October 29, 2024

EU GREEN gathers at University of Oradea for key discussions on academic mobility

Top specialists in academic mobility and international relations from the nine universities that make up the EU GREEN European alliance gathered at the University of Oradea on 23 – 24 October 2024.

The EU GREEN local coordinator at the University of Oradea, Vice-Rector Anca Dodescu, along with Vice-Rector Sorin Șipoș, welcomed representatives from the eight partner institutions, expressing their pleasure at hosting them in Oradea and their hopes for a productive collaboration. “Dear guests, colleagues, and friends, I can hardly find words warm enough to express my joy at welcoming you to the University of Oradea and our beautiful city. It is a privilege for our institution to host, for the first time, a working meeting of WP 6. Thanks to your presence here, the University of Oradea will, for a few days, be the central point of academic mobility and international relations that will shape our alliance’s future,” said prof. Dodescu, assuring those present that the university she represents is “a fully committed partner, aware of its role within the European academic alliance and the importance of strengthening working relationships within EU GREEN.”

Prof. Șipoș surprised the audience by addressing the guests in all the languages of their home countries, expressing his enthusiasm for hosting the EU GREEN working meeting. Speaking about the goals of WP 6, which focus on academic mobility and international relations, Prof. Șipoș noted, “The past is important, but it is even more important to live our present with our eyes set on the future.”

In turn, Prof. Maria Cecilia Mancini, Vice-Rector responsible for international relations and academic mobility at the University of Parma, emphasized  that the work carried out in Oradea “represents a success for the whole EU GREEN Alliance. Internationalization and Mobility are two main pillars of the Alliance’s activities and a flawless mobility scheme is a strategic achievement that will enable the Alliance’s academic, students, and administrative communities to take advantage from the open European campus EU GREEN aims to become.”

Vice-rectors, faculty members, and experts held in-depth discussions on enhancing collaboration across the EU GREEN work packages, advancing the University Mobility Protocol, expanding EU GREEN’s partnerships beyond Europe, Erasmus+ mobility calls for internships and placements, and launching calls for teaching mobilities.

Alessandro Bernazzoli, leader of Work Package (WP) 6, “Mobility and International Collaboration for Education and Sustainability” from the University of Parma, thanked the Oradea hosts for their “exemplary organization.” Representatives from all nine universities within the EU GREEN alliance agreed on the importance of increasing the alliance’s impact within the international academic community.

The Blended Intensive Programs (BIPs) have already been recognized as a successful initiative within the alliance. Participants agreed to compile a catalogue of BIPs for 2023-2024, the “BIP Booklet 2023-2024,” envisioned as “a model of best practices for this type of program.” This catalogue will be officially launched at the next EU GREEN rectors’ meeting, with a limited print run of 500 copies “for sustainability reasons.”

During the working sessions, EU GREEN representatives also explored the “implementation of EU GREEN student status to boost mobility numbers.” WP 6 subgroups discussed planning meetings and schedules for the upcoming year, future projects, collaborations with universities in Asia, Latin America, and Africa, partnerships with Ukraine, tracking mobilities through a shared platform, and, specifically, coordinating with Work Packages 2 and 3.

At the conclusion of the WP6 Staff Week, Alessandro Bernazzoli extended his thanks to “all participants, especially, for the success of the discussions, which I am very pleased with.” He added, “Thank you, Oradea, for the organization of the meeting, far beyond our expectations!”