Arqus researchers, students and professionals are invited to attend this online symposium and workshop. The deadline to register is 16 June. The symposium “One Health and Pathogens, Parasites, and Vectors” is designed to foster transdisciplinary collaboration, the symposium aims to spark innovative research ideas and lay the foundation for joint grant proposals in this critical and evolving field.

Participants will have the opportunity to present their research areas and methodologies. Due to time constraints, the number of presentations will be determined based on the volume of submissions.

What is One Health?

One Health is a collaborative, multisectoral, and transdisciplinary approach that recognises the deep interconnection between human, animal and environmental health. It emphasises that the well-being of people is inseparable from the health of animals and the ecosystems we all share.

In the face of climate change, emerging infectious diseases, including mosquito- and tick-borne infections, and rising AMR, the One Health approach is more vital than ever. It empowers scientists, policymakers, and practitioners to work together across disciplines to:

• Detect and prevent disease outbreaks
• Understand how environmental changes affect disease dynamics
• Promote sustainable and resilient health systems
• Develop integrated solutions to global health challenges

For more information and registration, click .

In this brand-new episode, we welcome a very special guest: Dr Paulius JurÄŤys, senior lecturer at the Faculty of Law of 911±¬ÁĎÍř and expert in data privacy, copyright and emerging technologies.

Together, we explore the fascinating world of AI twin assistants: digital versions of ourselves that can write, speak and act on our behalf. How do they work? Who owns the content they generate? And what are the legal and ethical risks when our voices and identities can be cloned?

From data ownership to AI-generated creativity and from deepfakes to digital fairness, this episode dives into the evolving intersection of artificial intelligence, law, and innovation. 

Tune in to discover how AI twins could reshape our understanding of creativity, fairness, and personal data in the digital future and why now is the time to think critically about the rules that will shape it. You can listen to the episode by clicking . 

Dr Paulius JurÄŤys is a senior lecturer at 911±¬ÁĎÍř Law Faculty, who teaches data privacy and copyright law courses at 911±¬ÁĎÍř Law Faculty and serves as an affiliate fellow with Harvard’s CopyrightX program. A technology lawyer and admitted to practice law in California. He is also a co-founder of Prifina, a San Francisco company that builds personal data technologies for individuals. Paulius JurÄŤys holds an LL.M. from Harvard and a Ph.D. from Kyushu University, and in 2025 became a visiting scholar at UC Berkeley School of Law. In 2025, he won the MyData Global “Thought Leadership” award. He served as an expert member of the International Law Association Committee on Intellectual Property, which drafted the 2021 Guidelines on Intellectual Property and Private International Law. 

The episodes of the Arqus Knowledge Pills are published on a regular basis and can be subscribed to on .

BIP are intensive programmes that use innovative ways of learning and teaching, including the use of online cooperation. These programmes for students and staff must comprise a short-term physical mobility abroad combined with a compulsory virtual component, facilitating a collaborative online learning exchange and teamwork.

The programmes have to be developed and implemented by at least three partners from Erasmus+ programme countries, and in this case, at least two universities from the Arqus Alliance.

One of the partners will cover the role of coordinator. The coordinator will host the in-presence activities for 5 (min) to 30 (max) days and provide at least 3 ECTS. The home institution of each participant will be responsible for recognising the credits in their career.

The virtual component is compulsory, but there are no constraints on timing or length. The BIP should involve a minimum of mobile participants (10 to 20, depending on the hosting partners) from universities in the programme countries. Participants can be either students (all cycles) or staff.

Contents for both the physical and the virtual components should be co-designed by the partners and can be either interdisciplinary or very specific. Activities must be implemented during the period from December 2025 to 31 July 2026.

The call is open until 15 July 2025. 

For more information, click .

Twinnings 2.0 is based on the mobility of two groups from two different Arqus universities, reciprocally visiting each other’s partner institutions to carry out a common programme and share mutual learning experiences.

Twinning activities may vary in their mode and type. They have to consist of activities with learning objectives and may include group trips, participation in international contests, joint workshops, summer schools, group projects, conferences, etc. Twinning activities might be implemented through regular (physical) mobility or blended teaching/learning.

Arqus Twinning 2.0 activities are carried out in reciprocity between the partners involved in two phases, meaning that each university will send its group to visit the counterpart to carry out the programme foreseen in the application. The additional virtual component is not mandatory but highly recommended.

