NEWS & EVENTS

Rights in Europe: The Risks and Impact of Authoritarianism

 The call for application for the Online School on Human Rights is now open! The third edition of the School will explore fundamental rights in the wider region of Europe shedding light on how institutions and political regimes shape the enjoyment of human rights amidst authoritarianism and global normative contestation. The School will critically engage with how institutions and political systems affect human rights protection, explore core societal transformations in digital and environmental policies, and analyze the instrumentalization of human rights language. The program will also address human rights during armed conflicts, particularly relevant given the current global increase in warfare.

Doctoral studies in Europe are becoming more international and accessible through new initiatives developed within the ENLIGHT university alliance.

ENLIGHT has reached a major milestone by becoming one of the first European University alliances to sign a broad joint PhD framework agreement covering all disciplines and all partner institutions. It sets out provisions for joint supervision, examination and defence, leading to a double PhD degree. The rectors of the ten partner universities signed the agreement early June at the biannual General Meeting, hosted by the University of Galway.  

Check out the Open Educational Resources now available for download from the Erasmus+ project ROCKET (click here)!

On Saturday, 13 June, the first joint ENLIGHT micro-credential, “Humor as a Communication Tool in Healthcare,” was successfully completed. The programme was developed through the collaboration of Comenius University Bratislava (Slovakia), the University of Groningen (the Netherlands), Uppsala University (Sweden), the University of Göttingen (Germany), and the University of Galway (Ireland), together with ČERVENÝ NOS Clowndoctors (Slovakia), Clowns on Call (Sweden), and the Teddy Bear Hospital initiative, which uses experiential learning to help children overcome fears associated with hospitals and healthcare settings.

Yesterday in Brussels, 150 rectors from across Europe gathered for the European Universities’ Alliances Rectors Meeting, an important moment to reflect on the next phase of the European Universities initiative and its long-term impact in the presence of European Commissioner Roxana Mînzatu.

More than 150 representatives from 10 ENLIGHT universities gathered at the University of Galway from 3–5 June 2026 for the ENLIGHT Mid-Year Meeting. Held under the theme Culture and Creativity, the three-day event brought together university leaders, researchers, educators, professional staff and students from across the alliance to review progress, strengthen collaboration and prepare for the next phase of ENLIGHT's development.

From inspiring international collaborations to innovative teaching initiatives, Elsy Verhofstadt has discovered how ENLIGHT transforms shared educational ambitions into meaningful action. In this edition of Faces of ENLIGHT, she reflects on the power of community, the value of cross-border partnerships, and why ENLIGHT is a place where education truly takes centre stage. 

Taking place 14–15 October 2026 in Bern, Switzerland, this Regional Academy brings together academics, public authorities, industry actors, and local communities to explore how research can offer answers to challenges related to food systems. Using the established AIMday concept, researchers will meet representatives from external organisations to discuss real world challenges.