STARS EU is bringing May to a close with a series of activities and a call to action to commemorate European Diversity Month, an initiative aimed at raising awareness of the importance of diversity and inclusion both in the workplace and across society as a whole. The nine partners of the alliance are joining this year’s theme, “Building an inclusive labour market for all”, through a range of initiatives addressed to their university communities.

Your voice matters at STARS EU. For this reason, the alliance has launched the survey “Inclusion and Social Justice in your University”, aimed at gathering the opinions and suggestions of all members of our university community. This initiative will help promote more inclusive and diverse academic spaces committed to equality and social justice.

The aim of the survey is to better understand how students, academic staff and university personnel across the alliance perceive inclusion, fairness and participation within their institutions. The responses gathered will contribute to the development of shared strategies, the identification of common challenges and the promotion of evidence-based actions within the STARS EU framework.

To take part, click on Inclusion and Social Justice in your University. Completing the survey will take approximately seven minutes and will provide valuable information to help strengthen and advance a more inclusive and equal academic community.

Diversity beyond the screen

Another of the activities organised to mark Diversity Month focuses on digital detox. This in-person event will take place on Friday, 29 May, at Aleksandër Moisiu University in Durrës (Albania). Its aim is to reflect on life in a hyperconnected society and on the ways in which the digital environment affects mental health, human relationships and social inclusion.

The event, entitled Diversity beyond the screen: Digital detox for a more inclusive campus, will run from 09:00 to 12:00 (CEST) in the G2 building, located on the UAMD Spitallë Campus. The meeting is open to anyone interested in discussing the (excessive) use of digital technologies, an issue about which the World Health Organization (WHO) has repeatedly raised concerns.

Research on diversity and inclusion

Moving towards a more diverse and inclusive alliance also involves exploring and applying new ideas and perspectives that can help foster fairer and more participatory environments. Therefore, if you are developing any research, project or initiative related to Diversity and Inclusion, you can contact Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ekaterina Gjergo or send your proposal to ekaterinagjergo@uamd.edu.al.

Another initiative launched to promote inclusiveness and diversity within STARS EU is being carried out at “Aleksandër Moisiu” University. Focused on bullying prevention, the project is being developed by a group of university students in collaboration with secondary school pupils from different schools in the city of Durrës.

Hochschule Bremen (HSB) – City University of Applied Sciences, Germany, and Marie and Louis Pasteur University (UMLP), France, both partners in STARS EU, will launch a new academic collaboration within the Business Administration/International Management (BIM) degree programme, which will enable the development of a double degree programme between the two institutions.

Thanks to this agreement, students will be able to complete their studies following the so-called “two-plus-two” model: four semesters in Bremen and four at the partner university abroad, allowing them to obtain two official bachelor’s degrees.

The collaboration will take place within the framework of STARS EU, of which both universities are members alongside seven other European institutions. With UMLP joining the BIM programme as a new partner university, STARS EU moves closer to one of its key objectives: promoting joint degrees and greater academic integration across Europe.

“We are delighted to welcome UMLP as another strong partner university to the BIM network,” says programme director Leena Pundt. “This collaboration strengthens our international profile and opens up further attractive opportunities for our students to gain a truly binational education.”

Powerful linguistic approach

Julie Beugnot, professor and programme director at the French university, explained that UMLP has been working for several years to internationalise its academic offer. The university’s proximity to the German border, together with the existence of an ABIBAC double qualification programme (German Abitur and French Baccalauréat) at one of the largest secondary schools in Besançon, played a decisive role in UMLP’s decision to establish a double degree with HSB.

Ulrich Krüger, professor in the BIM degree programme and responsible for negotiating the new double degree agreement with UMLP, highlighted the importance of finding a partner university capable of helping further develop the integrated international programme. “As a member of the STARS EU alliance, UMLP is an ideal institution for offering a multilingual Franco-German double degree,” he said.

For her part, Célia Berger-Tarare (UMLP), who negotiated the agreement on behalf of the French university, explained that professors from both institutions already maintained strong links in research as well as in short-term training programmes. “We needed to build on this momentum through a long-term collaboration that would also involve students,” she noted.

This new partnership not only expands the international exchange opportunities available through the double degree programme but also brings the alliance closer to its main objective: facilitating joint study programmes throughout Europe. At the same time, it strengthens the programme’s distinctive language-based approach, as students will complete their studies bilingually in German and French while also receiving additional training in English, providing them with the foundation for a trilingual international career.

