Transform4Europe held its First Strategic Assembly Meeting

At the beginning of December 2021, the Transform4Europe European University Alliance held its first Strategic Assembly Meeting. The event was open to all members of the seven Transform4Europe partner universities and aimed at reflecting on the work of the Alliance, looking ahead and answering questions.

After the encouraging keynote speeches given by Professor Manfred Schmitt, President of the coordinating institution, Saarland University, and Anke Stahl, Head of Division of Project Policies, Internationalisation and Research, University Networks from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the subsequent talks focussed on how Transform4Europe aims at developing future European knowledge entrepreneurs, at fostering their plurilingual and intercultural skills, and at promoting change in Europe.

Professor Benedikt Schnellbächer from Saarland University presented the concept upon which we base our revolutionary work as an Alliance, namely Knowledge Entrepreneurialism. In his intriguing lecture, he focused on the “Transformation potential of Knowledge Entrepreneurialism” and what we want to contribute to within our Alliance framework.

Associate Professor Vilma Bijeikienė from Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas focussed on “Multilingualism as key for transformation and social inclusion”. In her cheerful talk, she gave concrete examples of the close and personal collaboration within the Alliance, with special mention of the first Transform4Europe European Day of Languages and the great contribution multilingualism makes to community building. Also, the forthcoming initiatives and events of the Transform4Europe Alliance  were presented: a new format of the Languages for Lunch, Transform4Europe Week and European Culture Festival 2022.

Emilie Szwajnoch, the Vice-President of the Transform4Europe Student Council, highlighted the importance of students’ participation in the Alliance in her empowering speech on “The role of Students on the sustainability of European University Alliances”. Professor Stelian Dimitrov from Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski concluded this section with his talk on “Overcoming the challenges of building smart regions”, which provoked many interesting questions among the audience and led to a vivid discussion with the dynamic participation of all speakers.

The meeting was rounded up by Transform4Europe Managing Director Cyntia Sandes Oliveira, who presented the Alliance’s achievements of the first year and the upcoming milestones and events in Transform4Europe year two.

More information about Transform4Europe could be found here or here.

For further questions please contact: transform4europe@uni-saarland.de or transform4europe@vdu.lt