News from

The fifth annual conference of the Arqus European University Alliance took place at Leipzig University from 2 to 4 April 2025 under the motto “European Universities at the Crossroads”. More than 260 participants gathered to discuss developments in the evolving landscape of European higher education.

The conference began with a Johann Sebastian Bach prelude played by university organist Daniel Beilschmidt – a tribute to Leipzig’'s rich musical tradition. The conference was then officially opened by Eva Inés Obergfell, rector of Leipzig University and Dorothy Kelly, the Arqus coordinator. The three plenary sessions that followed focused on key topics in European higher education: legal structures for university alliances, research strategies and collaborations, and joint digital solutions.

In addition to meetings held by the various working groups and boards in the Alliance, the Rectors’ Council was a central format at the conference. The rectors of the nine Arqus partner universities discussed current developments at their universities as well as their future collaboration within the Alliance.

The conference closed with a festive ceremony for the Arqus Teaching Excellence Awards. The recipients were Silvia Kober (University of Graz) for her course Applied Neuropsychology in Human–Computer Interaction and Claudia Padovani (University of Padua) for her course Communication Practices Diversity and Inclusion.

All of the plenary sessions were broadcast live and are available to watch on the Arqus YouTube channel.

Leipzig University has been part of the Arqus European University Alliance since 2019, with the universities of Granada, Graz, Lyon 1, Maynooth, Minho, Padua, Vilnius, and Wroclaw. The next conference will be held by Maynooth University in July 2026.

Comments

No comments found!

Your comment

Please leave a comment. Please note our netiquette.