European students and academics are addressing sustainable innovation and bioeconomy during the Blended Intensive Programme “Circular Bioeconomy and Sustainable Innovation”, taking place this week at the Cracow University of Technology (Poland) within the framework of the STARS EU Alliance. The training initiative enables international teams of students to work together on projects tackling real-life sustainability and circular economy challenges, while developing innovative and practice-oriented solutions.

The initiative has brought together 28 students and 12 lecturers from seven STARS EU partner universities: Cracow University of Technology (Poland); University West (Sweden); Hanze University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands); Hochschule Bremen-City University of Applied Sciences (Germany); Polytechnic University of Bragança (Portugal); Silesian University in Opava (Czech Republic); and Aleksandër Moisiu University of Durrës (Albania).

The programme, who’s in-person phase is taking place in Krakow from 18 to 22 May, includes interdisciplinary collaborative work sessions, mentoring activities, expert lectures and a study visit to the company KLGS, located near the city. In parallel with these activities, participants also have opportunities for intercultural exchange, networking and collaboration among students and academic staff from across the STARS EU alliance.

Over the past weeks, participants have attended international lectures and workshops focused on circular economy, sustainable business models, life cycle analysis, biomaterials, biotechnology, renewable resources and sustainable innovation strategies. Following the mobility week in Krakow, teams will continue working online until the end of June, when the final presentations of the projects and reports prepared by each group will bring the activity to a close.

“Circular Bioeconomy and Sustainable Innovation” is coordinated by Katarzyna Matras-Postołek, Associate Professor at CUT, together with academics and experts from STARS EU partner universities, including Annabella Loconsolo (University West), Pavel Adamek (Silesian University in Opava), Daniela Hendrikse (Hanze University of Applied Sciences), Anja Noke (Hochschule Bremen), as well as representatives from the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança and other partner institutions.

This BIP is yet another example of how the STARS EU Alliance connects students, researchers and universities around shared European values, innovation and sustainable development.

Around 60 students, doctoral candidates and lecturers from nine European universities recently took part in the Ou[te]r Campus BIP project, the STARS EU initiative aimed at developing a collaborative, interdisciplinary and transnational European campus model. During the event, hosted by the Bremen University of Applied Sciences, six concepts were developed focusing on new forms of interaction between physical spaces and the digital opportunities offered by STARS EU.

The aim of this workshop, which became a blended intensive programme, was to build on the momentum generated by the collaborative “Interspace” project — also held at HSB in 2025 — in order to further develop these ideas and translate them into long-term structures with a “solid institutional foundation”. This represents a clear step towards a “co-creation campus that transcends disciplinary and geographical boundaries”, according to Janina Ebner, member of the Co-creation Campus at STARS EU.

Alongside her, Professor Maria Clarke, also involved in the initiative, highlighted that the workshop helped strengthen the project for the future. “Bringing together more than 60 interdisciplinary participants — students, doctoral candidates and members of academic staff — from the nine partner institutions was no easy task.” “During the workshop, there was a clear willingness to collaborate, build networks and work together to address the complex question ‘What is a European campus?’ and to find answers to it.”

The focus has been placed on strengthening STARS EU, and therefore the groups created continue to work on the six concepts developed, which explore proposals for physical spaces and digital possibilities. The outcomes of the Ou[te]r Campus teaching and knowledge-transfer project will be exhibited from 1 to 9 July 2026 in an exhibition at the Transferlabor (formerly AB Galerie) at Hochschule Bremen.

Interspace 2025

Ou[te]r Campus BIP stems from the collaborative project carried out in 2025 under the name “Interspace”, which explored ways of creating shared and connected campus spaces within STARS EU. The initiative brought together an international group of students from the HSB School of Architecture and the Integrated Design programme at the University of the Arts Bremen (HfK), who developed the first ideas. Among them was the STARS EU intercultural pavilion, conceived as a meeting place, which is currently on display at the Higher School of Engineering of the University of La Laguna.

The universities participating in this second phase are: Aleksander Moisiu University (Albania); Krakow University of Technology (Poland); Hanze University of Applied Sciences (Groningen, the Netherlands); Hochschule Bremen (Germany); Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (Portugal); Silesian University in Opava (Czech Republic); University of La Laguna (Tenerife, Spain); Université Marie et Louis Pasteur (France); and University West (Trollhättan, Sweden).

*The Ou[te]r Campus BIP programme is funded by STARS EU and Erasmus+ grants.

