EUTOPIA Week at the University of Warwick: Celebrating the global university community
George Archer Photography/University of Warwick
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The EUTOPIA partner universities convened at the University of Warwick under the guiding theme “Creating Global Connections”. The event aimed to foster closer collaboration, interdisciplinary dialogue and reflection on how to create cross-border networking opportunities for students, academics and staff across EUTOPIA universities
The opening address was delivered by José Manuel Barroso, former President of the European Commission and former Prime Minister of Portugal. He spoke about the challenges facing Europe and the potential for greater integration in higher education. He urged the audience to keep faith with knowledge, education and science, highlighting the pivotal role European universities play in forging strong global alliances.
Stuart Croft, President of the University of Warwick and Interim Chair of the EUTOPIA Board of Presidents, the Alliance’s highest governing body, stated in his speech: “With its focus on challenge-oriented research and student-centred education, EUTOPIA is well placed to navigate the increasingly uncertain world in which we find ourselves. Together, we are uniquely positioned to address – and surpass – today's challenges, while anticipating and preparing for the opportunities and solutions of the future.”
The EUTOPIA Week programme at the University of Warwick featured a vibrant mix of academic debates, student-led workshops, cultural exchanges and networking events, all aimed at promoting cross-border and interdisciplinary collaboration. The topics covered ranged from artificial intelligence in higher education to student mobility and academic innovation.
As the Erasmus+ EUTOPIA MORE project enters its second half, part of the meetings focused on reviewing completed tasks and monitoring progress against the project timeline.
Running in parallel with EUTOPIA Week, the EUTOPIA Research Days took place at the University of Warwick, which was also attended by a researcher from the University of Ljubljana. Assistant Professor Dr Simon Tomažič, from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at the University of Ljubljana (UL), remarked: "Participating in the EUTOPIA Research Days was a truly enriching experience. It offered a valuable opportunity to connect with researchers from across Europe and explore significant collaboration possibilities in the field of artificial intelligence. The interdisciplinary discussions on trustworthy and human-centred AI were particularly insightful. Events like this are essential for fostering long-term partnerships and advancing impactful, responsible AI research at the European level.”
New representatives were appointed to the EUTOPIA Student Council, the EUTOPIA Global Institute and EUTOPIA College.
EUTOPIA Week at the University of Warwick thus served to review the work done and to plan future activities. The Alliance reaffirmed its commitment to building bridges across borders, honouring the past and shaping a more connected, collaborative future. The next EUTOPIA Week will be hosted by the Ca' Foscari University of Venice in December.