More than 60 students from the nine universities of the STARS EU Alliance will present their proposals for imagining and designing the European campus of the future on Tuesday, 7 July, at 10:15 a.m. (CEST), as part of the project Ou(te)r Campus – European Campus, A Living Lab. The presentation, which will take place at Hochschule Bremen – City University of Applied Sciences (HSB), Germany, will also be streamed online via Zoom.

The students, organised into international and interdisciplinary teams, have spent the past few months developing ideas on how European higher education institutions can become spaces for exchange, collaboration, mobility and connections between physical and digital environments.

A multidimensional European campus

The project, developed over the course of a year as a living lab at HSB’s School of Architecture, explores how a European campus can be conceived, designed and tested from a perspective that is not only digital, but also physical, social and spatial.

Participants will present five projects focusing on topics such as European research and exchange structures, shared resources, new exhibition and outreach formats, spaces for social interaction, and digital applications aimed at promoting physical activity, interaction and networking on campus.

The European campus as a living lab

As part of the initiative, HSB is also hosting an exhibition dedicated to the work developed by the students. The exhibition, inaugurated on 30 June, can be visited free of charge until 8 July, Monday to Friday, from 12 noon to 5:00 p.m.

Ou(te)r Campus – European Campus, A Living Lab has been developed as a Master’s module at HSB’s School of Architecture and is based on the Interspace teaching and research format, which was adapted this year within the framework of STARS EU to explore the concept of the European campus as a living lab.

From a pilot experience to a Living Lab

One of the central elements of the project was the Ou[te]r Campus Blended Intensive Programme (BIP), organised by STARS EU and involving students from all nine partner universities. During the first days of May and throughout the semester, participants worked hand in hand in international and interdisciplinary teams with the support of academic staff from all alliance member institutions.

What began as a pilot experience in 2025 has evolved into a Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) and subsequently into a European Living Lab, demonstrating STARS EU’s ability to foster innovative models of cooperation in higher education. Experimental initiatives have become consolidated spaces for learning, research and international collaboration aimed at shaping the European campus of the future.

Practical information

Final presentation

Ou(te)r Campus – European Campus, A Living Lab
Tuesday, 7 July 2026, 10:15 a.m.
Room S12, Hochschule Bremen – City University of Applied Sciences (HSB), Bremen
Zoom link: Join the experience
Meeting ID: 690 1661 0071
Passcode: 430061

Exhibition

1–8 July 2026 (opening: 30 June, 5:00 p.m.), from 12 noon to 5:00 p.m.
AB Galerie – Transferlabor, Hochschule Bremen – City University of Applied Sciences, Bremen.

Bragança Polytechnic University (IPB) is preparing the first edition of the International Challenge-Based Semester, a 30 ECTS international learning experience developed within the framework of the STARS EU Alliance and designed for students who want to learn beyond traditional classrooms.

Planned for the second semester of the 2026/2027 academic year, the programme will bring together students from different countries and academic backgrounds to work on real-world challenges through multidisciplinary, project-based learning.

Taught entirely in English, the semester will combine academic learning, applied research, field experience and collaboration with external stakeholders. Students will work in international teams, developing innovative solutions to challenges connected to local and regional contexts while strengthening their research, communication and problem-solving skills.

Key features of the programme include:

• International and multidisciplinary teams

• Real-world challenges

• Applied research and innovation

• Collaboration with stakeholders

• 30 ECTS taught in English

The International Challenge-Based Semester is being developed as a pilot initiative and represents an important step towards new forms of European collaboration in higher education. By connecting students, research, innovation and regional impact, it reflects the STARS EU vision of creating transformative learning experiences that empower people and contribute to the development of regions.

 

A total of 56 people from six of the nine universities that make up the European university alliance STARS EU, as well as specialists from other entities, took part between 22 and 24 June in an international workshop on intellectual property, knowledge transfer and commercialisation of research results held at the Faculty of Engineering and Technology of the University of La Laguna.

The First STARS EU Workshop on Intellectual Property and Commercialisation aimed to strengthen the training of young researchers in the protection of research results, intellectual property and market transfer, as well as to update knowledge among staff from the technology transfer offices of partner universities and foster the exchange of best practices in this field.

The meeting brought together 26 doctoral students, most of them from the Cracow University of Technology, along with young researchers, staff from research results transfer offices (TTOs) and entrepreneurs linked to R&D projects from the Silesian University in Opava; the Alexandër Moisiu University of Durrës; the University of Applied Sciences Bremen, and the University of the West, as well as staff from ULL.

