The Arqus Communication officers and community manager share their thoughts and experiences at the EDUC Staff training week at Kongsberg  

Between 25 and 27 November, some members of the Arqus Communications team travelled to Kongsberg, Norway, to participate in EDUC Staff Training: Community Building at the European Universities. As a result of this experience, the team wrote a chronicle with some of the highlights of the trip.

When we signed up for the EDUC Staff Training Week at the University of South-Eastern Norway (USN), we knew we were going to talk about community engagement. What we did not know was that we would dive so deeply into Norwegian life and the unique culture of Kongsberg– complete with a roaring miners’ train, starry-snowy hikes, a few near-acrobatic walks on ice, and more warmth—both literal and metaphorical—than we ever expected from late November in Norway.

This is how the four of us from the Arqus Communications team—Giulia, Gloria, José, and Sofia, each representing a different university and the communication team —came to have such an extraordinary experience.

Monday – Arrival and reunions

We reached Kongsberg directly from a short stay in Oslo, arriving with just enough time to check in and join the informal welcome dinner. The kitchen had technically just closed, but the staff produced food anyway—our first taste of the kindness that would set the mood for the week.

The room was already buzzing. Some participants had been at last year’s staff week in Hungary, so the first hour was essentially a cheerful mix of “You again!” and “Tell me everything since 2024.”

Tuesday – Community Engagement, Norwegian Style

We started with a warm welcome from the USN international relations and communications teams. Knut Jul Meland, EDUC Community Manager, had already exchanged emails with everyone and had met some of us last year. For those meeting him for the first time, it was nice to put a face to the person who had always kindly answered our questions and queries about the days we would be spending in Norway. After the first round of introductions, there was a lively icebreaker activity (the kind where we pretend we don’t mind talking before coffee).  But the only ice we broke was within those four walls where staff week took place. Outside that building, the freezing temperatures surprised us and set the stage for our future adventures.

The morning presentations gave us a tour of USN’s ecosystem: strong links with industry, local businesses, and public services such as EURES. With these presentations, we realised that the city of Kongsberg, as well as the building we were in, had a lot of history. Being a culturally rich city, Kongsberg stands out for its military production, particularly now with the war in Ukraine.

Photo by EDUC Alliance

The EDUC Alliance, like all alliances present, seeks a way to better connect the university with society. To this end, Kongsberg has sought to follow a relational model between academia, government, industry, and the community. Even if Norway’s context is unique, many ideas felt transferable. At one point, Giulia, University of Padova communications officer, caught herself thinking:

The afternoon World Café deepened the discussion. Rotating among tables meant hearing perspectives from students, staff, and community partners. It was a fast, colourful snapshot of engagement across Europe.

Evening – Into the silver mines

Nothing prepared us for the miners’ train. Imagine a small metal wagon rattling through a tunnel far too narrow for comfort—an experience that makes you wonder whether you’re entering a cultural activity or the Mines of Moria. All that was missing was someone shouting, “Speak, friend, and enter.”

But once underground—342 metres below the surface—we stepped into a candlelit dining hall worthy of a Dwarven kingdom: long wooden tables, flickering light, and a traditional Norwegian dinner that felt very much like a feast Gimli himself would have approved of. Surreal, a little spooky, and surprisingly cosy.

Wednesday – Sharing the Arqus Way

The morning focused on EDUC’s student engagement model, and this was the part that resonated with us the most. What truly stood out were the student ambassadors themselves: they spoke with an authenticity and enthusiasm that no chart or strategy slide can replicate. It was a powerful reminder that if we want to reach students, we need students to speak to them.

Their approach showed how effective peer-to-peer communication can be—whether through ambassadors, short videos, or content created directly by students for students. This inspired us to strengthen the role of students in our community strategy: giving them not just a place in our activities, but a voice that helps shape how we communicate about them.

Then came our turn: a joint session with colleagues from four Arqus universities to share best practices and common challenges. 

We presented the Alliance and explained how the Communications team works, both internally and externally, as well as how the Coordination team and each local communications officer operate. We shared examples of materials and deliverables produced by the central communications team, outlined our social media strategy, and highlighted the main achievements of each local officer in terms of successful activities for students and staff. We concluded the presentation by opening a discussion with participants about our doubts, frustrations, and challenges, creating space for exchange, feedback, and inspiration.

We spoke honestly about what works and what still feels experimental. Participants said they appreciated the transparency—always encouraging feedback. Our teamwork—the way we complement each other and work seamlessly together—was also highlighted in the feedback. It was a strong reminder that this approach is a real strength for our alliance and our Communications team. We were there to share, but above all to learn from everyone’s experience.

The afternoon workshop revisited similar topics, but the mixed groups sparked new reflections. A standout moment was when colleagues from EUTOPIA offered sharp, forward-thinking insights that left many of us in my group scribbling notes.

Thursday – A glimpse into 2035

The day began with FOREU4ALL’s presentation on alliance collaboration—a structured reminder of the broader ecosystem we belong to. But the session that truly captivated everyone was Armando Uribe Echeverría’s talk on the future of communication in European University Alliances. For 45 minutes, no one moved or checked emails. He envisioned 2035 alliances not as time-limited projects but as central meta-organisations in Europe’s higher education ecosystem.

What struck us most was his idea that communication will shift from a “support work package” to a core strategic function, promoting democracy and trust, strengthening resilience against disinformation, and bridging researchers, policymakers, and society. Communication teams would become multidisciplinary hubs, with expertise in AI, crisis management, UX design, and ecosystem convening. He also called for journey-centred, co-creative engagement—moving from “we publish, you read” to “we build this experience together.”

We all left buzzing with ideas, inspired and slightly overwhelmed. 

Photo by EDUC Alliance

Afterwards, we toured USN’s labs, including the carbon-fiber workshop, seeing everything from Paralympic ski seats to drones—all made from recycled materials. Innovation, sustainability, and craftsmanship in one place.

This week in Kongsberg was more than a training programme—it was a blend of learning, dialogue, and lived experience. We returned home inspired, with new ideas, strengthened connections, and a reassuring sense that European cooperation is alive, evolving, and full of potential.

But beyond the memories, the laughter, the surprises, and the cold dips, this week also left us with a set of clear takeaways that we want to bring back into our work:

• Students must be co-creators, not just an audience.
  The EDUC ambassadors showed how powerful student-to-student communication can be. If alliances want to reach students meaningfully, they need to give them real agency, trust, and visibility.

• Alliances need each other more than ever.
  Hearing from FOREU4ALL, EUTOPIA, EDUC, and Arqus made it clear that we are all navigating similar challenges. Collaboration across alliances shouldn’t be exceptional—it should be the norm.

• The role of communication is changing fast.
  Armando Uribe Echeverría’s 2035 vision was a revelation. Alliance communication is shifting from “nice newsletters” to data literacy, trust-building, crisis communication, UX design, and science-policy brokerage. We need to prepare for that future now.

• European cooperation feels alive when you live it.
  The mix of ideas, cultures, frustrations, and solutions reminded me why the European Universities Initiative matters: it’s a living ecosystem built by people who genuinely want to shape a better future together.

Photo by EDUC Alliance