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.

The Faculty of Law at the University of La Laguna recently hosted the Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) Justice in a Transformative Key, which brought together students and academic staff from Albania, France, and Germany, alongside students from ULL, with the aim of analysing access to justice from an inclusive, interdisciplinary, and socially transformative perspective.

The BIP began with the opening session led by José Sigut, Head of the Office for Mobility and Cooperation with Europe and North America and coordinator of the STARS EU alliance at ULL. He highlighted the positive reception of this programme, developed within the framework of Erasmus+ and European university alliances. Sigut also emphasized that this BIP “stands somewhat apart” from the alliance’s usual focus areas, such as industry, business, and engineering.

In this regard, Dulce Cairós, Dean of the Faculty of Law and coordinating organiser of the initiative, stressed that this first edition places the spotlight on the field of Law, and particularly on the construction of a more inclusive justice system capable of responding to current social challenges through a transversal and transformative approach.

The sessions, attended by 35 participants including students and lecturers from Aleksandër Moisiu University of Durrës (Albania), Hochschule Bremen – City University of Applied Sciences (Germany) Marie and Louis Pasteur University (France), and ULL, addressed topics such as labour precariousness and the protection of minors as vulnerable consumers.

The programme explored how social inequalities affect effective access to justice and examined the role academic institutions can play as “agents of change,” something illustrated through the presentation of ULL’s Social Innovation Laboratory.

Social exclusion and migrants

During the second day, the programme focused on contexts of social exclusion, paying particular attention to interventions in penitentiary institutions and the legal assistance provided to migrants. Special emphasis was placed on the importance of adopting interdisciplinary approaches to address complex realities and ensure more effective legal and social responses.

The BIP also addressed alternatives to the traditional justice system, including restorative justice and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, viewed as key tools for promoting more inclusive, dialogue-based, and reparative solutions.

In the final days, attention shifted to particularly sensitive issues such as the situation of unaccompanied minors, age determination procedures, and the need to incorporate a gender perspective into the legal field.

The programme concluded with an evaluation and closing session in which students shared proposals aimed at advancing towards a more accessible, equitable, and people-centred model of justice.

In addition to the academic sessions, participants enjoyed cultural and leisure activities, including guided visits to San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Teide National Park, and the Izaña Atmospheric Observatory.

The launch of the first edition of the STARS EU Student Case Competition brought together yesterday (Monday, April 20) around one hundred people at Hanze University of Applied Sciences (The Netherlands), including students, faculty, university staff, and STARS EU ambassadors. Participants have joined this first training initiative, which brings together the nine member universities .

The opening day of this pilot experience, which combines collaborative work with practical learning and international exchange to promote skill development and teamwork, was marked by the arrival of participating teams and the first program activities.

The event began with the registration and reception of students, followed by an institutional welcome led by Dick Pouwels, general coordinator of the alliance and president of Hanze’s Executive Board, together with Mira Bloemen-Bekx and Heinrich Naumann.

First contacts

Afterwards, teams were assigned to their respective working divisions, where they had the opportunity to meet and establish initial contact before sharing a group lunch. The day continued with a social activity in the afternoon, preceded by a group photo that brought all participants together.

The program taking place over these days also promotes intercultural communicationand analytical skills in different contexts. To achieve this, participants—organized into nine international teams—will work and develop solutions under pressure, which they will present in the coming days to an international jury made up of academic staff and industry experts.

Active involvement of partners

This STARS EU initiative has achieved active involvement from the nine partner universities, which have sent their student teams accompanied by their respective tutors, helping to strengthen the alliance’s international and collaborative nature.

The universities participating in this pioneering experience, in addition to the host institution (Hanze University of Applied Sciences), are: University West (Sweden); Bragança Polytechnic University (Portugal); University of La Laguna (Spain); Silesian University in Opava (Czechia); Aleksandër Moisiu University in Durrës (Albania); Cracow University of Technology (Poland); Hochschule Bremen – City University of Applied Sciences (Germany); and the University Marie and Louis Pasteur (France).

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STARS-Health partners focused their latest international working meeting (23–24 March 2026), held at the Silesian University in Opava, Czech Republic, on the next stages of project implementation.

The meeting brought together representatives of the STARS EU project consortium from the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the Czech Republic over two days. During this time, partners reviewed progress achieved so far, shared updates from the different work areas, and coordinated the next actions.

Particular attention was given to key project activities, including needs analysis, the development and adaptation of digital tools, as well as the preparation of educational and support activities for caregivers. The programme included working sessions, presentations of preliminary results, and discussions on upcoming pilot testing and the practical implementation of project outcomes.