Furthermore, Twinning 2.0 promotes the Alliance’s main themes: European Identity heritage, Artificial intelligence and digital transformation, Climate change and environmental sustainability.

The call is open until 15 July 2025. 

Discover more .

To support interested academic and administrative staff in this endeavour, the team of Arqus Learning Pathways has designed a series of training courses at different levels and on different topics relevant to the design and implementation of joint programmes (JPs).

The trainings are designed as modules that can be attended separately or consecutively. The first , delivered between late 2024 and early 2025, were designed as basic modules and had as their target audience academic and administrative staff on departmental and central levels who are interested in the design and the development of joint programmes but have no extensive experience in implementing them. 

The upcoming trainings have been structured as advanced modules aimed at supporting the development and implementation of individual programmes, and they are also available to all interested participants.

The training courses will be conducted online, and access links along with additional information will be provided to all registered participants by email.

For more information and registration, click .

This innovative complementary qualification programme, â€śArtificial Intelligence & Society”, is a 16 ECTS micro-credential (also called micro-degree), demonstrating our commitment to future-oriented education that bridges disciplinary boundaries. Interested students must register before 27 June 2025.

Do you want to understand how artificial intelligence (AI) works and spice up your degree programme with a special qualification? This is your chance to gain additional future-oriented qualifications in a highly relevant field by participating in online courses as part of a virtual mobility experience at the University of Graz.

Programme highlights

• Designed for students from all disciplines
• Participation is free of charge for all virtual mobility students from Arqus Universities
• Built as a complementary qualification alongside primary study programmes
• Internationally recognised certification that documents cross-disciplinary AI competencies
• Interdisciplinary approach covering technical, ethical, legal, economic, and educational aspects of AI
• Practice-oriented curriculum balancing theory with hands-on application
• Emphasis on responsible and critical engagement with emerging technologies
• Offered as virtual mobility to students from partner universities
• Language of instruction: German or English

This interdisciplinary qualification responds to the transformative potential of AI technologies, equipping students with both theoretical foundations and practical skills. Students will learn to understand, critically evaluate, and responsibly implement AI systems across various domains, gaining essential key competencies for their future professional lives.

For more information and registration, click .

The JAI webinars aim at explaining artificial intelligence to the general public in a simple way. They are designed for a non-expert audience to break down complex AI concepts and make them accessible to everyone.

These sessions, held both online and in-person, aim to build AI literacy and promote informed societal discourse. The AI&DT Living Lab organises accessible, non-technical lectures to demystify AI concepts for a broad audience, ensuring that people from all backgrounds can gain insights into its principles, challenges, and potential. Topics range from the historical development of AI to its ethical challenges, practical applications in education, and value alignment.

For more information, click .

This Twinning is a partnership between the Institute of Teaching and Education (INSPE) of the University of Lyon 1 and the Faculty of Philology of VU. The idea emerged from the shared desire of Angeline Durand-Vallot, a teacher at the INSPE and director of the Department of Language Teaching at Lyon 1, and Vitalija KazlauskienÄ—, a teacher at VU’s Faculty of Philology, to develop initiatives around pedagogical innovation and interculturality.

In February 2025, a group of five students and their professor from VU visited the INSPE of Lyon 1 to delve into the theme of interculturality, a central focus in teacher training at UCBL. During their stay, they participated in various courses and workshops covering subjects such as French literature, history and geography, virtual reality, and inclusive education. A research seminar on international openness and interculturality allowed them to exchange perspectives and deepen their understanding of European educational challenges.

In March, five students from Lyon 1, accompanied by their professor, visited VU to explore innovative pedagogical approaches integrating digital tools and artificial intelligence to enhance language learning. The students, future school and vocational high school teachers, engaged in theoretical instruction and practical workshops, acquiring valuable skills for their future careers.

The programme provided participants with the opportunity to experiment with artificial intelligence in an educational context, addressing ethical considerations and necessary precautions. One student noted that the training not only explored potential uses of AI in teaching but also helped dismantle prevalent misconceptions in France, where the use of such tools is often met with skepticism. Another student, whose thesis focuses on AI, found the workshops particularly beneficial, discovering the diversity of AI tools and understanding the importance of assigning the right task to the appropriate AI by providing clear and targeted prompts.

