The staff week will be held on June 1-3 in Bremen.

Hochschule Bremen – City University of Applied Sciences (Germany) will host an in-person event bringing together professionals from across the STARS EU Alliance to reflect, exchange ideas, and advance the development of virtual mobility. The event will place particular emphasis on the student experience, digital processes, and organisational challenges.

Over three days the staff week in Bremen will focus on Understanding student needs and strengthening engagement in virtual mobility. Further more Digitalisation, application processes and recognition of mobility as well as Organisational challenges, implementation and structural anchoring will be main points of the face-to-face meeting between representatives of all the Alliance’s work packages.

Day 1 – Understanding, Connecting, Unlocking Potential

June 1 | 09:00 – 16:00

The first day is dedicated to building a shared understanding and establishing a common foundation for the rest of the event. Participants will explore the connections between mobility, teaching, and digitalisation, with a strong focus on the student perspective.

In addition, the sessions will examine how virtual mobility formats can be better designed and communicated to increase their reach and student engagement.

Day 2 – Strengthening Digital Access, Processes and Recognition

June 2 | 09:00 – 14:00

The second day focuses on the role of digitalisation in mobility, addressing key aspects such as the use of digital tools, application processes, and communication strategies. The aim is to identify structural barriers, improve usability, and strengthen recognition mechanisms across the alliance.

Day 3 – Concretising, Aligning and Embedding

June 3 | 09:00 – 15:30

The third day addresses the organisational and structural challenges affecting the implementation of virtual mobility. It also builds on the outcomes of the previous days to prioritise solutions, assess their feasibility, and define the steps needed for their implementation and long-term integration within the alliance.

For more information, visit: Hochschule Bremen

The Silesian University in Opava (Czechia), a member of STARS EU, is finalizing preparations to celebrate the long-awaited 5th edition of its International Week, which will take place from May 12 to 16 at the Karvina School of Business Administration, and which this year will pay special attention to the alliance. Designed to strengthen collaboration between academic institutions around the world, this event promises a week packed with learning, knowledge sharing and global networking.

A program designed for academic excellence

This year, the program is completed by STARS EU Staff Week, an initiative especially aimed at the members of the alliance and its nine partner universities, which includes a program focused on fundamental aspects of university administration and strategic development.

In this sense, sessions, both face-to-face and online, will be held for the Steering Committee, officers, communication managers of the alliance, members of the Regional Transition Accelerator, Curriculum Lab ─ joint courses, BIPs, degrees, and micro-credentials, as well as the Co-creation Campus and the Thematic Interest Groups (TIG) Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Digital Transformation.

Participation and key details

Participation in the International Week can be done through the mobility of Erasmus+ faculty and staff or other mobility programs. Another important aspect is that it does not require a registration fee, although those who decide to attend must cover the travel and accommodation expenses by themselves.

Registration and information

To register for this international event and get more details about the program, travel, and accommodation, you can click on the following links:

Registration form: Register

Travel information: Details here

Accommodation in Karviná: Options available

Official program: Check the program

Updates & News: Stay Informed

Experience 2023

In its 4th edition, held from 24 to 28 April 2023, the International Week brought together more than 70 participants from 14 countries and 20 different universities and included, for the first time, the STARS EU Staff Week. The event also offered the possibility of attending courses taught by international teachers ─ which were attended by around 150 students ─ and a cultural program that included different leisure activities, as well as visits to places of interest, such as the local Marlenka factory or the leaning church of San Pedro de Alcántara.

 

The upcoming Staff Week about Healthy Ageing organized by the Center of Expertise Healthy Ageing at the Hanze University in Groningen, will be held from Monday June 10  to Friday, June 14, 2024.

This event aims to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and best practices among professors and regional stakeholders in the field of Healthy Ageing ans it’s exclusively dedicated to staff members of the STARS EU alliance.  Applications are open for approximately 5 individuals per partner, with an expected total of 45-50 participants.

Registration and additional information

On April 24 – 23, 2023, the School of Business Administration of the Silesian University in Opava (SU SBA), Czechia, played host to an exceptional event: the first edition of the STARS EU Staff Week. Held in conjunction with the International Week event of the SU SBA, the Staff Week brought together professionals from nine higher education institutions associated with the STARS EU Alliance. The event aimed to foster collaboration, share best practices, and establish new connections among engaged universities. With over 70 participants from 14 different countries and 20 foreign universities, the event was a resounding success.