The meeting held in Opava marked another important milestone in the collaboration of the consortium, composed of five STARS EU members, and helped further strengthen joint work on solutions applicable to real-life health and care settings.

*STARS-Health is a project funded by the European Partnership on Transforming Health and Care Systems (THCS).

The STARS EU alliance will hold a new session of its STARS Talks featuring Nicolas Andreff, professor at the Marie and Louis Pasteur University, in a talk focused on robotics and its role in addressing current sustainability challenges. During the session, Andreff will explore how robotics can contribute to enhancing economic competitiveness, in line with recent initiatives such as the European Commission’s Industrial Accelerator Act. He will also revisit the concept of the circular economy, proposing a shift towards a “spiral economy” model.

The event will take place online on Tuesday, 21st at 13:00 (CET), and will present the main conclusions of a recent workshop held at the European Robotics Forum 2026. The workshop examined, from an interdisciplinary perspective, the relationship between robotics, economy, and sustainability in a context shaped by climate change, resource depletion, and their socio-economic consequences.

STARS Talks, organised by the alliance’s Challenge Lab, is a monthly knowledge exchange format that brings together international experts to discuss innovation, science, and regional development. Following the speaker’s presentation, the session will open for dialogue with participants.

STARS EU will host an innovative training experience from April 20 to 24 at Hanze University of Applied Sciences in Groningen (The Netherlands), bringing together students, faculty, and staff from its nine member universities for the first time. The aim of the first edition of the STARS EU Student Case Competition is for participants to work on real business cases, mainly focused on the challenges faced by family businesses.

The planned program combines collaborative work with practical learning and international exchange to promote skills development, teamwork, intercultural communication, and analytical abilities in different contexts.

To this end, the participants, organized into nine international teams, must develop solutions under time pressure and present them to an international jury of academic and industry experts. The activity is structured into intensive preparation, problem-solving, and presentation sessions, alongside interactive spaces designed to strengthen shared learning.

Pilot experience

The initiative, conceived as a pilot experience, represents a milestone within the alliance, as it is the first training activity in which representatives from the entire academic community participate together. With it, the aim is to consolidate the foundations for developing this type of initiative, which could be gradually and rotationally implemented at each of the member universities.

The program will conclude with a final day, during which the work produced by each team will be presented and awards will be given to the best teams and participants.

The participating institutions, in addition to the organizing university (Hanze University of Applied Sciences), include University West (Sweden); Bragança Polytechnic University (Portugal); University of La Laguna (Spain); Silesian University in Opava (Czechia); Aleksandër Moisiu University in Durrës (Albania); Cracow University of Technology (Poland); Hochschule Bremen – City University of Applied Sciences (Germany) and Marie and Louis Pasteur University (France).

In addition to the competition, the event will feature a social and cultural program designed to foster networking, collaboration, and intercultural exchange among participants.

With this initiative, STARS EU takes a significant step forward in promoting joint training activities that strengthen collaboration between its universities and create new learning opportunities in an international environment.

Representatives of Petro Mohyla Black Sea National University (Mykolayiv, Ukraine), took part in the STARS EU Annual Conference, where they also joined discussions with the STARS EU Commission and the Steering Committee on the next steps in cooperation between the university and the alliance.

The Ukrainian university was represented by Liudmyla Vovchuk, Head of the International Relations Office and lecturer in the Department of International Relations and Foreign Policy; and Olena Filimonova, Senior Specialist of the International Relations Office. Both representatives brought strong experience in international academic cooperation, project development, and university internationalization.

Their participation in the Annual Conference created an important opportunity to further strengthen dialogue with STARS EU and explore concrete ways to deepen cooperation. The exchanges with the Commission and Steering Committee confirmed a shared interest in building closer institutional ties and expanding the university’s involvement in alliance activities.

During the meetings, Petro Mohyla Black Sea National University presented its profile, academic strengths, and experience in international cooperation. As a classical university under the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, it combines a broad academic base with active engagement in international partnerships, mobility, and project work. The university has established cooperation with a wide range of higher education institutions and organizations across Europe and beyond.

Particular attention was given to the strong alignment between the university’s expertise and STARS EU’s priorities. The university presented several proposals for future cooperation linked to the alliance’s main areas of activity, including Digital Transformation, Healthy Ageing, and Social Justice. These proposals cover topics such as digital transformation in education and public health, neuroscience and neurorehabilitation, rehabilitation support for victims of blast-related injuries, equality, and the harmonization of Ukrainian legislation with European standards.