Silesian University in Opava (SUO), Czechia, and Bragança Polytechnic University (IPB), Portugal, have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen academic, scientific, and pedagogical cooperation between the two institutions.

The agreement was signed by Orlando Rodrigues, President of IPB, and Tomáš Gongol, Rector of SUO, during an institutional visit of the Czech delegation to Portugal held between 26 and 30 April 2025. The delegation also included representatives of the SUO’s School of Business Administration in Karviná, led by Dean Roman Šperka.

One of the most important outcomes of the visit is the preparation of the School of Business Administration in Karviná for its first-ever double degree program. The new program, “Master in Product and Process Innovation”, currently undergoing the accreditation process, will allow students to obtain two diplomas in cooperation with the Portuguese partner institution. The first students could enroll as early as September 2027.

During the visit, the delegation participated in meetings with representatives of IPB schools, research centers, and innovation structures, including CeDRI, UNIAG, Brigantia EcoPark, MORE CoLAB, and the AquaValor Water Technology Transfer Center. Discussions focused on student and staff mobility, applied research, Living Labs, innovation, entrepreneurship, and practice-based learning methodologies.

“IPB makes full use of its regional context. Local challenges are transformed into opportunities for cooperation, research, and innovation. They build multidisciplinary teams, precisely the kind of approach that is needed,” said Rector of SUO, Tomáš Gongol. Dean Roman Šperka highlighted the shared educational vision of both institutions: “We are creating new opportunities for study programs taught in English while building on the Team Academy concept.”

The cooperation further strengthens the growing collaboration among STARS EU partner institutions and supports the alliance’s commitment to internationalization, innovative education, academic mobility, and regional impact across Europe.

The introductory Game-based workshop on digital literacy and inclusion for Educators will be held on November 27 in Tenerife

STARS EU is promoting a face-to-face workshop that will take place on November 27, 2025, within the framework of the Project Meeting that the alliance will hold on the island on the 25th, 26th and 27th. The initiative, aimed at the alliance’s faculty and academic staff, will offer practical strategies to design and facilitate sessions based on gamification and inclusion in the university environment.

The activity, organized by the University of La Laguna, will be taught by Madelon van Oostrom, professor at the Hanze University of Applied Sciences, sociologist and PhD from ULL, with an outstanding career in educational innovation.

With a capacity limited to 30 participants, the workshop will be delivered in a highly participatory and collaborative format. The organisation by working groups will make it possible to promote experimentation, the exchange of good practices and direct transfer to teaching.

The meeting will take place on November 27, from 12:00 to 14:00 hours, on the first floor of the Agustín Arévalo Tower (Ficread room) of the University of La Laguna.

For more information, visit: Interactive Workshop on Digital Competence

If you are interested in participating, click here: Registration.

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.

Scientific Area: Medical and Health Sciences.

EXPR: Nutrition, Dietetics.

Name of the service: Nutritional Characterisation Lab – IPB/AquaValor.

Main responsible: Maria José Alves, PhD, Executive Director.

Category of the service: Technological service.

Target group: Local authorities, public institutions, Private companies, Farmers, Food Industries, Research organizations.

Scientific refence: 

Web of Science Researcher ID: M-6624-2016
ORCID: 0000-0001-8506-4393
Scopus Author ID: 16400584800
Description: Maria José Alves is the Executive Director of AquaValor since 2019 and the President of the Superior School of Hotel Business and Well Being, part of Bragança Polytechnic University, since 2022. She is currently coordinating 15 national funded projects and is a member of 19 national and international projects. Published a total of 95 documents and has over 636 citations, under an h index of 32.
Book chapters:
– Garcia et al (2023) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-18587-8_20
– Oliveira et al (2023) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-18587-8_20
– Silva et al (2023) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-18587-8_16
– Slezakova et al (2023) http://hdl.handle.net/10198/25997
Research papers:
– Plasencia et al (2023) https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-023-02042-6
– Roriz et al (2023) https://doi.org/10.1039/d3fo01660a
– Silva et al (2023) https://doi.org/10.1039/d3fo01660a
– Shiraishi et al (2023) https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11041179
– Albuquerque et al (2023) https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11041179
Research projects:
– AQUAPRED “System for the control and prevention of pollutants in mineral-medicinal waters by means of AI”, Interreg Sudoe – Call Sudoe 2021-2027, S1/1.1/E0056.
– ORALTHERM “Oral health through thermal water”, FUNDAÇÃO LA CAIXA – Projetos I&D Mobilizadores.
– WOODLANDFUNGI “Valorisation and Sustainability of Barroso’s Wild Mushrooms”, FUNDAÇÃO LA CAIXA – Projetos-Piloto Inovadores.

