NEWS & EVENTS

In a time characterised by information overload, increased political polarisation, and complex global issues from poverty to climate change, developing strategies to navigate this complex landscape is of upmost importance.

Building on this observation, the Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) "Fostering Critical Thinking via Global Collaboration and Presentation" supports students in developing practical critical-thinking strategies. Working in international teams, they learn how to assess information thoughtfully and rationally, culminating in collaborative presentation projects that highlight these skills.

Led by Alexandra Reynolds, PhD (Applied Linguistics and English) at Bordeaux University and Youssef Benzoubair (Director of the Department of Languages, Literature, and Communication), this intensive course has gathered about 30 students and faculties from diverses academic backgrounds and from four ENLIGHT universities: Bratislava (Slovakia), Bordeaux (France), Gottingen (Germany) and Tartu (Estonia).

The course was delivered in two parts: an online phase running from 13 October to 19 December 2025, followed by an on-site component hosted by the University of Bordeaux from 1 to 6 December 2025.

Beyond technical skills, this program fostered international collaboration, interdisciplinary learning, and valuable exchanges between students and faculty.

Alongside the course sessions, the programme also included cultural activities and guided visits in Bordeaux, giving students the opportunity to explore different areas of the city.

« I chose to participate to this BIP to further develop my international network and practice my presentation skills. It has been great to experience student life in a different country and just go around exploring the city of Bordeaux. »

Annabel, student in Psychology, University of Tartu

The course offered students a truly enriching experience, giving them the chance to deepen their knowledge, connect with peers from across Europe, and broaden their academic and personal horizons. At the same time, it strengthened collaboration between the participating faculties, who worked closely together for nearly a year to make the course possible. And last but not least, students highlighted it as an excellent and fast-paced way to significantly improve their English skills.

« Now I wish to go on an international exchange, I think it’s a great way to open your mind nowadays (…) also, this BIP has been awesome for my english practice, I have never progressed this fast before ! »

Aurélien, student at University of Bordeaux

As ENLIGHT marked its fifth anniversary at the General Meeting in Bratislava from 2-4 December 2025, the moment offered more than a chance to reflect on achievements — it opened space to look ahead. Hosted by Comenius University Bratislava, the gathering brought together the ENLIGHT community to discuss shared priorities, celebrate milestones, and consider how the alliance can continue to grow as a values-driven European University.

Few people are better placed to reflect on this moment than Associate Professor Jozef Tancer, whose long-standing engagement in international cooperation and academic leadership has closely intersected with ENLIGHT’s development. From strengthening cross-border collaboration to shaping how universities respond to societal challenges, his perspective bridges institutional experience with a clear vision for the future.

What started as an ambitious European project five years ago has now grown into a structural partnership between 10 universities with tangible impact on education, research, student participation, and societal engagement. On the occasion of this five-year milestone for ENLIGHT, we look back at five key achievements.

Five years have passed and the ENLIGHT community has successfully achieved two and a half projects including Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe calls. In this timelapse, forced by the need to secure funded, the teams have been partially engulfed by project-related tasks; Yet, personal affinities and academic complementarities have also arisen. These are at the base of the alliance that the ENLIGHT community strives to build as a long-term inter-institutional engagement and a life & work transformational enterprise.  

The Vice-Chancellor of Uppsala University, Professor Anders Hagfeldt, has been appointed President of the ENLIGHT European University alliance, effective 1 January 2026. The appointment is for one year, with the possibility of a one-year extension.

This upcoming summer, the University of Tartu is organising the 10th Annual Tartu Conference on East European and Eurasian Studies: “Global Flows and Frictions in Eastern Europe and Eurasia”.

In a step towards strengthening researcher engagement across the alliance, the Europe Support Network has established the ENLIGHT Early Career Researcher (ECR) Stakeholder Group—a dynamic cohort designed to bring fresh perspectives, grassroots insights, and future-focused energy into the network’s research and innovation ecosystem.

The ENLIGHT General Meeting 2025, hosted by Comenius University Bratislava (CU), brought together representatives from ten ENLIGHT universities for three days of reflection, strategic meetings, and celebration. Set against the backdrop of Slovakia’s capital, the gathering marked a significant milestone: five years since the founding of the ENLIGHT alliance. This year’s theme — “ENLIGHT at Five: Successes, Lessons, and the Road Ahead” — framed the meeting’s discussions, keynote contributions, and forward-looking decisions.

We are pleased to announce that registration is open for the 11th ENLIGHT and Arqus Alliance Open Science Ambassador Webinar on "SCOAP3: Sponsoring Consortium for Open Access Publishing in Particle Physics", with Prof. dr. Stefan Hohenegger (Claude Bernard University Lyon 1).