Join us for a light networking lunch!
- Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen, Director-General, Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC), European Commission TBC
- Stephan Geifes, Vice-President, Academic Cooperation Association (ACA) and Director, Erasmus+ National Agency Higher Education within the German Academic Exchange Service - DAAD, Germany
This session brings together EU policy makers for a series of concise inputs offering strategic insights into both long-standing and emerging priorities shaping the European higher education policy agenda. Their contributions will set the scene for discussions on the future of intra-European and international cooperation under the next Erasmus+ programme. Participants will be invited to share reflections and feedback, while speakers highlight recent innovations piloted in the final calls of the current programme—building a bridge towards its next generation.
Moderator: Stephan Geifes, Vice-President, Academic Cooperation Association (ACA), and Director, Erasmus+ National Agency Higher Education within the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), Germany
Impulse talks
- Susanne Conze, Head of Unit, Higher Education, Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC), European Commission
- Filip Van Depoele, Head of Unit, International Cooperation, Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC), European Commission
Stakeholder reactions
- Simone Lepore, President, Erasmus Student Network (ESN)
- Joanne Pagèze, Vice-President for Internationalisation, University of Bordeaux, France TBC
Q&A
Four parallel sessions will offer an in-depth look at the key horizontal priorities and flagship initiatives of the current Erasmus+ programme and their evolution in the upcoming programme cycle. Discussions will focus on interoperable and digitally enhanced mobility, the pathway towards the European Degree, and cooperation with neighbouring countries. Designed to be highly interactive, the sessions will encourage active participation and exchange throughout. Each round of parallel sessions will be repeated, allowing participants to engage with two topics of their choice.
Session 1: Progress towards a European degree and related funding instruments
Moderator: Courtney Hartzell, Policy and Project Coordinator, Academic Cooperation Association (ACA)
Speakers:
- Yann-Maël Bideau, Policy Officer, Higher Education, Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC), European Commission
- Andries Verspeeten, Team Leader and Senior Policy Advisor, Ghent University, Belgium TBC
Session 2: Providing support to incoming and outgoing students
Moderator: Martin Bogdan, Policy and Project Coordinator, Academic Cooperation Association (ACA)
Speakers:
- Marta Gutierrez Benet, Head of Sector, Erasmus+ Coordination Unit, Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC), European Commission TBC
- Tomáš Varga, Support Centre for Students with Special Needs (Teireisias Centre), Masaryk University, Czechia TBC
Session 3: Interoperability & Skills: Building the digital foundation of mobility
Moderator: Angeliki Psychogyiou, Policy and Project Coordinator, Academic Cooperation Association (ACA)
Speakers:
- Representative of the Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC), European Commission TBC
- Representative of a higher education institution TBC
Session 4: Opportunities for cooperation with EU Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood countries
Moderator: Veronika Kupriyanova, Deputy Director, Academic Cooperation Association (ACA)
Speakers:
- Adrien Olszak-Olszewski, Policy Officer, International Cooperation, Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC), European Commission
- Representative of the Directorate-General for Enlargement and the Eastern Neighbourhood (DG ENEST), European Commission TBC
- Representative of a higher education institution TBC
Four parallel sessions will offer an in-depth look at the key horizontal priorities and flagship initiatives of the current Erasmus+ programme and their evolution in the upcoming programme cycle. Discussions will focus on inclusive and digitally enhanced mobility, the pathway towards the European Degree, and cooperation with neighbouring countries. Designed to be highly interactive, the sessions will encourage active participation and exchange throughout. Each round of parallel sessions will be repeated, allowing participants to engage with two topics of their choice.
Session 1: Progress towards a European degree and related funding instruments
Session 2: Providing support to incoming and outgoing students
Session 3: Interoperability & Skills: Building the digital foundation of mobility
Session 4: Opportunities for cooperation with EU Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood countries
This panel will provide an update on funding mechanisms and opportunities supporting higher education collaboration and innovation across the European Competitiveness Fund, Horizon Europe, and National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPPs). Discussions will focus on the anticipated structure and alignment of these instruments, exploring both current opportunities and remaining limitations. Panellists will reflect on how existing—and emerging—funding frameworks can better complement each other to advance shared European objectives.
Moderator: Irina Ferencz, Director, Academic Cooperation Association (ACA)
Speakers:
- Representative of the Directorate-General Research and Innovation (DG RTD), European Commission TBC
- Jan Palmowski, Secretary-General, The Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities TBC
- Representative of a higher education institution TBC
Three parallel sessions will offer an in-depth look at the key flagship initiatives and regional priorities of the current Erasmus+ programme and their evolution in the upcoming programme cycle. Discussions will focus on the sustainability of the European Universities Initiative and cooperation with partner regions from the Global South and the Mediterranean. Designed to be highly interactive, the sessions will encourage active participation and exchange throughout. Each round of parallel sessions will be repeated, allowing participants to engage with two topics of their choice.
Session 1: Sustainability of European Universities alliances
Moderator: Alenka Flander, Director, Centre of the Republic of Slovenia for Mobility and European Educational and Training Programmes (CMEPIUS)
Speakers:
- Ioana Dewandeler, Policy Officer, Higher Education, Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC), European Commission
- Andreas Winkler, Secretary General, Unite! Alliance, and Vice-Chair of the Forum Board, FOREU4ALL
Session 2: Cooperation with developing countries
Moderator: TBC
Speakers:
- Luisa Bunescu, Policy Officer, Higher Education, Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA), European Commission
- Adrian Veale, Policy Officer for Africa & Capacity Building for Higher Education, Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC), European Commission TBC
- Representative of a higher education institution representative TBC
Session 3: Cooperation with the South Mediterranean region
Moderator: TBC
Speakers:
- Georgiana Plesu, International Relations Officer, Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC), European Commission TBC
- Marcello Scalisi, Director, UNIMED TBC
- Representative of a higher education institution representative TBC
This closing session will summarise the main insights from the seminar, bringing together different stakeholder perspectives on the way forward for European higher education cooperation.
Moderator: Gro Tjore, President, Academic Cooperation Association (ACA), and Deputy Director General, Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir), Norway
Speakers:
- Wim Gabriels, Director, Erasmus Student Network (ESN) TBC
- Representative of a higher education institution representative TBC
Gro Tjore, President, Academic Cooperation Association (ACA), and Deputy Director General,Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir), Norway