the content posted during the Eweek. 

Thank you to all the students, staff members and academics from the EUTOPIA community who made this first Eweek possible, and a special thanks to the members of the EUTOPIA community who actively participated in the conferences, Noon Talks and who sent us videos for the Discover CY and the Student’s associations’ Videos. 

If you participated at the Eweek, your opinion on the organization and events of the Eweek is valuable to us.  A couple of minutes of your time to answer to the survey would be greatly appreciated.