Working Together for a European University: BAUHAUS4EU Kicks-Off with Meeting in Weimar
It’s a meeting that many have been working towards for a long time: Over 70 participants in the BAUHAUS4EU University Alliance project came together on Wednesday, 11 March for their first official work meeting. The principal aim is to plan and finalise eleven »Work Packages« and to continue working on them across national borders over the next four years. Some of the guests in Weimar had quite the journey – and not just because of striking airport staff: Alliance members come from a total of ten universities in nine European countries. Participants will be working together until 13 March with the goal of turning the vision of a joint European university into reality, or, perhaps more precisely, to lay the foundations for it.
Intercultural skills, expertise in sustainability, and awareness of regional specificities – this is the shared aspiration emphasised by University President Prof. Peter Benz, who presented the image of a joint »BAUHAUS4EU« European university that would be »cool« to study at and considered »Bauhaus4EUer«. Prof. Benz’s speech, which was held in English, can be read here.
Prof. Benz’s speech was followed by guest contributions from Prof. Maurizio Tira of the European University Association, Solène Gautron of the New European Bauhaus, and Ana Sofia Coutinho from the European Commission. Dr. Tonia Schmitz, BAUHAUS4EU coordinator at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, provided an overview of the eleven work groups, followed by a look at the content of their work.
The first day wrapped up with a reception in the Main Building, where European project participants had the opportunity to network with regional partners. Thuringian »Minister für Bildung, Wissenschaft und Kultur«, Christian Tischner, also came to Weimar especially for the event and emphasised that the University Alliance not only strengthens European identity, but also drives innovation and sustainable development in the regions.
Highlights of the event can be viewed in our photo gallery.
Photos: Bauhaus-Universität Weimar/ Thomas Müller
Intensive work will continue until 13 March: Representatives from the ten partner universities are planning the next steps in discussions and work meetings to develop new teaching formats, short-term professional exchange opportunities, and joint degree programmes during the first phase of the project.