‘Truly the future of Europe’: colleagues share their 2024 Una Europa highlights
Seed funding to summer schools, research collaborations and joint degree programmes: in these ways and more, we’re creating impact as a partner in Una Europa, an alliance of 11 leading research universities. To wrap up the year, we asked six colleagues to reflect on what they’ve achieved through Una Europa in 2024, and the opportunities created for researchers, teachers, professional staff, and students.
Hester Bijl: ‘More connected, accessible and impactful’
‘This year, I’ve been inspired by the energy and commitment of all Una Europa universities – and by the many opportunities for Leiden University colleagues to set up long-term partnerships in this alliance. Think of joint degree programmes such as the Bachelor of European Studies, research collaborations, seed funding calls (including the possibility to work with African partners), and joint development and use of technologies like blockchain for our operations. Una Europa really is making higher education and research more connected, accessible, and impactful across Europe for students and staff.
At November's General Assembly in Bologna, we explored opportunities, considered challenges, and looked at how to tackle them. To stay effective and successful, a long-term strategy for the future of the European Alliances is essential - from within our alliance and from stakeholders around us. I’m excited to work together with a variety of colleagues and the Una Europa partners in 2025 and beyond!'
Mirjam Sombroek-van Doorm: ‘Impactful collaboration and tangible opportunities’
‘As Leiden University's representative in Una Europa’s Self-Steering Committee for One Health, I’ve witnessed remarkable progress this year. We have united diverse disciplines to address pressing scientific challenges within the One Health concept. Our partner universities are enthusiastic, paving the way for impactful collaboration. A highlight has been the tangible opportunities for our students: the One Health Summer School in Helsinki showcased the power of multidisciplinary learning, and the forthcoming minor of Leiden University in Sustainable Health and Care/One Health, includes Una Europa partners. It promises to be equally transformative. Additionally, the development of a One Health lifelong learning module for professionals, featuring case studies that will be approached by various disciplines, ensures that this knowledge will have a lasting impact also beyond academia. What a rewarding journey!’
Marleen Dekker: ‘Seed grants bringing researchers together’
‘Experiencing the power of seed grants in bringing researchers from across the globe together was a highlight for me. In the context of the Africa seed grant project RESPIRA_ABEP, colleagues from Kinshasa, Nairobi, Madrid, Leuven and Leiden met in Kenya in November for a workshop on waste management and respiratory health. Being together, bringing our diverse disciplinary and geographical perspectives, both in a workshop setting and with our boots literally on the ground was inspiring. Several lines of research are being conceptualized and will be discussed in Leuven and Leiden in March 2025.’
Praneet Khandal: ‘Inclusive and truly the future of Europe’
‘My main highlight was attending the 2024 Staff Week, Embracing AI for Professional Development. The experience was enriching and motivating. As a professional staff member, opportunities to attend conferences and network can be limited. Una Europa does offer these chances. This makes Una Europa quite inclusive and truly the future of Europe. I am so glad that Una Europa exists, that it is for our entire university community and that it’s so easy to participate!’
Erik de Maaker & Sybille Lammes: ‘New research topics, initiatives and grant opportunities’
‘In 2024, we worked with our Una Europa colleagues to connect global Social Science and Humanities researchers active in the field of heritage. Together we’ve identified and shared new research topics, research initiatives and grant opportunities. Much of this work took place through our Building Global Networks initiative – a series of events which create connections between the study of heritage and the challenges the world faces. Our first sessions, online and in Johannesburg, were energizing! Colleagues from South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, and Cameroon, and many other places in the world joined us to discuss how interpretations of what may constitute heritage can relate to climate change, spatiality, and structures of governance. Next year we’ll continue to build bridges, starting with an interdisciplinary workshop in Mexico in February.’
Coming up in 2025
Our Una Europa team at Leiden University – together with colleagues across the organisation – will be working on many things, including:
- Joint educational degrees: We’ll join the Joint Bachelor of Arts in European Studies programme as a mobility partner, with the ambition to become a degree-awarding partner. We’ll also continue work on the development of a joint master's degree in data science and artificial intelligence (AI).
- Short courses: We’re running a FAIR Data Hackathon for Una Europa PhD candidates in April, and we’re developing other short courses and training opportunities.
- Community Meet-ups: We’ll host two meet-ups for our Una Europa community at Leiden University. The first in 2025 is for students, on 23 April, followed by a meet-up for our wider community in Leiden and The Hague in the autumn.
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