Alessandra Scagliarini, Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna (2019)
"Contributing to envisioning and shaping Una Europa, at a time when no one knew what European Universities alliances were, was a privilege and an honour. Una Europa’s official recognition under the European Universities initiative coincided with the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Bologna Process in June 2019 – a symbolic coincidence that illustrates the overarching goal of the Bologna Process: to shape the European Universities of the Future.”
Alessandra Scagliarini is a Professor in the Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences at Alma Mater Studiorum - Università de Bologna and former Chair of the Una Europa Self-Steering Committee in One Health.
Peter Lievens, KU Leuven (2020)
“One of my most precious Una Europa memories dates back to January 2020, when just before the pandemic we kicked off our flagship Erasmus+ project, 1Europe. The launch event in Brussels was memorable, the internal meetings in Leuven glowing with ambition, and the first meeting of the Una Europa Student Board reminded us from the very beginning that we are doing it all for our students.”
Peter Lievens is KU Leuven’s Vice-Rector International and Coordinator of Una Europa’s Una.Futura project.
"The first meeting of the Una Europa Student Board reminded us from the very beginning that we are doing it all for our students.” – Vice-Rector Peter Lievens (KU Leuven)
Verena Blechinger-Talcott, Freie Universität Berlin (2021)
“Launching the Una.Resin project was a highlight for me. It added a new dimension to our alliance: building on our strategic cooperation in developing the University of the Future, Una.Resin enabled us to also establish a joint research strategy and think about how we could develop a shared research agenda. And a University of the Future can only be sustainable if it combines research and teaching.”
Verena Blechinger-Talcott Vice-President for International Affairs at Freie Universität Berlin.
James Smith, University of Edinburgh (2022)
“One of my highlights was the expansion of our community to include three new partners – Universiteit Leiden, University College Dublin and Universität Zürich – who extended our geography, enhanced our quality and reminded us that we are not an EU alliance but a European one!”
Professor of African and Development Studies James Smith formerly served as Vice-Principal International at University of Edinburgh and Coordinator of the Una.Resin project.
Una.Resin colleagues at the Una Europa General Assembly in Leiden (May 2022). Vice-Rector Verena Blechinger-Talcott noted the Una.Resin project as a highlight from her tenure as Chair of the Board of Directors.
Hanna Snellman, Helsingin yliopisto/Helsingfors universitet (2023)
“University of Helsinki leadership was visiting KU Leuven in October 2022 before I became Chair of the Board of Directors. It was a pure coincidence that the first cohort of students from the Una Europa Joint Bachelor in European Studies (BAES) began their studies during our visit. As I was to become the next Board of Directors Chair, I was invited to give a welcome talk to the students starting the three-year programme. You could sense the enthusiasm! When I was giving the talk, I remember thinking “this the future of Europe!”.
Hanna Snellman is Helsingin yliopisto/Helsingfors universitet’s Vice-Rector International.
Dolores O’Riordan, University College Dublin (2024)
“The highlight for me has been further preparing the foundations to facilitate Una Europa’s future sustainability so as to realise the bold ambition of our wonderful alliance. Initiatives include reinvigorating our External Advisory Board, designed to challenge our assertions and collaboratively identify and implement future activities. Coupled with the development of our external funding strategy, this will enable us to achieve our vision of becoming the premier ‘European University of the Future’.”
Dolores O’Riordan is Vice-President for Global Engagement at University College Dublin/An Coláiste Ollscoile Baile Átha Cliath.
