Thousands of higher education professionals joined Europe’s largest international education conference. Among them, CIVIS Alliance was preparing to unveil something new. Not just a booth, not just a programme, but a concept: a destination for co-creation.
The theme of this year’s conference, “Go-create”, could not have been more fitting. For CIVIS, co-creation is not a slogan, it’s a method, a mindset, and a mission. And in Gothenburg, that mission took centre stage.
A booth that became a meeting point
Positioned at P71 in the Exhibition Hall, the CIVIS booth quickly became more than a stand — it was a space for exchange, reflection and connection. Designed to reflect the Alliance’s journey, and the interuniversity campus as a destination, visitors were invited to start with a cup of coffee and stay for conversations that mattered.
The concept, kept under wraps until the opening day, was simple yet powerful: make the European Universities initiative tangible. Through interactive displays, informal talks and thematic sessions, CIVIS showed how joint degrees, transdisciplinary education and green mobility, among others, are not just policy goals: they are lived realities.
For Petra Höpfner, Co-Head of the CIVIS Mobility Unit, representing Paris Lodron University Salzburg as part of the CIVIS European university alliance at this year’s EAIE offered a valuable opportunity to explore the diversity of European and global higher education, and to engage with partners and senior representatives on emerging trends and developments.
The vibrant exchanges at the exhibition stands reflected strong interest in the collaborative initiatives and mobility formats developed by European university alliances. However, it also became clear that the role of these alliances within the global higher education landscape and at major conferences still requires clearer definition", said Hopfner.
CIVIS Talks: Conversations that count
On Wednesday afternoon, Alexandru-Mihai Carțiș (University of Bucharest) and Petra Hopfner (University of Tübingen) took a moment to discuss with partners about Blended Intensive Programmes (BIPs), connecting with peers on what has become one of CIVIS’ success stories, with over 200 BIPs implemented, and counting.
Just moments later, the Heads of Communication from various European universities alliances gathered informally at the CIVIS booth to discuss current and possible future collaboration, a meeting of minds that underscored the growing community of practice within the initiative.
Thursday morning brought a different kind of expertise. Prof. Anna Sobek from Stockholm University, coordinator of the TRACEE Master’s Programme, welcomed visitors curious about joint degrees and transdisciplinary education. Her presence throughout the day offered a rare opportunity to discuss the challenges and rewards of coordinating ambitious, cross-border programmes.
Conferences, panels and more
Poster session on joint masters
CIVIS members were also active contributors to the official EAIE sessions. On Wednesday morning, Sara Laginder (Stockholm University) and Alexandru-Mihai Carțiș (CIVIS Head of Education Unit, University of Bucharest) presented an interactive poster on the TRACEE Master’s, a follow-up to their award-winning presentation in Toulouse the year before. The session offered practical insights into building joint programmes across institutions and countries.
The poster came with a little gift for participants: a postcart sharing the 7 main takeaways from the experience of putting together such an ambitious programme, that, by the way, just lauched on September 1st!
SEE THEIR TOP RECOMMENDATIONS HERE
Internationalisation and EUAs
Later that day, Charlotte Kedslie (CIVIS, University of Glasgow) moderated a roundtable exploring what it means to be part of a European University alliance. The discussion touched on internationalisation strategies, stakeholder engagement and the evolving role of alliances in shaping institutional futures.
Set as one of the key policy objectives for the European Universities alliances, internationalisation is part of a larger strategy in which the European Commission sees alliances contributing to European attractiveness and competitiveness.
Joining a European University Alliance either as a full or associate member is no small undertaking, and now that many alliances are reaching a stage of
maturity, it is important for members to think about how and what they communicate to their other international stakeholders and what their alliance
means for them", explained the session's organisers. "What are the opportunities and challenges of alliance membership, and what innovations can be discovered to unlock new partnership potential?"
One of the goals of her session, explained Charlotte Kedslie, was to "better understand awareness of European University alliances, including CIVIS, and how they might feature in our collaboration together". She was joined by Dorota Maciejowska, Jagiellonian University, Poland (Una Europa).
Students as communicators
Thursday afternoon saw María Isabel Soldevila Brea (CIVIS Head of Communication) take the stage in a cross-alliance panel on student ambassadors. Alongside Edda Cecilia Orlandi, from 4EU+, and Andrew Bennett, from CIVICA, she explored how students are becoming key communicators of the European Universities story — not just participants, but protagonists.
During the session Crossing creative borders: Engaging student ambassadors in EUI alliances' communication initiatives, the trio shared experiences and best practices of their alliances in creating communication campaigns and activities with student ambassadors. Main takeaways included:
- Trust students’ capacity to share knowledge
- Teamwork can be learned through practice
- Get inspiration from generational differences
- Creating together turns a group into a community
Download their full presentation
Check out his remarks here
A celebration of “civisness”
As the conference wound down, CIVIS hosted a networking cocktail for members of its universities. Held on Thursday evening, the event was a celebration of shared achievements and a moment to reflect on the week’s conversations. Laughter, ideas and plans flowed freely, a fitting close to a week defined by openness and ambition.
EAIE 2025 was not just another conference for CIVIS. It was a chance to show (not tell) what the European Universities initiative can become. From joint degrees to civic engagement, from mobility formats to communication strategies, CIVIS demonstrated that co-creation is not a future goal. It is happening now.
The real story lies in the conversations, the collaborations, and the shared sense that something meaningful is being built, together. The journey continues, and if EAIE 2025 is any indication, the destination are interuniversity campuses and a strong community of practice that listens, learns and leads the way.