The exchange culminated in the students’ participation in the international conference “Cultural diplomacy in the service of dialogue” held during the Month of Francophonie in Lithuania. Two students presented their research on AI in language teaching, providing them with a unique opportunity to showcase their work and engage with international experts.

Following this event, both the University of Lyon 1 and VU students received honorary diplomas from VU, recognising their commitment and active participation in this intercultural initiative.

Building on this successful exchange, several initiatives are being considered to strengthen the partnership between Lyon’s Institute of Teaching and Education (INSPE) and VU’s Faculty of Philology  and expand cooperation with other international partners:

• e-Twinning Projects: Facilitating distance collaboration between teachers and students to develop innovative pedagogical projects.
• Digital Portfolios: Enhancing intercultural experiences through digital portfolios, including video capsules, where students share their experiences and reflections from their international mobility.
• International Exchanges: Organising physical or virtual school exchanges related to modern languages, history-geography, or civic education to raise students’ awareness of cultural diversity.
• Online Seminars and Conferences: Hosting online seminars and conferences to provide students with a platform to present their intercultural work and reflections.
• Internships and Study Mobilities: Offering internships and study mobility opportunities for INSPE Lyon 1 students at Arqus partner universities in Granada, Graz, Leipzig, Maynooth, Minho, Padua, Vilnius, and WrocĹ‚aw, allowing them to experience diverse pedagogical methods and enrich their training.
• Joint Degree Programme: Developing a joint degree programme between INSPE Lyon 1 and the Department of French Philology at VU to consolidate academic ties and promote pedagogical excellence internationally.

This collaboration exemplifies the Arqus Alliance’s commitment to fostering European academic cooperation centred on innovation and intercultural exchange.

Learn more about Arqus Twinning 2.0 .

Led by Stefan Nowicki from the University of Wrocław – an experienced trainer in digital competencies, instructional designer, and certified Minecraft Education trainer – the series will offer a hands-on introduction to building educational scenarios in Minecraft, and using its tools to enhance student engagement.

In the first session, “Build your story”, participants will learn the fundamentals of Minecraft Education. They will explore building and demolishing structures, placing boards and chests, and working with non-player characters (NPCs). These skills will be used to design a custom map – a virtual stage for educational storytelling and creative teaching.

The second session, “Create interactions”, will focus on advanced techniques for engaging students through in-game interactivity. Participants will develop NPC dialogues, use levers and buttons to trigger events, and be introduced to redstone circuits – Minecraft’s logic-based mechanics – to create responsive learning environments.

Both workshops will be held online via Microsoft Teams and conducted in English. Participants are expected to complete the How-to-Play tutorials in Minecraft Education beforehand to ensure productive engagement with the content.

For registration, click .

The European Council has set out its vision for the future of European Higher Education in a recommendation and a parallel resolution, published on 12 May 2025, which lays the groundwork for the implementation of a joint European Degree label and sets out the next steps towards the possible introduction of a joint European Degree. The Arqus Alliance welcomes this roadmap, in accordance with the  published in October 2024, and reaffirms its dedication to advancing systemic change and fostering a sustainable, inclusive, and high-quality European Higher Education Area.

The European Council’s  sets out the member states’ vision for a joint European Degree label and plans a possible joint European Degree, with three phases to be carried out by 2029:

1. Finalising preparations for rollout (2025–2026),
2. Implementation, monitoring and feasibility studies (2026–2028), and
3. A final decision on the joint European degree (2029).

The Council’s  indicates the criteria for awarding the joint European Degree label. The label would be granted to joint programmes delivered via transnational cooperation between universities from different countries, including at least two EU member states. Guaranteed quality standards across all participating universities would be key: ensuring quality assurance processes are agile, internationalised and fit for purpose, and supporting the implementation of automatic mutual recognition of qualifications.

A joint European Degree would boost the attractiveness and competitiveness of European Higher Education on a global scale. This qualification would be awarded by multiple European universities and automatically recognised throughout the Union. Joint programmes would have to comply with a series of criteria, such as excellence in education, joint course management, student mobility, interdisciplinary and employability, and adherence to European values.

Arqus has supported the potential added value of a European Degree (label), as proved when it coordinated the  from March 2023 to April 2024. EDLab was one of the six policy experimentation projects funded by the European Commission to explore the viability of the implementation of the European Degree label. Three other alliances participated: ENLIGHT, EUTOPIA and SEA-EU.

