From June 4^th to 6^th 2025, 140 participants from the ten ENLIGHT universities, city representatives, Rectors and students have gathered in the beautiful city of Bordeaux (France) to share around the theme of « Stimulating Cities : How do cities and alliances move forward together ? » The event was hosted by the University of Bordeaux.

This Mid Year meeting’s primary ambition has been to encourage and strenghten the collaboration between cities and universities, around some workshops and plenary sessions with round tables.

The key question being : how do we create an environment that enables individuals to move beyond disciplinary or institutional silos and acquire the specific skills required for effective collaboration ?

Over the course of the meeting, we collaborated with our external partners - city representatives, explored joint programmes, future-proofing teaching and learning, expanded digital potential, and worked on strengthening our alliance-wide communication.

One of the main focus of those workshops and meetings has been using the international network to identify synergies as well as best practices to adopt and how to Ensure continuity across different ecosystems – from schools to higher education. As a result, it has put the light on the need to prioritise collaboration over competition between institutions cooperating with the city, the need to break down silos and keeps the focus on practical solutions that benefit the city. The focus should be on building an ecosystem within the city – one that brings together not only the university and municipal administration, but also entrepreneurs and other key stakeholders.

Also, challenge-based collaboration between cities and universities remains essential. Scientific insights generated through such collaboration and training must be taken up further to inform policy development. Interdisciplinary approaches within universities are crucial for addressing the complex political and social challenges faced by cities.

To quote Sandra Štasselová, Architect and Urban Planner at the Metropolitan Institute of Bratislava : « It was inspiring to see that other universities are cooperating with the cities in a bit more complex way than we have been doing. Not to say that we haven't been collaborating enough before, we have, but just now, thanks to this meeting, I have the ambition to do things in a more complex way. E.g. I am motivated to include more creative & research capacities from Comenius University Bratislava and we would like to deliver more innovative solutions together with the university ».

In the end, this meeting has provided a valuable platform for cities and regions to showcase their capacity to create growth and jobs, implement European Union cohesion policy, and demonstrate the crucial role of local and regional authorities in effective European governance. It could also serve as an excellent venue to highlight and further develop collaboration between cities and universities.

As Leah Vandeveer, the Secretary General of ENLIGHT states : « The 2025 ENLIGHT Mid-Year Meeting reaffirmed that our alliance is much more than a network of 10 universities — it’s a living ecosystem powered by deep collaboration across our cities, regions, and institutions. At the heart of ENLIGHT is a collective mission : to build a more inclusive, sustainable, and innovative Europe through impact-driven and research-based education and meaningful societal engagement.

The active participation of our city representatives, alongside the presentations showcasing ongoing university-city collaborations, highlighted the essential role of our local partners in driving this transformation. Cities are not just stakeholders—they are co-creators and essential collaborators in our shared vision. We were reminded that real, lasting transformation takes root at the local and regional level, and we saw these partnerships are helping to shape a more sustainable, connected, and forward-looking Europe as ENLIGHT is embedded across our local ecosystems.

As we ourselves look ahead together as an alliance, one message stands out from our meeting together: transformation is only possible when we continue to choose one another — our partners, our cities and regions, and the collective purpose that unites us — and continue to choose to build a better Europe, from the ground up. »

As the role of Chair for ENLIGHT passes to Comenius University, with Vice-Rector Dr 𝗝𝗼𝘇𝗲𝗳 𝗧𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿 officially accepting the symbolic globe, we look ahead to reconvening in 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘃𝗮 𝗼𝗻 𝟮–𝟰 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 — ready to keep building a more inclusive and collaborative European Higher Education Area.

The European university alliance ENLIGHT has announced the selection of six new Impact Ambassadors during the closing ceremony of the ENLIGHT Impact Conference held on 28-29 March 2025 in Groningen.

The ENLIGHT Impact Ambassadors represent the awarded teams that have demonstrated to be exemplars in the planning for and achieving impact in the ENLIGHT's flagship areas: health and wellbeing, digital revolution, climate change, energy and circular economy, and equity.

Pioneers in Impact

The six selected teams from ENLIGHT universities have distinguished themselves, setting new standards in planning and achieving tangible impact through their education, training, research and service to society initiatives. Over the coming months, they will serve as role models and inspirational figures for the broader academic community, including academics, management and support staff.

Their mission will be to showcase and give testimony of their initiative's impact pathway, raising awareness about the significance of impact, and championing ENLIGHT's mission to drive meaningful change.

The newly appointed Impact Ambassadors are:

• Alexander Muela, University of the Basque Country. The BIZI suicide prevention program- Psychological Interventions for Mental and Physical Health Improvement
• Kristiane Van Lierde, Ghent University. SMILE: cost-utility and impact of high-intensity speech therapy on Speech, Motivation, and quality of Life in children with cleft palate
• Muriel Grenon, University of Galway. Widening participation in STEM with Science outreach
• Nahia Idoiaga, University of the Basque Country. AWARE: Supporting University Students' Mental Health through Education, Research and Innovation
• Pádraig Mac Neela, University of Galway. Active *Consent programme
• Wim De Clercq, Ghent University. The Lost Ports of the Zwin

You can know more about the Ambassadors Impact stories here.

Diversity of profiles and global challenges

The new ambassadors represent a diverse range of academic profiles and topics, each addressing pressing global challenges. This diversity reflects ENLIGHT's commitment to impact in different areas of society.

The awardees were announced during the closing ceremony of the ENLIGHT Impact Conference, an event that brought together academics from the ENLIGHT universities and impact experts from and outside the Alliance to share experiences about the impact of university initiatives.

