Una Europa Talk | Connections in International Relations: Competition vs. Integration

Una Europa Talks foster dialogue between academia and the public. In this edition, experts consider how European Universities alliances have introduced new modes of cooperation in a rapidly evolving international context, characterised by challenges such as demographic changes, migration, limited financial resources, and growing environmental concerns.

Drawing on the expertise of panellists Vice-Chancellor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo (University of Ghana) and Dr Piero Venturi (European Commission), the Talk will examine how universities can formulate global strategies that not only highlight the distinctive features of each institution but also identify synergies with others.

Participants will explore how international cooperation can achieve a balance between inter-institutional integration and competition among partners, fostering a sustainable model in the long term.

• Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, PhD, FGA, is the first female Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana. She is a Professor of Linguistics and an experienced university administrator, with over 22 years’ experience in the higher education sector.  As Vice-Chancellor, she’s leading her university to uptake technology in all its operations, while keeping people as the focus. As part of the execution of her vision, she launched a seven-million-dollar digitalisation program to enhance the experience of the University’s students, faculty and staff. 
  
  
• Piero Venturi, an agronomist with a PhD in Agricultural Engineering from Università di Bologna, has built a distinguished career advancing bioeconomy, sustainability, and international science cooperation. In the European Commission, Dr. Venturi has served as the EU Science Counsellor to Latin America and later to the African Union, where he fostered collaboration on research initiatives under Horizon Europe. Currently, he leads the Clean Hydrogen Mission of Mission Innovation, driving global sustainable hydrogen strategies and supporting international climate policies
  
  
• Raffaella Campaner (chair) is Full Professor of Philosophy of Science and, since November 2021, Vice-Rector for International Relations at the Università di Bologna. She graduated in Philosophy at Università degli Studi di Trieste in 1996, took a Master in Philosophy (M. Litt) at University of St Andrews in 1998, and a PhD in Philosophy at Università degli Studi di Trieste in 2000. Her research has addressed philosophical theories of scientific explanation, conceptions of causation, scientific models, with a specific focus on the biomedical sciences.