According to Rodrigo Trujillo, coordinator of the STARS EU Transfer Office and organiser of the workshop together with the ULL TTO, the commercialisation of research requires “solid structures” that allow results with economic potential to be brought to the market under optimal conditions. “The goal is to ensure a return on public investment in research and to generate impact both in society and in strategic sectors,” he stressed.

Protection of innovation

The session, which was inaugurated by the Vice-Rector for Research and Transfer of the ULL, Antonio Aparicio, began with Violeta Arnáiz, Head of Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence and Software at PONS IP. The expert focused her intervention on the fundamentals of intellectual and industrial property, as well as on the protection of intangible assets derived from research.

In this regard, she highlighted the importance of knowing, from the earliest stages of projects, the legal tools available to avoid “loss of ownership” and to foster a “strong culture” of innovation protection.

Arnáiz presented the main protection instruments, such as copyright, patents, trademarks, industrial designs and trade secrets, and analysed the impact of artificial intelligence on creation and research processes, as well as the management of technological assets and early collaboration agreements.

The second day, led by the Cracow University of Technology (CUT), focused on the management of intellectual property in collaborative research environments and in projects funded by the Horizon Europe programme. The plenary session was delivered by José Manuel Rodríguez, CEO of Wooptix, who presented the success story of this ULL spin-off, which has become one of the most prominent technological spin-offs in Spain and Europe’s innovation ecosystem, achieving international positioning through the development of advanced computational imaging technologies applied to highly demanding technological sectors.

Subsequently, Irena Jakubiec, senior specialist at the Technology Transfer Centre of the Cracow University of Technology, detailed the processes of identifying and managing intellectual property in research projects, in particular the distinction between background and foreground knowledge, models for sharing rights between partners, confidentiality obligations and protection strategies within international consortia.

For his part, Jacek Kasz, director of the same centre, focused his contributions on academic entrepreneurship, value creation models based on research and different funding routes for technology startups, from early stages through scaling and market entry.

Transfer of scientific results

The third and final day was entirely devoted to transforming scientific results into market opportunities. In it, Marlena Marek presented the international SUCRED platform, aimed at training in the commercialisation of R&D activities. This was followed by a block led by Małgorzata Ciesielska and Irena Jakubiec focused on identifying opportunities for the exploitation of research results, market analysis, customer segmentation, competition analysis and the use of strategic tools such as SWOT analysis.

In the afternoon session, the focus was placed on advanced innovation management, with special attention to the technological maturity of scientific developments, the valuation of intellectual property, the identification of risks in commercialisation processes and the key aspects for establishing effective collaboration with industry. Negotiation techniques, preparation of proposals for industrial partners and strategies to maximise the impact of research results in the market were also addressed.

Communication within European Universities alliances was the focus of a technical conference held on June 11 at the Toledo campus of the University of Castilla-La Mancha-UCLM (Spain). The conference was sponsored by the Association of Communication Professionals from Spanish Universities and Research Centers (AUGAC) and the COLOURS alliance. At this meeting, the University of La Laguna participated in the panel on “Innovation in Impactful Formats and Tools,” presenting examples of initiatives developed within STARS EU.

Acaimo González, a technician from the Communication Office of the University of La Laguna, was accompanied by the Communication Officer of STARS EU, Beatriz Medina, and presented some of the formats that the alliance is using to disseminate the activity of its members, including the STARS EU Highlights podcast, about teaching innovation; the STARS Talks expert lectures series and, especially focused on students, the STARS in the series Kitchen, where students prepare recipes from their countries, and the Students Takeovers, an action in which a student “manages” the alliance’s Instagram account for a day to present his or her daily life.

Emphasis was also placed on the importance of both having a strong corporate visual identity to help solidify the brand and organizing in-person events, which facilitate greater community engagement compared to online activities. The session format was designed so that the presentations were short and encouraged audience participation and the exchange of experiences.

Arantxa Castaño, from UCLM (COLOURS alliance), also participated in this panel on innovative communication formats, and the debate was joined by the director of El Español de Castilla-La Mancha newspaper, Alberto Morlanes; the editor of Castilla-La Mancha Media, Ángeles Sánchez-Infantes; and the director of the newspaper Vecinos, Rosa Nogués, who shared some key points for alliances to improve their information presence.

The meeting, which brought together around 100 participants from 53 universities and 48 alliances, highlighted the importance of communication in these types of consortia, establishing, among other challenges, the connection with the university community and positioning strategies.

