The 2024 Arqus Annual Conference kicks off today at Minho!

The 4^th Arqus Annual Conference is kicking off today at the University of Minho in Braga, Portugal, under the theme “Connecting universities, addressing challenges”. This Arqus major event will span three days, until 4 July, bringing together over 250 registered participants for productive meetings and networking opportunities aimed at advancing the Alliance’s goals in education, research and innovation, and societal engagement.

The conference serves as the annual gathering for the Arqus community, featuring university leadership, students, staff from partner universities, members of the Arqus International Advisory Board (IAB), colleagues from other Alliances, and experts.

At 9:00 GMT+1, the official opening session will take place in the auditorium A1 of the Gualtar campus, featuring Fernando Alexandre, Portuguese Minister of Education, Science and Innovation, Dorothy Kelly, Arqus Coordinator, and Rui Vieira de Castro, Rector of the University of Minho.

The first plenary session will begin at 9:45 GMT+1 with the keynote speech: “The positive potential of research assessment reform” by Elizabeth Gadd, Vice-President of the CoARA Steering Board, followed by a panel discussion moderated by Peter Riedler, Rector of the University of Graz.

The second plenary session on societal engagement starts at 11:45 GMT+1 with the keynote speech: “Role of universities as places of sanctuary in challenging times” by Gemma Irvine, Co-Chair of Scholars at Risk Maynooth and Vice President for Equality and Diversity at Maynooth University. The panel will be moderated by Eva Obergfell, Rector of Leipzig University.

The final plenary session on education begins at 14:30 GMT+1 with Pedro Teixeira, Full Professor at the Faculty of Economics of the University of Porto and Director of CIPES – Higher Education Policy Research Centre, presenting “European University Alliances – An opportunity to rethink internationalization strategies in higher education”. The panel will be moderated by Eeva Leinonen, President of Maynooth University.

Tomorrow, 3 July, starting at 14:45 PM GMT+1, the final session “Connecting alliances, addressing challenges together” will feature representatives from other European University Alliances, such as Irene Martín from CIVIS Alliance, Daniela Craciun from the ESEU project/ECIU Alliance, Aleksandar Šušnjar from the FOCI project/YUFE Alliance, and Roberto Zanino from the UNITE! Alliance, moderated by Arqus Coordinator Dorothy Kelly. Following this, the Arqus Awards’ Ceremony will take place to celebrate outstanding achievements in teaching, sustainability and entrepreneurship.

The closing session at 17:15 GMT+1 will reflect on conference highlights, insights gained and discuss future directions and goals for the Arqus Alliance.

Explore the detailed programme of plenary sessions here.