The event, to be held at Silesian University in Opava, will take place from 25 to 27 March

The third annual STARS EU conference is conceived as a strategic meeting space dedicated to rethinking the role of higher education in Europe under the theme “Transformative Education for Europe’s Future”. The event, which on this occasion will be hosted by Silesian University in Opava (Czech Republic) from 25 to 27 March, brings together academics, students, policymakers and a range of societal stakeholders with the aim of sharing ideas, exchanging experiences and co-creating new perspectives on the future of higher education.

The programme combines institutional events with plenary sessions, panel discussions, parallel working groups and cultural activities. Following the official opening at the historic Silesian Theatre, networking opportunities will also be provided, reflecting STARS EU’s commitment to a more connected, innovative and transformative European university landscape.

Key debates on transformative education

The first day, Wednesday 25 March, establishes the conceptual foundations of the conference. After the formal opening ceremony, attention turns to the afternoon panel discussions, which address key issues for understanding the scope of transformative education.

From Classroom to Region: Transformative Education as an Engine for Europe’s Transitions

This panel reflects on the impact of education beyond the classroom, as well as its capacity to act as a driving force for transformation across European regions. In this context, universities play a crucial role by actively contributing to ecological, social and economic transitions, and by connecting learning with local territories to foster community engagement. Education is thus understood as a tool for systemic change, rather than merely a means of knowledge transmission.

 

Human-Centred AI & Flexible Pathways: Making Digital Transformation Actually Transformative

 

The second panel examines artificial intelligence and digitalisation from a human-centred perspective, highlighting the importance of designing flexible learning pathways that can adapt to changing contexts. It also addresses the need to ensure that digital transformation is truly inclusive, ethical and oriented towards meaningful learning, emphasising that technology should not be an end in itself, but a tool serving transformative education.

 

 

Coaching for Courage: Team-Entrepreneurship as a Vehicle for Transformative Education

The third panel introduces team entrepreneurship as a key pedagogical approach to fostering competences such as leadership, resilience and decision-making. “Coaching for courage” is presented as an educational strategy that encourages students to face uncertainty and develop innovative initiatives. In this way, transformative education is linked to action, experimentation and challenge-based learning.

Policy → Practice: Turning European Initiatives into Transformative Learning

In the afternoon, the fourth panel explores the relationship between European education policies and their implementation within institutions. It examines how strategic frameworks and European programmes can be translated into concrete and effective learning experiences. This session highlights the importance of bridging the gap between policy design and educational practice, ensuring that institutional initiatives have a tangible impact on both teaching staff and students.

The day concludes with the opening of the exhibition “Pedagogy as Art, Art as Pedagogy”, which reinforces the idea of education as a creative practice.

Second day: collaborative work and development of strategic lines

The second day, Thursday 26 March, focuses on parallel working groups, where participants collaboratively address the main pillars of transformative education. Following an initial session presenting a summary of mid-term results, the following working groups—reflecting the project’s strategic priorities—are held:

• Artificial intelligence in teaching and learning: analysis of its applications, ethical challenges and transformative potential.
• Curricular structures: review of educational models to adapt them to new social and professional demands.
• Learning spaces: exploration of physical and digital environments that support innovative methodologies.
• Future skills and interdisciplinarity: identification of key competences and promotion of cross-disciplinary approaches.

The second day concludes with a wrap-up session in which the main outcomes of each group are shared, while 27 March is devoted to individual meetings of the different work packages within the alliance.

The third episode of the video podcast STARS EU Highlights, which explores European values for innovation in education, examines how higher education institutions—particularly those located outside major capitals—are strengthening their connection with the surrounding socio-economic environment. Titled From Campuses to Communities: Universities Driving Social Change in Europe, the programme reflects on the capacity of these institutions to create meaningful impact on citizens.

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The guest on this ocassion is Dorina Gjipali, lecturer at the Faculty of Political Science & Law at the Alexander Moisiu University of Durrës (Albania), one of the nine member universities of the STARS EU Alliance. Gjipali discusses the role higher education institutions play in building more inclusive, sustainable societies that are engaged with their communities.