The EDLab project brought together 13 universities and 35 associate partners. It tested the implementation of European and international joint degree programmes and the European Degree label, with special emphasis on France, Italy, Portugal and Spain. This project provided valuable insights and practical testing to support the realisation of the European Degree vision.

European University alliances are committed to implementing joint study programmes, developing excellent educational integration and promoting mobility and collaboration between Higher Education institutions in Europe.
Their achievement and insights, as well as  EDLab’s proposals, have contributed greatly to the European Commission’s blueprint towards the future awarding of European Degrees as a self-standing qualification and the full internationalisation of the Higher Education system.

Arqus published its comprehensive Position Paper on the European Degree last October, aiming to contribute to the policy debate on the European Degree and the European Degree label after the European Commission’s Higher Education Package was published on 27 March 2024. This paper draws on the conclusions of the EDLab project and the Alliance’s experience. It emphasises the transformative potential of the European Degree label as a benchmark of excellence in joint international programmes and the importance of equitable access, robust funding mechanisms, and simplified quality assurance processes to ensure the success of this ambitious framework across all educational levels.

Arqus celebrates the European Council’s resolution and recommendation, an important step towards the implementation of a joint European Degree label and a possible future European Degree. The Alliance reinforces its commitment to the European Degree, which would facilitate the cohesion between European educational systems, enhance the quality and comparability of degrees, increase innovation in academia, and offer students a more versatile and internationally competitive education.

Read the full European Council’s press release .

The programme consists of three interactive modules designed to enhance participants’ leadership skills and career development in research. The first module focuses on the Principles of Research Leadership, providing foundational insights into effective leadership within the academic and scientific context. The second module, Managing People and Leading Research Teams, explores strategies for building and guiding successful research teams. The third module, Careers in Research: Paths and Opportunities, delves into various career trajectories and development opportunities available to researchers.

Participants will also have the opportunity to hear from invited speakers, including Dr Sandra Schmid, Chief Scientific Officer at Chan Zuckerberg Biohub in San Francisco (USA), and Dr Yasmin Dolak-Struss from Solution Base in Austria.

The training is intended for postdoctoral researchers, junior faculty members, and final-year PhD students. Participation is limited to 18 attendees, ensuring an engaging and personalised learning experience. The training is free of charge, though travel and accommodation expenses should be covered by each participant’s institution through mobility funding.

For participation, please contact by 22 May. For more information, click .

The Sustainability Ambassadors Network – a programme by the 911±¬ÁĎÍř (VU) Students’ Representation – together with the Arqus Green Mobility Days initiative, is organising Breathe In, Green Out, a sustainability festival taking place on 14 May. Now in its third year, the event has become a well-established tradition that brings together a community passionate about sustainability and responsible living.

The festival will feature a wide range of activities – from engaging lectures and thought-provoking discussions to hands-on workshops and an orienteering challenge. These sessions will not only provide valuable insights but also inspire environmentally conscious choices in everyday life. This year’s programme focuses on key areas such as business, transport, food, and waste reduction – all essential to fostering a more sustainable future.

Visitors will also be able to take part in a Living Library, where inspiring individuals will share their personal experiences with sustainability. Vegetarian food will be available throughout the event, and the evening will end with a live concert.

The festival will take place on 14 May at 16:00 at SaulÄ—tekio av. 9 (VU Joint Building). Entry is free and open to everyone.

Find out more .

The celebration will open with a welcome by the Arqus coordinator Dorothy Kelly, the Arqus CafĂ© facilitator Meike MĂĽnster and the language centre directors from the Arqus Universities. Then, breakout rooms for the Arqus languages will be opened, including English, French, German, Irish, Italian, Lithuanian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, and Ukrainian. An experienced tutor will lead the conversation in each room. 

More information can be found .

This event is part of , a week of activities and events organised by several European university alliances.

In today’s ever-evolving landscape of project finance, the PFMO community is dedicated to deepening practical knowledge, exchanging best practices, uncovering the unwritten rules of grant agreements, and strengthening the understanding of cost eligibility criteria. The community’s discussions and analyses aim to navigate the complexities of project finance with greater clarity. Through close collaboration, they develop practical guidelines and strategies that enhance daily operations and promote efficiency across institutions.

