NEWS & EVENTS

The third in-person meeting of the ENLIGHT Academic Leadership Programme took place at University of Galway from 4 – 6 March 2026.

This programme focuses on university leadership, change management and the development of academic talent and high-quality performance in a rapidly changing world. In addition, it investigates the need for transparency and accountability in today’s European universities. Through this programme, participants benefit from a peer-learning environment combining academic expertise, international and ENLIGHT perspectives on leading higher education institutions, and diverse approaches to leadership.

Alina Prince is a medical student at the University of Bern. She serves as co-president on the Student Board of the European University alliance ENLIGHT. In this interview, she talks about why she is passionate about involving students in ENLIGHT and how she has overcome her fear of networking.

From Teaching Idea to Cross-University Collaboration: The trAIns Project in Focus

How does an innovative teaching idea grow into a funded, cross-university collaboration? And what does it take to turn a successful proposal into a project that works in practice?

To stimulate and support the bottom-up cooperation between the ENLIGHT university communities, ENLIGHT launched a set of calls for joint initiatives in April 2024 and a second set of calls was launched in April 2025. Now, ENLIGHT is opening its third and final call.

Each call targets joint proposals for specific types of actions involving at least three ENLIGHT instutions.

1. Call for ENLIGHT Incubator Grants: to support joint programmes, joint future-proof education projects and stepping-stones for international learning across the six ENLIGHT focus areas. The third and final call consists of two strands: 
   • Strand A: The development of joint study programmes at bachelor’s or master’s level among partner universities. A joint study programme is defined as an integrated curriculum coordinated and offered jointly by different higher education institutions. The aim is to award joint degrees, but proposals with double/multiple degree awarding are also eligible. The joint study programme does not have to be ready to run by the end of the Incubator Grant project period, but a minimum set of deliverables is expected. 
   • Strand B: International and innovative joint educational initiatives. This strand is meant to develop educational initiatives that bring innovation and internationalization to teaching. This can comprise seasonal schools, lifelong learning activities, micro-credentials, double degree scheme, and any joint courses in physical, virtual or blended format. The only exception is that this grant cannot be used to develop Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programmes (BIP’s). 

1. (ongoing) ENLIGHT+ call: to foster new emerging joint (small-scale, inclusive and/or sustainable) initiatives across disciplines. This is a call with several deadlines per year, to be continued until November 2027.

Find out more HERE.

As part of the ETN IMPULSE project, the University of Bordeaux is organising a three-day summer school module on 17–19 June 2026 in Bordeaux. The module is integrated into the annual public health programme of the Isped 2026 International Summer School.

The CoMOVE ENLIGHT Thematic Network is launching a five-part webinar series dedicated to the critical role of motor development (0–4 years) in the early identification of neurodevelopmental conditions. The series brings together interdisciplinary experts to address early motor development, surveillance strategies, parental involvement, and follow-up systems across countries.

Over two inspiring days in Bratislava, the ENLIGHT Teacher Education Network brought together colleagues from nine European teacher education programmes to exchange ideas, inspire one another, and critically reflect on the content and structure of their curricula. The meeting created space for meaningful dialogue on how teacher education across Europe can continue to evolve in response to new challenges and opportunities.

Registration is now open for the ENLIGHT Symposium on Green Labs & Sustainable Research Practices, taking place on 8–9 April 2026 in Groningen, the Netherlands. The symposium is organised within the framework of an ENLIGHT+ funded initiative stemming from the Green Network and coordinated by the University of Groningen.

Registration Open Until 29 March 2026

The second episode of ENLIGHT Insights: Knowledge Unpacked features migration researchers Maud Martens and Sebastian Benedikt from the ENLIGHT project IMAGINE, who share reflections from their recent fieldwork with people on the move.

Drawing on first-hand research experiences, they discuss how legal frameworks and societal structures shape migration journeys across Europe. The conversation highlights the complex realities behind policy debates, from administrative and legal barriers to the social challenges that influence access to rights, services, and opportunities.

By connecting academic insight with lived experience, this episode sheds light on the human dimensions of migration and the structural factors that define it.

Listen now to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges, responsibilities, and possibilities shaping migration today.