Connecting knowledge and community

 

The interview emphasises the importance of strengthening the link between academic activity and the real needs of society. In this context, Gjipali highlights the so-called “third mission” of higher education institutions: a dimension that complements teaching and research and focuses on generating tangible and measurable benefits for society.

 

This approach translates into initiatives that open universities to their communities through collaborative programmes with local administrations, social organisations, or businesses. Examples include volunteering projects, civic education activities, and university legal clinics providing free legal advice to individuals with limited resources.

The transformative role of students

A central element of this podcast is the significance of student participation in such initiatives. Through community projects, volunteering programmes, and educational activities, students not only develop professional skills but also strengthen their commitment to society.

Gjipali also points out that these experiences allow young people to acquire academic knowledge, develop as responsible citizens, gain awareness of social challenges, and feel empowered to contribute to improving their surroundings.

Cooperation to tackle common challenges

The episode also underscores the importance of alliances between European academic institutions, such as STARS EU, which promotes the exchange of best practices and cooperation in areas such as digital transition, environmental sustainability, and social inclusion. Through these collaborative networks, participating institutions seek to enhance their impact on the regions where they are located, thereby contributing to sustainable regional development in Europe.

With this new episode, STARS EU Highlights emphasises the role of higher education institutions as key actors in building more participatory, innovative societies that are closely connected to the needs and demands of their communities and populations.

In2CoP 2026 – International Conference on Co-Creation Processes in Higher Education brought together the STARS EU community for three days of collaboration, innovation and knowledge exchange, hosted by Bragança Polytechnic University (IPB) within the framework of the STARS EU.

This edition placed a strong emphasis on STARS EU’s Thematic Interest Groups (TIGs), particularly Circular Economy and Arts & Creative Industries, fostering interdisciplinary approaches to address contemporary challenges in technology, sustainability, health and social intervention.

The conference gathered over 180 participants from 11 countries – Portugal, Brazil, Ireland, Poland, the Netherlands, Albania, Spain, Sweden, Germany, India and Norway – representing more than 20 higher education institutions, research centres and partner organisations.

Co-creation as a driver for innovation

Throughout the conference, more than 60 co-creation prototypes were presented by international, multidisciplinary teams, highlighting the strong link between education, research, creativity and societal impact.

Award-winning prototypes

Three outstanding prototypes were recognised with monetary awards, one per category: Technology – Designing a Game to Enhance Productivity and Engagement; Sustainability – Trachea Implants Made from Resilin-Based Materials and Health & Social Intervention – CuboNutri: An Educational Game for Building Balanced Lunchboxes.

A conference aligned with the STARS EU vision

Beyond plenary sessions, thematic panels and prototype presentations, In2CoP 2026 promoted networking, collaboration and strategic reflection on the future of European higher education.

The conference reaffirmed the shared commitment of STARS EU partners to a more collaborative, inclusive and innovation-driven higher education ecosystem, demonstrating how co-creation can be a key instrument in responding to social, economic and environmental challenges at regional and global levels.

Collaboration between European universities is taking firm steps towards innovation and professional growth, and proof of this is the European Alliance of Universities STARS EU, a very ambitious initiative in this field. Made up of nine trusted universities committed to education, research and the dissemination of democratic values in Europe, STARS EU is a real springboard of opportunities for the professional development of its staff.

 

Someone who knows this very well is Maryvonne Nieboer, lecturer at the school of Engineering at Hanze University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands), expert in Organization and Management as well as Human Resource Management. Nieboer is one of the many teachers who has found in this network an invaluable opportunity to expand their academic horizons, so she does not hesitate to assure that STARS EU opens a “world of opportunities” for teachers and researchers.

 

As a member of the STARS EU Curriculum Lab, Nieboer places special emphasis on highlighting both the relevance of the alliance and the impact it undoubtedly has on the educational community. “The STARS EU Alliance connects us with trusted partners across Europe. It is a fact that by streamlining processes within universities, we create endless possibilities to collaborate, innovate and grow together.”