The Value of Professional Collaboration

Being part of the PFMO community offers invaluable benefits. Members gain access to a wealth of shared knowledge, build strong professional networks, and actively contribute to shaping best practices in the field. Whether for personal or professional growth, this community fosters collaboration, innovation, and support to tackle emerging challenges effectively.

Through a series of online and in-person meetings, the PFMO community successfully developed several key guidelines, including:

• Internal project kick-off meeting guidelines;
• Comprehensive AI-supported financial management strategies for EU-funded projects;
• Guidelines for personnel costs and reporting;
• Step-by-step guides for accessing research infrastructure activities, including cost calculation examples;
• Internal invoicing guidelines based on Horizon Europe regulations.

The community integrates all these valuable resources into its daily work, storing them in a dedicated Microsoft Teams group and Google Drive, ensuring seamless access for all members.

Securing Support and Driving Progress

The progress of the initiative has been supported by various funding sources, including the Erasmus+ Staff Mobility for Training programme, the Arqus Innovation Fund, and contributions from the participating institutions. Face-to-face meetings at VU and the University of Wrocław have fostered productive discussions and delivered tangible results. Through active participation in PFMO, members strengthen key competencies such as teamwork, leadership, results orientation, planning and control, and organisational skills.

In the future, the project aims to tackle essential financial management topics, including:

• Direct and indirect costs in projects;
• Strategies for financial audit preparation;
• Job profiling and role definition within project finance management.

Additionally, the team aims to expand the training offerings by incorporating sessions on PM² Project Management Methodology and PRINCE2 – Projects in Controlled Environments, contingent on securing additional funding.

Arqus Innovation Fund: Investing in the Future

The PFMO team hopes to implement most of the initiatives and ideas of this Community of Practice via the Arqus Innovation Fund. The fund allows a huge opportunity to improve skills in project finance management. Two initiatives were submitted to the Arqus Innovation Fund at the Community of Practice of PFMO.

Arqus Innovation fund – Call 2024 – PFMO: Projects Finance Management Offices Initiative

This initiative has already won the funds and is now used successfully for the aims of Arqus and The Communities of Practice. The PFMO Community of Practice unites finance managers, financial services, and EU post-award offices to enhance financial management, strengthen institutional capacity, and improve project efficiency. It fosters collaboration, knowledge sharing, and essential skills like leadership, planning, and teamwork, ensuring better financial oversight in university projects. For Arqus, PFMO Community of Practice drives standardised best practices, enhances inter-university collaboration, and builds a skilled workforce, ultimately benefiting research, education, and student services. Its long-term impact is secured through policy integration, continuous knowledge sharing, and potential expansion beyond financial management to broader university functions.

Arqus Innovation Fund – Call 2025: Cross-Disciplinary Seminars & Challenge-Based Learning Workshops

This initiative has been submitted, and the team is waiting for results because this initiative strengthens EU projects’ financial and technical management competencies, enhancing efficiency and strategic planning. It fosters soft skills, problem-solving, and collaboration across institutions. With at least 50 trained professionals and certification validation, it ensures credibility and long-term adoption. Sustainability is reinforced through an open-access approach and the Financial Project Managers Network, ensuring continuous knowledge sharing and institutional benefit.

These initiatives contribute to more efficient project financial management, benefiting university staff, students, and the broader Arqus Alliance.

Impact of Team Meetings

The team meetings with all existing members are pivotal in shaping the work and success of the Community of Practice framework. These gatherings are a cornerstone for fostering collaboration, introducing new initiatives, addressing pressing concerns, and providing practical solutions to support Community of Practice throughout its evolution. These events brought together technical experts and researchers from Arqus universities, creating a dynamic space for dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and the development of joint initiatives across the Alliance community. By facilitating meaningful exchanges, these meetings strengthen internal collaboration and inspire innovative approaches to working within and beyond the Community of Practice ecosystem.

A Team Member’s Role in the Community of Practice

The team members of this Community of Practice invite you to be an active part of this dynamic community, where collaboration transforms project finance management into a more efficient, streamlined, and impactful process. For this reason, there are scheduled face-to-face meetings at the University of Granada, Leipzig University, and the University of Graz to continue collaborative efforts. Additionally, the team will host three online meetings to ensure continuous engagement and progress. Through active participation in PFMO, members will strengthen essential competencies such as teamwork, leadership, results orientation, planning and control, and organisational skills.

