The Arqus Rectors’ Council meets in San Servolo

The University of Padua organises the 17th meeting of the Arqus Rectors’ Council at the campus of Venice International University, in San Servolo Island, as the kick-off of a week of important events.

The Rectors of the Arqus universities will gather for two days, during which a retreat and a formal Rectors’ Council meeting will be held to discuss and design the mid- to long-term future of the alliance. 

Among the main topics on their agenda, the rectors will analyse the strategic and financial framework for the next phase of the Alliance. They will also discuss the possibility of creating a legal entity for Arqus, a step that could strengthen its institutional identity and facilitate long-term sustainability.

The meeting will also serve to introduce Paloma Fernández Torres, who took up her position as the new Arqus Secretary General on 1st October. 

In addition, preparations for the 2026 Arqus Annual Conference at Maynooth University will be discussed, linking the event to the upcoming Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Moreover, a dedicated discussion will focus on the role of the Alliance’s associate university partners – Durham University and the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.

These important Rectors’ meetings will be followed by a meeting of the Task Force established to prepare the next Erasmus+ funding application, and meetings of the co-leads of the different current working groups to plan the months towards the conclusion of their goals.

Venice International University is a unique consortium of 23 universities and research institutions from around the world – including the University of Padua – with an autonomous campus located on San Servolo Island, in the heart of the Venetian Lagoon.