Offer description:

The Nutritional Characterisation Laboratory pretends to respond to the need for analytical control of the quality of the existing ‘Food’ resources, being prepared to work with both national and international clients according to its requirements. In operational terms, we are a laboratory located in the city centre of Chaves, which specialises in the nutritional and physico-chemical characterisation of food samples and biological samples. In chemical terms, the following parameters can be determined: pH, water activity, humidity (NP 1614: 2009), acidity and acidity index (ISO 660:2020), thiobarbituric acid oxidation index (NP 3356: 2009), peroxide index (IP) (AOAC 1995). The nutritional characterisation of the final products will be carried out by determining the following parameters: total ash (NP 1615:2002), total fat (NP 1613:1979), fatty acids (determination by GC with ionising flame detector), protein (NP 1612:2006), chloride content (NP 1845:1982), nitrite content (NP 1846:2006), carbohydrates (determination by HPLC with refractive index detector) and total dietary fibre (AOAC 992.16). Instrumental colour and texture can also be assessed to determine parameters such as firmness, cohesiveness, adhesiveness and elasticity. The unit is equipped with a wide range of state-of-the-art technological equipment and a highly qualified multidisciplinary team. This enables us to guarantee the services we provide with a real commitment to quality assurance.
AquaValor, through its Nutritional Characterisation Laboratory, assumes a set of presuppositions that allow it to focus on a continuous concern and guarantee of quality:
We guarantee the confidentiality of all the data collected and throughout the process of carrying out the tests. We guarantee, as a result of a duly established operational process and a completely clear governance model, that our actions will always be guided by demonstrating competence, impartiality and ensuring consistency in all the activities carried out. Continuous training of our technicians in order to guarantee not only the permanent quality of the technical results produced, but also the continuous existence of a strategic vision orientated towards results and customer satisfaction. Permanent dissemination of all the institution’s governance policies and all documentation critical to the execution of the various processes and procedures established. Provision of tools to ensure a complete lineage of the results obtained in laboratory tests. Permanent implementation of all good practices directly related to AquaValor, to ensure optimum working conditions and environment, as well as alignment with current global sustainability challenges.

Scientific Area: Medical and Health Sciences.

EXPR: Genetics.

Name of the service: Genome Sequencing Unit – IPB/AquaValor.

Main responsible: Maria José Alves, PhD, Executive Director.

Category of the service: Technological service.

Target group: Local authorities, Public institutions, Private companies, Farmers, Food Industries, Health institutions, Research organizations.

Scientific refence: 

Web of Science Researcher ID: M-6624-2016
ORCID: 0000-0001-8506-4393
Scopus Author ID: 16400584800
Description: Maria José Alves is the Executive Director of AquaValor since 2019 and the President of the Superior School of Hotel Business and Well Being, part of Bragança Polytechnic University, since 2022. She is currently coordinating 15 national funded projects and is a member of 19 national and international projects. Published a total of 95 documents and has over 636 citations, under an h index of 32.

Book chapters:
– Garcia et al (2023) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-18587-8_20
– Oliveira et al (2023) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-18587-8_20
– Silva et al (2023) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-18587-8_16
– Slezakova et al (2023) http://hdl.handle.net/10198/25997

Research papers:
– Plasencia et al (2023) https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-023-02042-6
– Roriz et al (2023) https://doi.org/10.1039/d3fo01660a
– Silva et al (2023) https://doi.org/10.1039/d3fo01660a
– Shiraishi et al (2023) https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11041179
– Albuquerque et al (2023) https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11041179

Research projects:
– AQUAPRED “System for the control and prevention of pollutants in mineral-medicinal waters by means of AI”, Interreg Sudoe – Call Sudoe 2021-2027, S1/1.1/E0056.
– ORALTHERM “Oral health through thermal water”, FUNDAÇÃO LA CAIXA – Projetos I&D Mobilizadores.
– WOODLANDFUNGI “Valorisation and Sustainability of Barroso’s Wild Mushrooms”, FUNDAÇÃO LA CAIXA – Projetos-Piloto Inovadores.