The discussions also built on cooperation already developed between Petro Mohyla Black Sea National University and STARS EU. The university highlighted its strong record in international mobility and project development, including participation in Erasmus+, DAAD, and other international initiatives. This experience provides a solid basis for further collaboration through academic exchange, virtual and blended learning, joint projects, thematic networking, and shared educational and research activities.

An important outcome of the meetings was the decision of the STARS EU Commission to designate Petro Mohyla Black Sea National University as a Strategic Associated Partner of the STARS EU Alliance. The decision reflects the Commission’s appreciation of the cooperation already in place, the university’s strong regional and thematic fit with STARS EU areas of activity, and its clear commitment to further developing and intensifying cooperation with the alliance.

Next steps

This marks an important next step in the relationship between STARS EU and Petro Mohyla Black Sea National University. It underlines both the value of the cooperation established so far and the strong potential for future collaboration in areas of shared strategic interest.

The next step will be the preparation of a Memorandum of Understanding between STARS EU and Petro Mohyla Black Sea National University, which will provide a framework for the continued development of the partnership.

With this decision, STARS EU opens a new chapter of cooperation with a Ukrainian partner university and creates further opportunities for students, researchers, academic staff, and professional staff to engage in joint activities and knowledge exchange across the alliance.

The international art exhibition Voices of [h] eritage, displayed in La Capilla cultural space at the University of La Laguna (Spain), and Pedagogy as Art, Art as Pedagogy, recently held at the Silesian University in Opava (Czechia), are final results of the work developed within the framework of STARS EU through its Thematic Interest Group (TIG) in Arts and Creative Industries.

The combined intensive program (BIP) Heritage and Creativity for Inclusion aimed at teachers, researchers, and professionals in the arts, held its in-person meeting in Tenerife. Coordinated by Noemí Peña (ULL) co-leader of the Thematic Interest Group (TIG) Art and Creative Industries and Vice Dean of University of La Laguna’s Faculty of Fine Arts, it brought together participants from various countries in a hybrid work environment that combined online sessions with an intensive week of collaboration.

The meeting allowed participants to explore the potential of cultural heritage and creativity as tools for fostering inclusion, particularly regarding the exchange of methodologies, experiences, and artistic practices.

In this context, Voices [ h]eritage is presented as the culmination of this collective process: an exhibition showcasing artistic results and highlighting the research-creation processes developed during the BIP. The works exhibited at La Capilla are the direct result of the projects and working dynamics developed during the meeting in Tenerife, and reflect diverse approaches to the concept of heritage, understood not only as a living space for interpretation, dialogue, and critical intervention.

The exhibition features projects that emerged from workshops, collaborative sessions, and cultural activities held during the program, addressing issues such as memory, identity, territory, and forms of cultural transmission. Furthermore, it serves as a space where artistic practice and pedagogy converge, demonstrating how learning can unfold through shared creative processes.

From Tenerife to Opava

As a continuation of the work developed within the framework of the TIG, and developed in parallel, the experience has led to a second exhibition, Pedagogy as Art, Art as Pedagogy, recently held at the Silesian University in Opava (Czechia), as part of the STARS EU Annual Conference.

The exhibition featured works from Albania, Brazil, France, Portugal, Spain, and the Czechia. The multimedia works were presented by Uendi Çerma from Aleksandër Moisiu University in Durrës (UAMD) in Albania; Marcus Ramusyo de Almeida Brasil from the Brazilian Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Maranhão (IFMA); Dominique Soucy from Université Marie et Louis Pasteur (UMLP) in Besançon; and from the Portuguese Instituto Politécnico de Bragança (IPB), the creative duo Carlos Casimiro Costa & Jacinta Costa, together with their colleague Tiago Fernandes. Noemí Peña Sánchez from Universidad de La Laguna (ULL) in Tenerife will also present her work.

The audiovisual pieces will be complemented by a collaborative photographic-poetic project by Jana Orlová from Silesian University in Opava (SUO) and Ana Lúcia Pinto from Instituto Politécnico de Bragança (IPB).

This exhibition presents the artistic work of teachers and researchers involved in the group, with works from different countries and institutional contexts, but this time from a perspective more focused on the relationship between pedagogy and artistic practice. Although both exhibitions are two interconnected manifestations of the same process—a pedagogical and artistic laboratory, and education in a space of critical experimentation—it is, in Voices of [h] eritage, where this process finds its first public materialization.

STARS EU Highlights explores gamification as a tool to foster critical thinking and inclusion among students

Sociologist Madelon van Oomstrom, from Hanze University of Applied Sciences, advocates in episode 4 for this integrative methodology, which boosts participation

Sociologist and Associate Professor at Hanze University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands), Madelon van Oomstrom, advocates the use of game-based learning to promote digital literacy, critical dialogue, and student participation. For the expert in digital transformation, gamification is becoming one of the “most effective” methodologies for transforming higher education.