The day began with an analysis of management models and communication structures in different alliances, with the participation of Marta Calvo, from the University of Deusto (UNIC alliance), and Eva Fernández Silva, from the University of Seville ( Ulysseus alliance ). Initiatives that enhance visibility and connection with students were also addressed, with presentations by Bibiana Bonmatí , from the University of Barcelona (CHARM-EU alliance), and Jorge Hernández, from the University of Salamanca (EC2U alliance).

Conclusions

A common diagnosis emerged from the discussions: communication represents approximately 60% of the alliances’ activities, but it lacks dedicated resources, allocated time, and institutional recognition. According to the participants, this lack of professionalization is one of the factors hindering greater impact.

Among the concrete proposals generated by the event were the segmentation of messages by target groups, student involvement as content creators, mobile information booths throughout university campuses, and the creation of local profiles on social media. The importance of integrating partnerships into each university’s overall discourse was also emphasized, so that they are no longer perceived as a project linked exclusively to the vice-rectorates responsible for internationalization.

The second edition of FutureLab Camp generated specific proposals addressing three key areas of regional transformation: the energy transition, hydrogen innovation, and sustainable student living. The programme, which concluded on 11 June 2026 with the presentation of three projects developed from real-world challenges in collaboration with institutional partners from the Belfort-Montbéliard region, was hosted by Marie et Louis Pasteur University (UMLP) and organised in the Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) format.

One project focused on the creation of an Energy, Artificial Intelligence and Data Innovation Hub for Belfort, developed in collaboration with Grand Belfort Communauté d’Agglomération. The proposal outlined a collaborative space integrating researchers, startups, industry and citizens, including renewable-energy-based infrastructure, AI and data facilities, educational areas and demonstration laboratories.

Hydrogen innovation

A second project, developed with Pays de Montbéliard Agglomération, explored the transformation of the former Portes du Jura Polyclinic into a public hydrogen innovation centre. The concept combined hydrogen production and storage demonstrators, interactive exhibition spaces, sustainable construction solutions, entrepreneurship areas and outreach activities aimed at citizens.

More sustainable campuses

The third project addressed sustainable student living environments in collaboration with the Université Marie et Louis Pasteur. Students designed inclusive, energy-efficient and environmentally friendly housing proposals aimed at improving quality of life, strengthening community life and integrating innovative technologies into university spaces.

Multidisciplinary teams

Organised within the framework of STARS EU – Strategic Alliance for Regional Transition, FutureLab Camp brought together 34 students from all partner universities, who worked in multidisciplinary and multicultural teams, addressing real regional challenges related to sustainability and innovation.

The programme combined challenge-based learning with direct cooperation between students, academic staff and regional stakeholders. Following an intensive on-site phase held in March 2026 in Belfort (France), the teams continued their work online until June, during which they developed and refined their proposals into complete projects.

Reflecting on the results, Prof. Robin Roche from Université Marie et Louis Pasteur highlighted the quality of the students’ work: “The level of commitment, creativity and professionalism demonstrated by the international student teams has been truly impressive. Over the past months, students from different countries and disciplines learned how to collaborate effectively, transforming ambitious ideas into well-developed project concepts. Their ability to combine technical knowledge, sustainability thinking and social perspectives demonstrates the enormous potential of international challenge-based education.”

Dr. Halima Ikaouassen emphasised that the diversity of the teams played a crucial role in the success of the projects: “What makes FutureLab Camp unique is the richness of perspectives brought by students from across Europe. The final presentations clearly showed that international cooperation leads to more innovative and comprehensive solutions than any single discipline or national perspective could achieve alone.”

Next stop: Portugal

The second edition builds on the inaugural edition held in Kraków in 2025 and reinforces the role of European university alliances in regional transformation through international and interdisciplinary collaboration. The next edition is scheduled for 2027 at the Bragança Polytechnic University (Portugal).

The meeting brought together 40 participants who worked over three days within the framework of the Staff Week organised by Hochschule Bremen

A total of 40 people from the nine STARS EU member universities recently took part in the Staff Week Connecting (Virtual) Mobility Across the Alliance, organised by Hochschule Bremen – City University of Applied Sciences (Germany). The event focused on improving student mobility and strengthening international cooperation. While the main emphasis was placed on online mobility and the use of digital tools to support internationalisation processes, a significant part of the work was also devoted to rethinking and enhancing physical mobility.

The meeting provided an in-depth analysis of the entire mobility cycle, identifying common challenges and exploring innovative and effective solutions through collaborative formats such as thematic panels, brainstorming sessions, and participatory activities. All of this aimed to make mobility more accessible, better coordinated, and more centred on the needs of STARS EU students.

