Fabienne, what does it mean to you to take on the role of Chair of Una Europa’s Board of Directors?
It's a great honour for me – also on behalf of the Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne – to take on the role of Chair of the Board of Directors in 2025.
I've worked for four years with members of the Board on Una Europa’s development: first, on the 1Europe and Una.Resin projects, and now the Una.Futura project. So I think I’m now fully immersed in all Una Europa actions and objectives!
It is always difficult to take over from excellent predecessors. I will be very attentive, like them, to the general interests of our alliance, but also to its diversity. We are diverse universities, with different traditions, cultures, and sometimes different views of higher education and research.
I believe that Una Europa is a fantastic success story that truly benefits students, staff, and researchers. The alliance also has an important role to play in preserving European values in this troubled world. We have to support these values: academic freedom, pluralism, inclusion, and solidarity.
What aspect of Una Europa's work are you most excited to focus on as Chair?
It’s a very difficult question because, as Chair, we are interested in all areas of the alliance. But as a Professor of Law, personally, I am particularly interested in European Studies and the role of Europe in the world. It’s a very important area for Una Europa, particularly because we have partner institutions in Africa and potentially in Latin America in the future. Through the Europe and the World Focus Area, we have to strengthen links and facilitate exchanges with our international partners.
Research is also an integral part of Una Europa’s mission and at Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne we are particularly eager to encourage researchers’ mobility. I would like to reinforce collaborative projects through common research frameworks and common laboratories, and to enable more physical meetings between the alliance’s researchers.
As an alliance, I believe we should reflect on the role of open science and the link between science and society. Perhaps we should think about a charter for open science? And why not consider an open science label for Una Europa research.
Fabienne Peraldi Leneuf addressing participants at the Una Europa Rugby Challenge in October 2024.
Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne hosted the first Una Europa Rugby Challenge in October 2024. Can you tell us a little bit about that?
Discussions with students at Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne revealed that they would like us to go further in fostering student engagement in Una Europa. So we decided to organise the Rugby Challenge. The Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne students who were involved in delivering the event showed creativity, drive, and a desire to build community. They have a strong interest in European values and in having an impact on Una Europa campus life. Cultural and sporting events on campus are a beautiful opportunity to raise awareness of the alliance and build interest in Una Europa among students.
Una Europa recently appointed a new External Advisory Board. How will the Board of Directors work with the External Advisors?
At the Una Europa General Assembly in Bologna, the Board of Directors had a three-hour meeting with the External Advisory Board, Rectors and Board of Directors. The External Advisory Board were like a breath of fresh air – they come from different backgrounds and expertise, with new perspectives on the alliance. We had a very free and open discussion about a range of subjects: research, finance, staff involvement, academic participation, how to involve international partners in the alliance… It was a great moment of human conviviality and amicable exchange.
We must continue this dialogue and embrace this new energy.
