The European University EULiST project has begun

Brno University of Technology (BUT) took part in the very first Staff Week of the EULiST Alliance of European Universities, hosted by the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava (STU). The aim of the meeting of nearly fifty representatives of individual universities was to launch the new European University project, which was supported by the European Commission in July this year.

The EULiST alliance unites ten universities from different countries of the European Union with one common goal – to be a European University on a global level. Through this consortium, the individual universities have not only the opportunity to increase their competitiveness in terms of curriculum offerings, but also offer new international mobility for staff and students, and deepen international cooperation at research level. EULiST represents a closer link between the member universities and will strive to be seen as one university in the future.

For the effective functioning of the alliance it was necessary to build on the already developed project proposal, which succeeded in the European Commission competition, and to ensure the active involvement of all partners in the planned activities, which was the main theme of Staff Week in Bratislava. To make the resulting strategy comprehensive, vice-rectors, professors, managers and researchers worked on it alongside students. Thus, a week of intensive meetings and workshops produced tangible goals and a roadmap for achieving the milestones and deliverables set out in the activity plan for the first year phase of the EULiST project. 

"The EULiST Alliance was awarded the title of European University in July 2023. We are currently making intense preparations at the level of the Alliance and partner universities for the start of the project phase with an expected start in November this year. Staff Week has given us the space and time for in-depth conversations and strategic decisions that will have a major impact on the future of our alliance and partnership. We are very honoured that this historic first Staff Week of the EULiST Alliance took place at STU," said Natália Gurská, Local Coordinator for EULiST at STU.

BUT was represented at Staff Week by Martin Očko, manager for international cooperation and local coordinator of EULiST at BUT, Associate Professor Jiří Háze from the Department of Microelectronics of Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Communication Technologies, Dr. Zbyněk Křivka from the Department of Information Systems of Faculty of Information Technology, Professor Jiří Hirš from the Institute of Building Services of the Faculty of Civil Engineering, Head of the Creative Development Office of BUT Zdeňka Pavlačková, Vice-chairman of BUT Chamber of Students Katarína Rovenská and BUT spokesperson Jana Vyklická.

"Our European University EULiST is a cornerstone for the development of our internationalisation, as we have gained nine closest partners through its membership for the development of our mobility agenda, our study programme offer and our research activities. The representatives of BUT have brought comprehensive information regarding the further functioning of the alliance From the Staff Week, which we will further disseminate into the awareness and daily life of BUT students and staff in order to actively engage them and communicate the opportunities that EULiST offers. The next important meeting, the General Assembly, with the members of the alliance will take place in May at BUT," adds Martin Ocko.

EULiST partners include Brno University of Technology, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Mines-Télécom Institute, Jönköping University, Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology LUT, Leibniz University Hannover, National Technical University of Athens, Rey Juan Carlos University, University of L'Aquila and with TU Wien. Read more about the alliance here.