Co-funded by the NAWA, this conference was an opportunity to introduce ACE²-EU to the Gdańsk higher education community, exchange with universities that are part of older alliances, and for ACE partners to get to know MUG better and find synergies with their own medical or health-related departments, faculties and research units. “I was particularly impressed by the presentations about SEA-EU and ENHANCE European Universities. They demonstrated that efforts in building a transnational cooperation within a European University Alliance really pay off at some point, as unique projects emerge bearing the imprint of the mission and vision of the alliance and uniting the strengths of partner universities,” says Julia Marinaccio, ACE²-EU Institutional Coordinator at CUAS.
The conference also provided a setting for official meetings of the ACE²-EU Management Board and the Rectors and Presidents Steering Group, in a hybrid format, as well as for informal discussions between the different work packages’ team members. In addition, feedback on the first six months of project implementation was given to all participants. The cultural side programme included a visit to the World War Two Museum, a guided tour of the old town of Gdańsk and participation in the MUG Diversity Day.
CUAS delegation for the conference was comprised of the European Universities Office team, Julia Marinaccio (EUO Head) and Mélissa Pebayle – with Rector Peter Granig attending the strategic meetings online – as well as two representatives from the School of Health Sciences and Social Work, Viktoria Scariano and Daniela Krainer, who both arranged additional meetings with MUG staff to discuss potential collaboration activities. For instance, Viktoria Scariano met with Dr. Wojciech Cytawa, Head of the Electroradiology School, which corresponds to the Radiology Technology programme at CUAS, to discuss student exchange and curricular collaboration, and with Dr. Joanna Bidzińska, Radiographers' Team Coordinator of the Department of Radiology at the University Hospital of Gdańsk, to discuss student internships and exchanges as well as research and lecturing possibilities.
Both reflected on their first contact with the alliance:
“Over the course of two days of exchange, I had the opportunity to connect with alliance partners from across the health and medicine research landscape. These discussions offered valuable perspectives and opened new opportunities for future collaboration” – Daniela Krainer, Senior Researcher & Lecturer / Head of Research Unit ENABLE.
“The NAWA conference and the direct exchange with participating representatives of our alliance partners was a wonderful experience and offers many collaboration opportunities thanks to intense and fruitful discussions” – Viktoria Scariano, Senior Lecturer in Radiology Technology.