Each PFMO Community of Practice member plays a vital role in driving this mission forward. The team members continuously seek fresh ideas, engaged participants, and additional funding opportunities to enhance activities. Here’s what members have to say about their experience in PFMO:

Aleita MarkeviÄŤ, VU

“I am truly delighted that the Arqus project provides a great opportunity to establish a Community of Practice – bringing together people who share a common interest in managing project finances and risks. Moreover, the ARQUS Innovation Fund Bottom-Up creates a strong foundation for implementing ideas and training initiatives. Through this initiative, we deepen our knowledge, exchange best practices, find solutions, and feel the support of like-minded professionals. I sincerely hope this wonderful PFMO Community of Practice will continue to grow, attracting more community members eager to engage in discussions and continuously update their expertise.”

Žana Markauskienė, VU

“I truly believe that Community of Practice PFMO is a significant achievement for both us and our universities and a remarkable success. The ever-changing project funding requirements and legislation demand quick understanding, the ability to adapt correctly, and more efficient decision-making, often calling for creativity as well. By collaborating with colleagues from other universities, I am able to share good practices and gain invaluable insights by drawing from the experience and expertise of different countries. This collaboration is incredibly motivating, boosts my confidence, and undoubtedly enriches my professional knowledge. I sincerely hope that our Community of Practice will continue to grow with new members and thrive.”

Milena Tamošiūnienė, VU

“I am delighted to be part of a larger community of project finance professionals, where we work together to find answers to the challenges we face in our daily activities and share our experiences. I am especially motivated by the participants’ engagement, the friendly atmosphere, and our shared achievements. I also highly value the discovery that we encounter similar challenges regardless of which university we work at. We have joined forces to overcome them together.”

Agnija DuobienÄ—, VU

“I am very happy to have had the opportunity to join and participate in the Community of Practice, made possible by the Arqus European University Alliance. From the very beginning, engaging in the Community of Practice seemed exciting and full of promising new activities. Although, at first, it felt a bit daunting, with uncertainty about where this journey would lead and how it would evolve, I can now confidently say that it has been one of the best and most rewarding experiences in my professional life over the past five years.

I am truly delighted to have found colleagues from different countries with whom I can share experiences, everyday challenges, and solutions. This not only enhances professional competencies and broadens perspectives but, most importantly, makes you feel that you are not alone in your professional journey – you become part of a large and supportive family.”

Linara Kudasheva, University of Granada

“I feel lucky to be a part of the Community of Practice for Projects Finance Management Offices. It´s great to have this space to exchange ideas, experiences, and challenges with like-minded people! I hope more professionals can join our Community of Practice, opening up new opportunities for joint collaborations.”

Virginia Salazar LĂłpez, University of Granada

“I am truly happy to be part of the Projects Finance Management Offices Community of Practice within the Arqus Alliance. It’s incredibly reassuring to be connected with colleagues from other universities, especially in a world of rapidly changing procedures and legislation. It helps me feel part of a supportive community where we can share good practices, ask our doubts and support in our daily struggles. I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to participate in this Community of Practice.”

Anja Rodon, Leipzig University

“I am very happy and grateful that my colleagues in Vilnius have initiated this Community of Practice. I am proud to be able to participate in such an exchange at my professional level as part of the Arqus programme. It is a great opportunity to exchange ideas with finance and project managers from other European universities, discover common problems, and learn from their solutions.”

Iwona Filarska, University of Wrocław

“Participation in this Arqus Community of Practice initiative is primarily an opportunity to exchange experiences and solutions in the area of projects being implemented in each partner institution; it is also an opportunity to take part in professional training on the financial aspects of projects; a true added value in the daily work. I am pleased to cooperate with such dedicated individuals.”

Anne Deketele and Evamaria Bradacs, University of Graz

“To be part of the Community of Practice in the Arqus project is a great chance to meet financial managers of other universities, not only online but also twice a year at one of our partner universities. We support each other and share ideas for improving services and processes.

In a very supportive, friendly, and nice atmosphere, we can share our knowledge, learn from each other, and work on common solutions for our problems. This network helps to improve our knowledge and develop skills or tools to ease our daily work. In addition to that, we enjoy the intercultural exchange with our colleagues.”

