A large number of European university representatives meet in Turku at the beginning of June for the Coimbra Group's Annual Conference and General Assembly. The event is hosted by the University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, both of which are long-standing members of the Group.
The Coimbra Group is an association of long-established European multidisciplinary universities. Founded in 1985, the Group currently comprises of 40 universities from 22 countries as its members. As an association, the Coimbra Group is committed to creating special academic and cultural ties to promote internationalisation, academic collaboration, excellence in learning and research, and service to society. In addition, the purpose of the Group is to influence European educational policy and to develop best practices through mutual exchange of experiences.
The Annual Conference, organised from 4 to 7 of June, gathers representatives from forty member universities that are engaged in joint development initiatives and work together towards enhancing the quality of education and research, contributing to the advancement of higher education and research excellence in Europe.
“By fostering meaningful partnerships among leading European universities, we cultivate a vibrant intellectual ecosystem that transcends borders, disciplines, and cultures. Engaging in Coimbra Group collaboration offers us an excellent opportunity to harness collective expertise, resources, and diverse perspectives to address global challenges, advance research, and enrich educational experiences,” says Rector Jukka Kola of the University of Turku.
Research and education take centre stage
This year, the Annual Conference is built around the theme Research and Education – Most Impactful Together. The theme will be discussed during the week in various working group meetings and workshops as well as at the Conference’s public event, which is organised on Thursday, 6 June at Logomo.
The public event features topical keynote and commenting speeches as well as a panel session focusing on the theme of the conference. In addition, the public event features an open session on the European Universities Alliances titled Synergies between education and research: what can we learn from the Alliances? and the 3 Minute Thesis (3MT) European Competition Live Final.
“The robust academic heritage of Turku is characterised by a steadfast dedication to both education and research, both of which are pivotal in shaping a culture of innovation and intellectual exchange. Research acts as the catalyst for producing fresh perspectives and ideas, whereas education serves as the conduit for disseminating and spreading these insights. We are looking forward to hearing many interesting discussions on this topic during the conference,” says Rector Mikael Lindfelt of Åbo Akademi University.
Emmanuelle Gardan, Director at Coimbra Group’s Brussels Office, is also excited about the upcoming conference:
“The Annual Conference is the flagship event in our association’s calendar. It is a perfect opportunity to get a sense of what the Coimbra Group has to offer, feel the sense of belonging to a community, expand your network, share ideas, and get inspired thanks to the diversity of perspectives. This year’s theme is particularly timely as the next generation of EU programmes like Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe is being designed now and we can still have our say. We very much look forward to an exciting and enriching conference,” Gardan concludes.
The public event in Logomo is open to anyone interested in and working with research and education. It will also be streamed online to those unable to come to Turku in person.