A network of collaboration without borders

Teachers who join STARS EU can access a series of benefits designed to strengthen their educational and research work. And one of the most valued aspects is the possibility of working side by side with colleagues from leading institutions throughout Europe, an aspect that Professor de Hanze considers “essential” in order to try to find solutions to problems that affect today’s society. “Sharing knowledge and projects with other teachers and researchers allows us to address problems from a broader and enriching perspective. The internationalization of teaching is key to training prepared professionals who know how to face the challenges of the future,” explains the professor.

 

Mobility and access to other campuses

Thanks to STARS EU, teachers have the possibility to teach or conduct research at partner universities, both face-to-face and virtually, which facilitates the creation of synergies between faculties and opens up new opportunities for professional development. For Nieboer, academic mobility is a fundamental pillar of the alliance. “Access to different campuses allows us to experiment with new teaching methodologies and adapt them to our own institutions.”

 

Thematic Interest Groups: innovation spaces

One of the great attractions of STARS EU is the participation in the so-called Thematic Stakeholders (TIGs), in which professionals from different disciplines work together to address global and challenging challenges such as the Green Transition, Digital Transformation, Social Value and Well-being or the Circular Economy. “These groups encourage interdisciplinary work, which allows us to find innovative solutions to the problems facing our society.” On this point, the Hanze researcher stresses that education “cannot be left behind in these changes”.

 

Towards a more connected and engaged education

For the Hanze University professor, participation in STARS EU not only strengthens teaching and research, but also promotes the dissemination of democratic values and the construction of a more inclusive society. “Every teacher has the opportunity to make a real impact in their community and across Europe, because education is the key to regional transformation,” she concludes.

 

Full interview, here.

If you’re part of a member university, STARS EU can open doors to new experiences and knowledge. Do not hesitate to contact your STARS EU manager and discover everything this network has to offer you.

 

Transforming Regions. Empowering people.

 

The Strategic Alliance for Regional Transition (STARS EU)

A delegation from STARS EU led by Dick Pouwels, coordinator of STARS EU and rector of Hanze University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands), Tomáš Gongol, rector of Silesian University in Opava (Czechia), as well as several members of the alliance’s Steering Committee, attended the high-level meeting organised by the European Commission (EC) to discuss the future of European Universities.

The conference, which brought together more than 400 higher education leaders on 26 and 27 February representing the 65 university alliances operating in Europe, led to a collective debate on the achievements of these five years and the challenges that still remain to be addressed.  The meeting, developed under the slogan ‘Shaping the future: European Universities alliances for a competitive Europe’, served to define the contribution of alliances to the generation of prosperity and sustainability in Europe, without losing sight of the defence of democracy and the promotion of social justice.

The event was inaugurated by Roxana Mînzatu, Vice-President of the European Union, who met afterwards with the rectors of European Universities to discuss the added value of alliances as drivers of the transformation of higher education and agents promoting the improvement of competitiveness, strategic autonomy and progress in Europe.

In the afternoon, the day continued with several high-level debates with rectors from different universities as speakers, and whose opening and closing were carried out by the Director General of Education, Youth, Sport and Culture of the EU, Pia Ahrenkilde-Hansen.

Day dedicated to alliances

The conference on Thursday, February 27 focused on the role of European University alliances, especially in the transformation of the panorama and future of higher education, as well as in the strengthening of cooperation between innovation ecosystems. Other aspects addressed in the different panels of experts were the improvement of synergies between the universities themselves, the mobilisation of regional funding and the research and innovative dimension of European higher education institutions.

 

‘Shaping the future: European Universities alliances for a competitive Europe’ brought together representatives of all European University alliances, holders of the Seal of Excellence and organisations interested in higher education, including student organisations – which spoke at the event – the European Parliament and representatives of Member States.

The representation of STARS EU, in addition to the rectors of the universities of Hanze and Opava ─two of the nine partners that make up the alliance─ was in charge of Rima Dijkstra, general coordinator of the alliance, José Sigut and Vera-Ferro Lebres, both members of the Steering Committee.