Opening day

The opening ceremony commenced with a warm welcome from Tomáš Gongol, the newly appointed Rector of Silesian University. He highlighted the significance of the STARS EU Alliance as a strategic focus for the university and expressed his delight in hosting the event. Roman Šperka, the Dean of the School of Business Administration, followed with an informative presentation on the university and its hosting School. Jana Šimáková, the Vice-Dean for International Relations, extended a warm welcome on behalf of the organizing team, wishing all participants a productive and rewarding week in Karviná.

Rima Dijkstra, the alliance leader from Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands, shared an insightful overview of the STARS EU Alliance. Rima highlighted the alliance’s focus on addressing common societal challenges and themes such as demographic change, future competencies, industrial transition, and sustainability. The presentation also introduced the alliance’s cooperation structures, joint projects, and ambitious plans for the future, including e.g. the establishment of a “Technology Transfer Office” or “Future Lab”.

Daniel Stavárek, the Vice-Rector for Science and International Relations at Silesian University, delivered an informative presentation on the European Universities Initiative. He discussed the benefits of EU Alliances, the challenges associated with funding and governance, and emphasized the need for coordinated efforts and improved financial support for alliance activities.

One of the highlights of the day was an interactive world café session facilitated by Rima Dijkstra. This session encouraged participants to engage in lively discussions. The characteristics of a European University and ways to contribute to its establishment were explored. Ideas for increased student mobility, harmonized quality management systems, and more opportunities for lifelong learners were among some other topics discussed. The session sparked creative thinking and fostered a sense of shared STARS EU vision among all the participants.

Following up on the word café, Niels Hexspoor from Palacký University in Olomouc, a member of the Aurora Alliance, shared his experience and insights. Aurora, established in 2016, is a consortium of 10 research-intensive universities dedicated to social impact and community engagement. Niels emphasized the importance of proper organization, student engagement, and building strong relationships within the alliance. He advised setting realistic targets, not forgetting to involve IT staff and always thinking of backup plans. He also stressed the need for a dedicated team who can work for the alliance full-time to ensure successful completion of tasks and reminded participants that the alliance is a long-term commitment, not just a project with an end date.

Working group meetings

During the STARS EU Staff Week, 5 working groups met to discuss important topics and explore opportunities for collaboration within the STARS EU Alliance. All working group meetings, including the Steering Committee meeting, were organised in a hybrid format, i.e. with the possibility to connect online via MS Teams.

The STARS EU officers group focused on integrating the alliance into member organizations, emphasizing the need for regular meetings and better internal communication. They also agreed to connect with the Communication managers group to explore joint activities.

The Strategy advisers group delved into strategy development, highlighting the significance of internationalization and European values. They shared concrete ideas on involving more colleagues in the alliance and emphasized the importance of top management support. Joint research projects, student and staff mobility, and utilizing platforms like BIPs were identified as key areas for success. Engaging students through podcasts, interviews, and social media was also suggested.

The E-learning experts group compared information and e-learning systems used by alliance members, acknowledging both similarities and differences in support structures and resources. They discussed the possibility of creating a shared platform for accessing courses based on different students’ identities and would like to focus on the concept of a virtual campus in the following discussions.

The Erasmus without paper group, comprising mostly international relations officers, focused on student and staff mobilities. They discussed the sharing of study courses and programs within the alliance and examined each university’s mobility system. The functionality of platforms varied among institutions, leading also to discussions on centralized and decentralized approaches to inter-institutional agreements.

Other speakers and cultural program

The event was enriched by the valuable contributions of other speakers. Diederich Bakker from Hanze University of Applied Sciences shared his expertise in teaching abroad and working with students from diverse cultures. How does cooperation between universities and innovation agencies help support entrepreneurship in regions undergoing transition? Adéla Píchová from the Moravian-Silesian Innovation Centre came to talk about this topic.

The event also featured an engaging social and cultural program. Participants enjoyed a visit to Marlenka cake factory in Frýdek-Místek, explored the Leaning Church of St. Peter of Alcantara, took a tour of Karviná, and even had the opportunity play golf. The memorable gala dinner was held at Petrovice Chateau nearby Karviná.

For a detailed programme, photo gallery, reports and more information about the event please visit go.slu.cz/intweek.

We look forward to meeting again for the next STARS EU Staff Week planned for 20-24 November 2023 in Bremen, Germany!