STARS EU reinforces its commitment to internationalisation at the National Forum of Portuguese Universities

Bragança Polytechnic University (IPB) represented the STARS EU Alliance at the Forum of Portuguese Higher Education Institutions in European University Alliances (FOR.UE.PT), an event that brought together more than 60 representatives from universities across the country to discuss the challenges and opportunities of higher education internationalisation in Europe.

Held at the University of Algarve (Faro, Portugal), the forum featured the participation of Luís Pais, Vice-President of IPB and member of the STARS EU Steering Committee, who emphasised the alliance’s commitment to interuniversity cooperation and to promoting a more connected, inclusive, and sustainable higher education system.

The FOR.UE.PT aims to coordinate common responses to the challenges faced by European university alliances, promote academic mobility, and strengthen the sustainable funding of international projects. It also serves as a platform for sharing best practices and fostering collaboration among Portuguese institutions that are members of European university networks.

The meeting included the roundtable “The Future of Europe – Skills Union and European Alliances”, moderated by Carla Ruivo, coordinator of the Erasmus+ Programme in Portugal, which addressed the role of universities in building a European Skills Union focused on talent retention, innovation, and inclusive education.

The discussion featured Manuel Heitor, former Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education and author of the report “Align, Act, Accelerate”; Daniel Aragão, President of FAIRe; and Rodrigo Carlos, President of the Academic Association of the University of Algarve.

Challenges of internationalisation

In the afternoon session, Cristina Perdigão, Director of the Portuguese Erasmus+ National Agency for Education and Training, presented “Challenges for Internationalisation – The Next Erasmus+ European Financial Framework”, highlighting Portugal as a European benchmark in the implementation of the Erasmus+ programme.

Following this, Vanessa Vargas, from CAPES (the Brazilian Federal Foundation for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel), delivered the presentation “Beyond Europe: Partnerships with Global Institutions”, reflecting on international cooperation beyond the European area, particularly with universities in Brazil and Latin America.

The forum’s conclusions underlined the need to strengthen communication and student engagement within the alliances, as well as to expand funding and reduce economic inequalities that still limit access to international experiences for many students.