Type: Arqus European University Alliance
Open to: Academics & researchers, Admin. Staff, External Stakeholders, General public, PhD Students, Students, Teachers
Leipzig University (LU) hosts the 5th Arqus Annual Conference under the title “European Universities at the crossroads” and invites all the university communities around Europe and beyond to join us in the open plenary sessions.
The Arqus Annual Conference 2025 aims to bring together leaders, academics, students and stakeholders from across the Arqus European University Alliance to reflect on the evolving landscape of European Higher Education. The theme, “European Universities at the crossroads,” will serve as a framework to discuss the future of the Arqus Alliance and of the European Universities Initiative as a whole, focusing on the future of higher education, the innovation brought by the Alliance(s), the strengthening and resilience achieved through cooperation between higher education institutions and the key role of these alliances in achieving a sustainable and inclusive European Higher Education Area.
Expected Outcomes:
Download the full programme here, including all internal meetings.
The plenary sessions are designed as the centrepiece for open debate of the conference, fostering in-depth discussions on key issues facing European University Alliances. They aim to explore shared challenges, opportunities, and transformative strategies, offering insights to strengthen collaboration within Arqus and beyond.
2nd April
Welcome by Rector of LU, Eva Inés Obergfell and Dorothy Kelly, Arqus Coordinator.
A session that will focus on analysing the potential role of possible legal entities in formalising and enhancing collaboration within European University Alliances. Members of different alliances will share their experiences and approaches, the opportunities and challenges, in particular with regard to sustainability.
Among the topics to be discussed, are the legal and operational benefits of establishing a common entity, the obstacles, challenges and barriers encountered in establishing a common entity, the experiences of existing alliances and the alignment of possible legal entities with European and national frameworks.
In a rapidly evolving global landscape, the demand for innovative and impactful research has never been greater. Addressing some of the world’s most pressing issues requires not only groundbreaking ideas but also robust and sustainable collaborative frameworks that transcend borders. To this end, the potential of alliances has emerged as a vital enabler, fostering dynamic, cross-border research initiatives.
In this session, members of different alliances will discuss how research networks accross institutions could build sustainable research, the funding and governance challenges in promoting collaborative research and the important role of academics in European Universities alliances.
3rd April
In this session, experts will discuss the development and integration of digital infrastructures to enhance academic collaboration and operational efficiency:
The winners of the third edition of the Arqus Teaching Excellence Awards will present their innovative projects before the closing of the conference.
The Conference will take place at Augustusplatz 10 / Universitätsstraße.
