During the event "Europe is YOUth!" held in the city of Lublin, Poland, between June 5-7, 2023, organized by the partners of the EUnierCities network, a delegation from the West University of Timișoara participated in the meeting organized at the Marie Curie-Skłodowska University, the largest public university in Poland Of east.
EUnierCities is a European network launched in 2012 that promotes collaboration between local authorities of medium-sized cities and their universities, with the aim of creating greater visibility in Europe. By sharing knowledge, expertise and experience in cooperation between cities and universities, the network contributes to the development of urban Europe.
The Western University of Timișoara is a full member of the EUniversCities network since 2018 and is the first university in South-Eastern Europe to be part of this valuable network. The participation of UVT in the event in Lublin provided a substantial opportunity for the exchange of best practices regarding the application and obtaining of titles such as the European Capital of Culture and the European Capital of Youth. The debated context brought a significant boost in the process of cultural development of cities and communities, as well as in strengthening the identity of universities as a pole of interest.
The Western University of Timișoara and the Marie Curie-Skłodowska University are in similar situations and contexts in terms of level of development and addressability, which makes it possible to strengthen university cooperation links between the two academic institutions. UVT is a founding member of the UNITA - Universitas Montium European Alliance, while UMCS recently joined the ATHENA - Advanced Technology Higher Education Network Alliance. Through these European alliances, universities strengthen collaboration and the exchange of strategies, contributing to the continuous development of higher education institutions and their integration into the development of the Alliances.
The event "Europe is YOUth!" included four panels, during which debates were held with a focus on communication between universities and public institutions, non-governmental organizations, important actors from the socio-economic environment and student organizations. Participants had the opportunity to ask questions and participate in debates, identifying obstacles and solutions in similar contexts. Design Thinking workshops were also held, where the teams developed prototypes of institutions that would strengthen the connection between universities and communities, create sustainable spaces for the international community and develop survival and adaptation mechanisms in crisis situations.
The last day of the event was dedicated to study visits to UMCS annexed centers, such as the UMCS Welcome Center, a permanent structure dedicated to informing and guiding international students, Erasmus+ and permanent international students. Also visited was the largest non-governmental organization in Lublin, which is closely linked to universities and promotes multiculturalism in the community.
The EUniversCities meeting in Lublin represented a real exchange of best practices, through which the university network outlined future actions in collaboration with public and private institutions in the communities, strengthening a working subgroup dedicated to mobilities within the network, in which the University is also represented West from Timișoara.
INFO: For more information, the network's website is available to the public: euniversitiesnetwork.com