Offer description:

The Genome Sequencing Laboratory pretends to respond to the need for analytical control of a wide range of resources, being prepared to work with both national and international clients according to its requirements. In operational terms, we are a laboratory located in the city centre of Chaves, which specialises in the quantification and sequencing of biological samples, providing an overview on the biodiversity and function of the organism(s) present in one sample. The unit is equipped with a wide range of state-of-the-art technological equipment, namely a MiSeq Illumina, and a highly qualified multidisciplinary team. This enables us to guarantee the services we provide with a real commitment to quality assurance.
AquaValor, through its Genome Sequencing Laboratory, assumes a set of presuppositions that allow it to focus on a continuous concern and guarantee of quality:
We guarantee the confidentiality of all the data collected and throughout the process of carrying out the tests. We guarantee, as a result of a duly established operational process and a completely clear governance model, that our actions will always be guided by demonstrating competence, impartiality and ensuring consistency in all the activities carried out. Continuous training of our technicians in order to guarantee not only the permanent quality of the technical results produced, but also the continuous existence of a strategic vision orientated towards results and customer satisfaction. Permanent dissemination of all the institution’s governance policies and all documentation critical to the execution of the various processes and procedures established. Provision of tools to ensure a complete lineage of the results obtained in laboratory tests. Permanent implementation of all good practices directly related to AquaValor, to ensure optimum working conditions and environment, as well as alignment with current global sustainability challenges.

Scientific Area: Natural & Sciences.

EXPR: 

Name of the service: Centre for the Development and Transfer of Water Technology – IPB/AquaValor.

Main responsible: Maria José Alves, PhD, Executive Director.

Category of the service: Research group.

Target group: Local authorities, public institutions, Private companies, Research Centers, Research organizations.

Scientific refence: 

Web of Science Researcher ID: M-6624-2016
ORCID: 0000-0001-8506-4393
Scopus Author ID: 16400584800
Description: Maria José Alves is the Executive Director of AquaValor since 2019 and the President of the Superior School of Hotel Business and Well Being, part of Bragança Polytechnic University, since 2022. She is currently coordinating 15 national funded projects and is a member of 19 national and international projects. Published a total of 95 documents and has over 636 citations, under an h index of 32.
Book chapters:
– Garcia et al (2023) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-18587-8_20
– Oliveira et al (2023) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-18587-8_20
– Silva et al (2023) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-18587-8_16
– Slezakova et al (2023) http://hdl.handle.net/10198/25997
Research papers:
– Plasencia et al (2023) https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-023-02042-6
– Roriz et al (2023) https://doi.org/10.1039/d3fo01660a
– Silva et al (2023) https://doi.org/10.1039/d3fo01660a
– Shiraishi et al (2023) https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11041179
– Albuquerque et al (2023) https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11041179
Research projects:
– AQUAPRED “System for the control and prevention of pollutants in mineral-medicinal waters by means of AI”, Interreg Sudoe – Call Sudoe 2021-2027, S1/1.1/E0056.
– ORALTHERM “Oral health through thermal water”, FUNDAÇÃO LA CAIXA – Projetos I&D Mobilizadores.
– WOODLANDFUNGI “Valorisation and Sustainability of Barroso’s Wild Mushrooms”, FUNDAÇÃO LA CAIXA – Projetos-Piloto Inovadores.

Offer description:

AquaValor is prepared to perform a set of R&D activities:
– R&D activities to scientifically validate the effects of waters in the therapeutic area but also in the area of well-being through studies carried out on site (thermal spas and their users) and on consumers of bottled mineral waters.
– R&D activities in healthy eating through the use of mineral water in the development of beverages and/or functional foods; the evaluation of mineral water’s properties as a food preservative; the evaluation of the diuretic and detoxifying effects of hydrotherapy; the evaluation of the effect of hydrotherapy together with a healthy and balanced diet plan, allowing spas to be included in health promotion programmes.
– R&D activities in thermal cosmetics through the study of the bioactivity of mineral waters (e.g. antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, among others).
– R&D activities in geothermalism in thermal spaces and nature tourism, among other areas that may be defined in the future. There will also be a space dedicated to co-creation activities with companies and other stakeholders, with a view to identifying, generating and developing new opportunities collaboratively and cooperatively.
Overall, AquaValor is experienced in R&D projects through funding from national (Portugal2030, COMPETE2030) and international sources (Fundación La Caixa, SUDOE, POCTEP) acting in multidisciplinary consortiums with private companies, public institutions, research organizations and others.