Building the Future Together: Highlights from STARS EU Conference 2025

A few days have passed since the conclusion of the STARS EU Annual Conference, and the sense of inspiration and collaboration remains strong.

Over three days, the conference brought together alliance members: students, staff, researchers, and policymakers to explore key themes in educational innovation, scientific research, and regional development. Under the slogan “Research the WORLD. Reach the STARS”, participants engaged in keynote lectures, work package meetings, student-led discussions, and thematic parallel sessions.

This year’s highlights included:

• Advancement of the Research Solutions Agenda and its impact on regional transitions, innovation, and academic excellence
• Inspiring keynote speeches, which sparked valuable dialogue and fresh perspectives across the network.
• A strong emphasis on openness, transparency, and mutual commitment across the alliance
• Active student participation, with valuable input and reflections shared during the “STARS EU Students: From Today to the Future” session
• Key networking opportunities designed to increase collaboration between academics, students, and regional stakeholders

Complementary activities included site visits to local institutions such as the Durrës Port Authority and Periso Company, offering real-world context to the region’s sustainable development goals.

We sincerely thank all participants for contributing to such a productive and collaborative experience.

View the group photos from the events here.

We look forward to the next working meeting, planned November 25 -26, 2025 in Tenerife as well as the STARS EU Annual Conference, to be hosted by Silesian University in Opava from March 25–27, 2026. Until then — let’s keep the momentum going!