The first day focused on intercultural reflection and a comprehensive analysis of the Student Mobility Journey. After an initial session on how cultural differences influence institutional collaboration, participants worked in thematic panels in a World Café format, addressing all stages of physical mobility—from inter-institutional cooperation to promotion, selection, stays abroad, and academic recognition. The exchange allowed participants to compare experiences, identify areas for improvement, and share existing best practices within the alliance.

Physical mobility versus digital mobility

The second day focused on programme implementation and the connection between physical and digital mobility, with particular attention to Blended Intensive Programmes (BIPs). Procedures were analysed, and ways to simplify coordination between institutions were explored through brainstorming activities, which generated ideas on how to improve planning, participant recruitment, and the student experience.

The session also included the presentation of digital tools such as the AGORA platform, as well as discussions on the role of virtual mobility as a complement to physical mobility. At the same time, internal and external communication strategies were addressed, highlighting the need to combine clear information with more inspiring and student-oriented approaches.

Working methods

The third day was dedicated to designing concrete solutions through collaborative methodologies. Using structured brainstorming supported by LEGO® Serious Play®, participants first visualised an ideal model of student mobility and then identified barriers in both physical and digital mobility. Based on this work, proposals were developed to improve coordination between institutions, optimise administrative processes, and enhance the quality of the student mobility experience.

Formal sessions were complemented by informal networking opportunities, which helped strengthen relationships and foster exchange between the member universities represented at the meeting.

STARS EU is bringing May to a close with a series of activities and a call to action to commemorate European Diversity Month, an initiative aimed at raising awareness of the importance of diversity and inclusion both in the workplace and across society as a whole. The nine partners of the alliance are joining this year’s theme, “Building an inclusive labour market for all”, through a range of initiatives addressed to their university communities.

Your voice matters at STARS EU. For this reason, the alliance has launched the survey “Inclusion and Social Justice in your University”, aimed at gathering the opinions and suggestions of all members of our university community. This initiative will help promote more inclusive and diverse academic spaces committed to equality and social justice.

The aim of the survey is to better understand how students, academic staff and university personnel across the alliance perceive inclusion, fairness and participation within their institutions. The responses gathered will contribute to the development of shared strategies, the identification of common challenges and the promotion of evidence-based actions within the STARS EU framework.

To take part, click on Inclusion and Social Justice in your University. Completing the survey will take approximately seven minutes and will provide valuable information to help strengthen and advance a more inclusive and equal academic community.

Diversity beyond the screen

Another of the activities organised to mark Diversity Month focuses on digital detox. This in-person event will take place on Friday, 29 May, at Aleksandër Moisiu University in Durrës (Albania). Its aim is to reflect on life in a hyperconnected society and on the ways in which the digital environment affects mental health, human relationships and social inclusion.

The event, entitled Diversity beyond the screen: Digital detox for a more inclusive campus, will run from 09:00 to 12:00 (CEST) in the G2 building, located on the UAMD Spitallë Campus. The meeting is open to anyone interested in discussing the (excessive) use of digital technologies, an issue about which the World Health Organization (WHO) has repeatedly raised concerns.

Research on diversity and inclusion

Moving towards a more diverse and inclusive alliance also involves exploring and applying new ideas and perspectives that can help foster fairer and more participatory environments. Therefore, if you are developing any research, project or initiative related to Diversity and Inclusion, you can contact Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ekaterina Gjergo or send your proposal to ekaterinagjergo@uamd.edu.al.

Another initiative launched to promote inclusiveness and diversity within STARS EU is being carried out at “Aleksandër Moisiu” University. Focused on bullying prevention, the project is being developed by a group of university students in collaboration with secondary school pupils from different schools in the city of Durrës.

European students and academics are addressing sustainable innovation and bioeconomy during the Blended Intensive Programme “Circular Bioeconomy and Sustainable Innovation”, taking place this week at the Cracow University of Technology (Poland) within the framework of the STARS EU Alliance. The training initiative enables international teams of students to work together on projects tackling real-life sustainability and circular economy challenges, while developing innovative and practice-oriented solutions.

The initiative has brought together 28 students and 12 lecturers from seven STARS EU partner universities: Cracow University of Technology (Poland); University West (Sweden); Hanze University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands); Hochschule Bremen-City University of Applied Sciences (Germany); Polytechnic University of Bragança (Portugal); Silesian University in Opava (Czech Republic); and Aleksandër Moisiu University of Durrës (Albania).

The programme, who’s in-person phase is taking place in Krakow from 18 to 22 May, includes interdisciplinary collaborative work sessions, mentoring activities, expert lectures and a study visit to the company KLGS, located near the city. In parallel with these activities, participants also have opportunities for intercultural exchange, networking and collaboration among students and academic staff from across the STARS EU alliance.