Recognition of transformative impact

The selection of the new Impact Ambassadors underscores the importance of initiatives that not only generates and spreads knowledge but also produces tangible changes in society. These teams have demonstrated exceptional capabilities to translate their results into practical solutions that benefit communities and address real problems.

The initiative is part of ENLIGHT's ongoing commitment to foster excellence in education, training and research with social impact, positioning the alliance as a promotor of impact-driven universities.

To learn more about the ambassadors and their impact stories please consult our webpage https://impact.enlight-eu.org/ambassadors

To watch all 15 ENLIGHT Impact Awards nominees pitches, please check the Friday morning sessions here. The Impact Conference aftermovie is available here.

We are pleased to announce that 144 proposals have been selected for inclusion in the programme of the ENLIGHT Teaching & Learning Conference 2025! This year's call attracted 172 submissions—an increase of more than 30% compared to the previous edition.

All proposals were reviewed by two independent teaching and learning professionals, and we thank all contributors for their time, effort, and thoughtful ideas. The selected contributors have been informed, and the full list of accepted sessions will be shared as part of the conference programme.

The programme is expected to be published by the end of June 2025 on the official conference website.

Frederik Verbeke, lecturer at the University of the Basque Country, has been a key academic voice in the ENLIGHT alliance, notably leading the BIP course “Connecting Cultures”, which earned a podium spot at the 2024 Teaching & Learning Awards. A passionate advocate for Challenge-Based Education, Verbeke sees ENLIGHT as a powerful platform to harness Europe’s cultural and linguistic richness. His work continues to foster transnational collaboration and innovation in higher education. Read more here.

From 1 to 4 April 2025, representatives from the ENLIGHT universities of Bern, Galway, Ghent, Göttingen, and Groningen took part in the IPORA event held in Bordeaux, France.

IPORA is an international transdisciplinary research network, funded in 2023, between four main universities: Abidjan (Ivory Coast), Addis-Adeba (Ethiopia), Bordeaux (France) and Rabat (Morocco).

ENLIGHT brings together academics, researchers and prominent cultural agents to discuss and find new cooperation paths across the alliance. The third edition of the ENLIGHT European Dialogue focused on Co-creation of knowledge together with the Cultural & Creative sectors and was hosted by the University of the Basque Country on May 21-22. 

The ENLIGHT Blended Intensive Programme (BIP), Connecting Cultures Across Europe, is an established path of collaboration among ENLIGHT partners. This course is holding its onsite week during the week of 12-19 May 2025 in Vitoria-Gasteiz, with a multidisciplinary team of lecturers from four ENLIGHT institutional partners.

The second edition of this course focuses on sustainability, travel, translation and migration-related societal challenges that the students try to address from a socio-cultural perspective. The course, co-organised with local agents, is taught by academics from four ENLIGHT universities and includes Master and PhD level learners from nine partners of the alliance.

If you are passionate about AI and healthcare and have an entrepreneurial spirit, you are welcome to the AIProHealth Summer School, which offers an intensive learning experience for students, postdocs, junior specialists, and startup employees in AI, medicine, and business who focus on innovation in medical technology.

At the event you will learn about AI's technical, ethical, and legal aspects in healthcare and gain entrepreneurial experience in bringing AI solutions to the healthcare market. 

Anette-Mai Pirk-Birk, student representative of ENLIGHT and former Vice President of the University of Tartu’s Student Union, believes in the transformative power of collaboration. From organizing student activities to participating in high-level governance, she has helped bridge perspectives across disciplines and borders. In this interview, she reflects on her experience with ENLIGHT, the lessons learned through international cooperation, and why she believes student voices are essential in reimagining education across Europe.
Read the full interview here.

On April 30, 2025, the Public Defender of Rights, JUDr. Róbert Dobrovodský, PhD., LL.M. (Tübingen), gave a lecture as part of the international Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) titled Migration in Global & Local Context, held at the Faculty of Arts, Comenius University in Bratislava. His lecture was also part of the university’s Regional Academy platform.

Dr. Dobrovodský introduced students and participants to the role of the Public Defender of Rights in promoting fundamental rights and freedoms in Slovakia, including those of migrants and foreigners. He focused particularly on the practical aspects of protecting the rights of individuals held in detention centers and shared insights from unannounced inspection visits to such facilities.

He highlighted several serious findings—for instance, degrading conditions in which migrants are detained, excessive restrictions on contact with family, insufficient access to healthcare, and the absence of a legal basis for confiscating personal belongings. He also presented specific recommendations aimed at improving the situation, including the use of alternatives to detention, enhancement of material conditions, and increasing the number of trained staff. At the same time, he pointed out positive changes that have been implemented following interventions by the Public Defender.

The lecture was highly praised for its professionalism, clarity, and openness. Students appreciated the opportunity to engage in discussion with the Public Defender on current challenges in the field of migration and human rights.

Join the 9th ENLIGHT & Arqus Alliance Open Science Ambassador Webinar featuring Hildrun Walter (University of Graz) on 19th May 2025 from 10:00 - 11:30 AM (CET). This session will explore the vital role of science communication in today’s society and how Open Science practices can help strengthen trust in research—especially in times of global crises like the pandemic and climate change. Find out more and register here.

The application for the University of Groningen summer schools has opened! These interdisciplinary, research driven programmes are an opportunity to learn more about your own field or to broaden your knowledge, work on important questions and gain inspiration for your studies and/or research!