Future Education in Focus as UNIVERSEH Gathered in Luleå

Luleå University of Technology hosted a project meeting for our European University alliance, UNIVERSEH. All seven partner institutions participated, and the meeting marked an important milestone in the ongoing collaboration.

“It was a very rewarding meeting that highlighted the strength of European cooperation. Through UNIVERSEH, we are shaping the education of the future with a focus on quality, relevance, and innovative teaching methods. International cooperation in higher education is a democratic safeguard for an open and knowledge-based society,” says Birgitta Bergvall-Kåreborn, Vice-Chancellor of Luleå University of Technology.

This was particularly evident during the well-attended meeting in Luleå, where the collaboration took physical form and new ideas were given space to grow.

“We had many participants from our partner universities—over 100 people. It is always valuable when we have the opportunity to meet and work together outside the digital format. I am very pleased with how we managed to organize this internal work meeting,” says Bjarne Bergquist, Professor of Quality Technology and Logistics, who leads Luleå University of Technology's part of the UNIVERSEH project.

Breadth with a Space Focus

UNIVERSEH is a broad initiative with space as a unifying theme. By promoting interculturality and a shared European identity, the ties between students and universities are strengthened. An important component is mobility within the Erasmus+ framework. Since the second phase of the project began in late 2023, five winter and summer schools for students have been held, as well as four mobile staff weeks filled with professional development. In addition, student conferences, language cafés, language courses, lectures, and several hackathon, workshops where students solve real-world challenges, have been organized.

In the long term, the hope is that the participating universities will create an even wider range of joint courses, as well as collaborative master's programs and MOOCs.

UNIVERSEH demonstrates how space can serve as a platform for connecting interdisciplinary education, societal challenges, and European cohesion. It’s not only about technology and science, but also about people, hope for the future, and cross-border cooperation.

“UNIVERSEH is a reminder that knowledge, science, and international partnerships are among the strongest tools we have to defend openness and academic freedom,” concludes Birgitta Bergvall-Kåreborn.

Luleå University of Technology leads the work package focused on relationships with external stakeholders, such as businesses and the general public. Over the coming year, the university will, among other things, organize a career day for students and Public Space Week—a space-themed event open to the public.

Grant agreement number: 101124303 / Funding Scheme: Erasmus+ / European Universities. This project has been funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.