She made this clear during her participation in a workshop for educators held in Tenerife, focused on digital literacy and inclusion, as well as in the fourth episode of STARS EU Highlights, the video podcast from the alliance about innovative teaching: Playing to Learn – Gamification, Digital Literacy, and Inclusion. “The best way to foster a productive dialogue about opportunities and risks is to create gamified learning experiences,” she explained, stressing that this approach enables students to share knowledge and learn collaboratively.

Van Oomstrom highlighted that game-based learning not only makes classes more dynamic but also strengthens students’ confidence. “Students feel more secure and proud of what they know,” she noted, while emphasising that these methodologies encourage more active participation.

Boosting critical thinking

One of the main benefits of gamification, she pointed out, is its ability to enhance critical thinking. In contrast to more traditional models, which rely on direct guidance and recommendations, the expert advocates a more participatory approach: “Rather than saying ‘this is dangerous’, it is better for students themselves to identify potential problems.”

In this regard, she argued that gamification facilitates the creation of “spaces for dialogue” where students can compare experiences and build knowledge collectively. “It allows for the initiation of critical conversations, the generation of useful ideas, and sparks the desire to continue learning and developing,” she stated.

From her perspective as a sociologist, Van Oomstrom also highlighted the social dimension of technology, noting that while digitalisation offers significant opportunities, it can also lead to exclusion. “Technologies can be a solution for some, but at the same time a problem for those who lack access or digital skills.” For this reason, she considers it essential for higher education to incorporate inclusive methodologies that facilitate access to knowledge. In her view, game-based learning helps to “reduce these gaps” by making content more accessible and participatory.

Workshop for teaching staff

In addition to her participation in the STARS EU video podcast, (available on YouTube and Spotify) Van Oomstrom delivered a workshop in Tenerife — during the STARS EU meeting held in November 2025 — aimed at university teaching staff, with around twelve participants. This initiative, conducted within the alliance, is part of efforts to adapt teaching to an increasingly digitalised context.

In this framework, the expert in digital transformation and human-centred technologies, among other fields, stressed the importance of updating teacher training in line with the changes of an increasingly technological society: “Teachers have a great deal of experience, but they need spaces where they can learn in an interactive and practical way.”

She concluded with a call to integrate gamification into the classroom as a “means of promoting a more innovative, critical and inclusive education,” capable of responding to the challenges of digital transformation.

The STARS EU university alliance concluded its annual conference, held at the Silesian University in Opava, Czech Republic, with a clear commitment to evolve from a European Union-funded initiative into a consolidated strategic alliance with its own governance and long-term vision. This was announced by the Alliance’s Secretary General, Dick Pouwels, during the closing ceremony, alongside Tomáš Gongol, Rector of the host institution.

Both presided over the conclusion of the three-day event (25–27 March 2026), which focused on key challenges in higher education, university cooperation, and academic innovation within the European context. It was also confirmed that the next edition of the conference will take place in Krakow in March 2027, with the host institution, the Cracow University of Technology, taking over organisation duties.

During the meeting, which brought together academic, institutional, and administrative representatives from member universities, the Steering Committee and Executive Board discussed key next steps for the consortium. These include the development of a strategic plan to be completed before next summer and the establishment of a common governance model by October 2026—both essential elements to strengthen the alliance’s autonomy and strategic projection.

Upcoming funding call

It was also announced that the alliance plans to apply for the next European funding call, scheduled for autumn, under the new multiannual programme starting in 2028. The European institutions view university alliances as priority actors—“front runners”—in the development of higher education and research in Europe, ensuring continued financial support.

Another significant announcement was the future inclusion of the International Black Sea University (Ukraine) as an associate partner, reinforcing cooperation with European institutions in particularly challenging contexts. STARS EU has also initiated an exploratory process to integrate a university from the United Kingdom in the future, in line with British engagement with European programmes such as Erasmus+.

Teaching innovation

The conference focused on teaching innovation under the concept of “transformative education”, with sessions addressing the impact of artificial intelligence on learning, flexible curricula, future skills development, and the strengthening of the link between universities and society. The programme combined panels, workshops, and strategic discussions, emphasising how higher education can adapt to Europe’s social, digital, and economic challenges.

The event also highlighted the growing integration between the alliance’s different working groups and thematic lines, as well as the strengthening of relationships among its members, both in formal and informal programme settings.

Organised by the Silesian University in Opava, the event was the largest hosted to date by the institution, which received unanimous recognition from participants for its meticulous organisation and programme design.