Over the past weeks, participants have attended international lectures and workshops focused on circular economy, sustainable business models, life cycle analysis, biomaterials, biotechnology, renewable resources and sustainable innovation strategies. Following the mobility week in Krakow, teams will continue working online until the end of June, when the final presentations of the projects and reports prepared by each group will bring the activity to a close.

“Circular Bioeconomy and Sustainable Innovation” is coordinated by Katarzyna Matras-Postołek, Associate Professor at CUT, together with academics and experts from STARS EU partner universities, including Annabella Loconsolo (University West), Pavel Adamek (Silesian University in Opava), Daniela Hendrikse (Hanze University of Applied Sciences), Anja Noke (Hochschule Bremen), as well as representatives from the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança and other partner institutions.

This BIP is yet another example of how the STARS EU Alliance connects students, researchers and universities around shared European values, innovation and sustainable development.

Around 60 students, doctoral candidates and lecturers from nine European universities recently took part in the Ou[te]r Campus BIP project, the STARS EU initiative aimed at developing a collaborative, interdisciplinary and transnational European campus model. During the event, hosted by the Bremen University of Applied Sciences, six concepts were developed focusing on new forms of interaction between physical spaces and the digital opportunities offered by STARS EU.

The aim of this workshop, which became a blended intensive programme, was to build on the momentum generated by the collaborative “Interspace” project — also held at HSB in 2025 — in order to further develop these ideas and translate them into long-term structures with a “solid institutional foundation”. This represents a clear step towards a “co-creation campus that transcends disciplinary and geographical boundaries”, according to Janina Ebner, member of the Co-creation Campus at STARS EU.

Alongside her, Professor Maria Clarke, also involved in the initiative, highlighted that the workshop helped strengthen the project for the future. “Bringing together more than 60 interdisciplinary participants — students, doctoral candidates and members of academic staff — from the nine partner institutions was no easy task.” “During the workshop, there was a clear willingness to collaborate, build networks and work together to address the complex question ‘What is a European campus?’ and to find answers to it.”

The focus has been placed on strengthening STARS EU, and therefore the groups created continue to work on the six concepts developed, which explore proposals for physical spaces and digital possibilities. The outcomes of the Ou[te]r Campus teaching and knowledge-transfer project will be exhibited from 1 to 9 July 2026 in an exhibition at the Transferlabor (formerly AB Galerie) at Hochschule Bremen.

Interspace 2025

Ou[te]r Campus BIP stems from the collaborative project carried out in 2025 under the name “Interspace”, which explored ways of creating shared and connected campus spaces within STARS EU. The initiative brought together an international group of students from the HSB School of Architecture and the Integrated Design programme at the University of the Arts Bremen (HfK), who developed the first ideas. Among them was the STARS EU intercultural pavilion, conceived as a meeting place, which is currently on display at the Higher School of Engineering of the University of La Laguna.

The universities participating in this second phase are: Aleksander Moisiu University (Albania); Krakow University of Technology (Poland); Hanze University of Applied Sciences (Groningen, the Netherlands); Hochschule Bremen (Germany); Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (Portugal); Silesian University in Opava (Czech Republic); University of La Laguna (Tenerife, Spain); Université Marie et Louis Pasteur (France); and University West (Trollhättan, Sweden).

*The Ou[te]r Campus BIP programme is funded by STARS EU and Erasmus+ grants.

In STARS EU, Europe Day is experienced through the diversity of our cultures, languages, identities, and ways of understanding the world. Because Europe is not only a shared territory, but a community that is built every day through the cooperation, coexistence, and freedom that inspire the celebration of 9 May, in remembrance of the 1950 Schuman Declaration.

STARS EU has sought to put a face and a voice to this plural, diverse, and connected Europe through the students, academic staff, and administrative personnel of its nine partner universities, which work towards a common goal and in favour of the future of higher education. They all share their experiences, reflections, and aspirations, while also showcasing the human and cultural richness of this project.

Every accent, every language, and every story reflects the essence of a continent defined by both its differences and affinities, and by common values such as cooperation, inclusion, solidarity, and commitment to future generations. It is this same spirit that lives on within STARS EU, where mobility, shared knowledge, and international collaboration continue to drive progress towards the society of tomorrow.

Europe is opportunity, learning, and innovation, but also effort and responsibility: the responsibility to continue building a common project capable of addressing the challenges ahead.

 

Different languages. Different cultures. One shared voice.

Nine universities. Countless identities. One Europe.