The Arqus Student Agora is launching the first Arqus Student Lab, which will take place at 911±¬ÁĎÍř on 2 and 3 July 2025. The application deadline is 11 May.

This dynamic initiative is a unique opportunity for Arqus students to co-create meaningful change in higher education. The  is now selecting 18 Arqus students to participate in an intensive, hands-on Lab this July in Vilnius.

The Student Lab will bring together three diverse student teams from Arqus universities, prioritising those involved in Arqus-related initiatives. Students will collaboratively tackle key challenges affecting academic life and transform them into practical and innovative solutions!

Who can apply?

Open exclusively to students from Arqus universities, with priority given to those involved in:

• Arqus Ambassadors Programme
• Arqus Mentorship Programme (mentors or mentees)
• Talent Scholarship Fund
• Student co-designed projects (winners and extended teams)
• Other Arqus-related initiatives

Participating students will gain:

• Tools and methods to design and test innovative solutions
• Strengthened soft skills: teamwork, communication, problem-solving
• Experience with agile and digital tools
• A boost to your employability
• A chance to pitch your idea in a â€śShark Tank”-style session

Challenge/problem areas include:

• Job market connection
• Mental health and well-being
• Sustainability
• Student empowerment
• Inclusion
• Digital transformation

The Arqus Student Lab will follow a structured path that blends creativity, digital tools and agile methodologies to drive real change in academic communities. This Lab is a collaborative experience where students’ challenges will be transformed into practical and innovative solutions! 

For the application, click .

This webinar, delivered by Dr Marta Kopinska, Assistant Professor in English and applied linguistics at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), will take place online on Thursday, 15 May 2025, from 12 noon to 1 pm (CEST). The webinar will explore affective factors such as motivation and anxiety that might influence classroom interaction in EMI. Drawing on her own and her colleagues’ recent qualitative research, she will explore factors that lie behind EMI students’ (de)motivation to interact in class, as well as EMI-related anxiety. She will also discuss some qualitative methods that were used to investigate these factors in the EMI setting and trace them over time.

About the speaker

Dr Marta Kopinska specialises in English for Specific Purpose courses for undergraduate students who are studying engineering or business management and administration. Her recent work combines qualitative and quantitative methodologies and focuses on affective factors in English-medium instruction in Spanish higher education institutions. Dr Kopinska is also a member of the Language and Speech , a multidisciplinary research group that investigates a variety of factors involved in language acquisition in multilingual settings.

Registration for online participation is required. For registration, click .

While proposals should align with the three Arqus research topics (Climate change and environmental sustainability, Artificial intelligence and digital transformation, and European identity and heritage), we encourage ideas that can grow into larger collaborations across scientific domains.

Associate partners can participate by contributing to co-financing with their own resources. Involving external research groups (outside Arqus) is encouraged to promote collaboration, although costs cannot be covered by the Arqus Research Initiative budget.

The call is open to all kinds of collaborative research activities leading to the overall aim of promoting long-term collaboration.

A non-exhaustive list of activities includes the following:

• Small-scale research projects
• Organisation of research and/or advanced educational seminars and/or winter or summer schools
• Organisation of PhD workshops or other joint doctoral activities
• Mobility of small teams (2-3 persons, preferably including one ESR) to ensure implementation of collaborative activity
• Development of research teams with a view to e.g. preparing joint proposals for external funding or joint publications

It is recommended that activities that cannot be funded by the Erasmus+ programme be proposed.

The funded grants will be implemented over a period of 18 months, starting from July 2025.

For more information, click .

In light of these developments, the teaching of academic writing must be adapted. It is essential that students not only develop core writing skills but also learn to use AI tools in a responsible and critical manner.

To support teaching staff in responding to these challenges, and as part of the Arqus Alliance initiatives, the Center for Teaching and Learning at the University of Vienna is organising a practical online workshop, which will take place on Friday, 16 May 2025, from 09:00 to 12:00. The workshop will focus on the pedagogical integration of AI tools in academic writing instruction and is intended for educators seeking to implement these technologies in a thoughtful and effective way.

Participants are encouraged to bring their current course syllabi and initial ideas for the incorporation of AI into their teaching. The session will include a discussion of concrete teaching scenarios and will address how to formulate clear and transparent expectations regarding AI use in academic work.

Please note that this event does not provide a general introduction to AI tools. Rather, it is intended as a forum for discussing their application in specific educational contexts.

Trainers

Frano Petar Rismondo is a writing scholar and higher education expert affiliated with the “Student Research and Peer Learning” team at the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), University of Vienna. He coordinates the Student Research Hub and is one of the centre’s leading experts on AI and academic writing.

Erika Unterpertinger is a member of the same team at CTL, where she leads the group of writing assistants. Her doctoral research focuses on discovery processes in novice academic writing. She is actively involved in the development of AI-related writing pedagogy at the university.

This workshop aims to provide academic staff with the tools and perspectives necessary to engage with AI in teaching academic writing in a responsible and informed manner.

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As higher education continues to move towards more student-centred assessment approaches, the workshop will introduce participants to the concept of Assessment for Learning. This approach prioritises the enhancement of student learning over grading, aiming to strengthen student engagement and support the development of self-regulated learning. Dr Roger will draw on key literature to explore the foundations and benefits of Assessment for Learning in contemporary higher education.

The session will present findings from two research studies conducted in the Department of Biosciences at Durham University. The first study, titled “Formative feedback impact on summative grades; what type of feedback is the most effective?”, examines whether engaging in formative work improves students’ summative results. The second study, “Promoting self-regulated learning via peer-feedback at the programme level”, investigates how students perceive peer feedback and its role in supporting their confidence and understanding of assessment criteria.

To conclude, the workshop will offer practical recommendations for integrating formative and peer feedback into teaching practice. Participants will be encouraged to reflect on how Assessment for Learning principles and peer feedback can be used not only to improve academic performance but also to foster student independence and deeper learning.

The workshop is led by Dr Mathilde Roger, Associate Professor at Durham University. Over the last few years, she has developed a special interest in students' self-regulated learning and inclusive and accessible Teaching, Learning and Assessment. She is exploring new strategies for authentic assessment, such as promoting the importance of formative coursework and the value of peer- and self-feedback. She also investigates how digital tools can enhance accessibility and inclusivity and promote student learning. Dr Rogers is currently developing a student-led feedback e-journal to encourage students to engage and reflect on their feedback at the programme level.

For registration, click .

As part of the ongoing INCLUDE project, University of Lyon 1 is taking significant steps towards a more inclusive learning environment by integrating digital tools into its pedagogical strategies. One such initiative is a dedicated training workshop focused on the design of inclusive educational videos, led by Juan Pablo Parra Torres. The workshop, “Design of Educational Videos: A Response to the Challenges of Inclusive Teaching”, will take place online on 6 May from 14:00 to 15:30 and is open to a maximum of 16 participants.

Rooted in the principles of Universal Design for Learning and digital accessibility, the training is based on a fully online Moodle course titled “Designing Inclusive Educational Videos”. It aims to support educators in using video as a powerful, inclusive tool to enrich the learning experience.

Educational videos are increasingly recognised for their ability to engage students through diverse representations and formats. They can adapt to individual learning needs and support different ways of understanding, expressing, and participating in academic content. This workshop will provide practical guidance on scripting and designing video content that is not only engaging, but also accessible to all learners.

Participants will:

• Explore the benefits of educational videos for inclusive teaching
• Learn best practices for writing scripts with inclusivity in mind
• Gain insight into accessibility criteria and UDL principles for effective video design

This hands-on training session invites educators to rethink video content as a key component of inclusive pedagogy and offers tools to help them meet the needs of a diverse student body.

Registration is open .

The Arqus Alliance encourages students, academic and administrative staff of its partner universities to apply to the Arqus Green Mobility Days Award with their sustainability projects and good practices. The deadline for applications is 30 April 2025.

The Arqus Green Mobility Days initiative aims to foster and look for new ways to implement green mobility. Arqus universities carry out activities at the local level to raise awareness within their academic communities regarding sustainable ways of managing international mobility, whether it comes to choosing a greener means of transport when travelling abroad or reducing the impact of daily habits while living in the hosting cities.

This joint call represents a pillar of the initiative mentioned above, and its main aim is to identify good practices in the field of sustainability that can spark innovative approaches to green mobility within the Alliance. This is the 2nd edition of the Arqus Green Mobility Days Award, which recognizes outstanding commitment to sustainability through innovative green mobility approaches.

For more information and the application, click .