Circle U. Academic Matchmaking Event: “Co-Creating joint courses for Circle U.” in Vienna:
From ideas to teaching projects. The Circle U. Academic Matchmaking Event took place in Vienna on 12 and 13 February 2026.
Goal of the format
The format has a clear aim: to enable lecturers to get to know partner universities, form teams for joint teaching projects, develop initial course concepts and, at the same time, build up the expertise to continue these projects independently. At the same time, the event serves to raise awareness within the alliance of the diverse opportunities for cooperation.
As Circle U. Ambassador for the University of Vienna, I was there to listen to the pitches, gather impressions and talk to participants.
Pitches and examples
The focus was on the pitches – short, concise presentations of concrete ideas. The range was remarkable and demonstrated the potential of the alliance across disciplinary boundaries.
Agricultural Sciences × English Studies (University of Vienna + University of Pisa)
One particularly promising idea connects the University of Vienna (Agricultural Sciences) with a master's programme in English Studies at a partner university. The aim is to make research results from agriculture accessible to a wider audience. Master's students would ‘translate’ scientific content linguistically and didactically so that it can also be understood outside the academic context. The project combines science communication, international teaching and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Workshops & guest lectures (HU Berlin + University of Pisa)
An intensification of workshop and guest lecture formats with Humboldt University in Berlin and the University of Pisa was also discussed. Such low-threshold formats offer a realistic introduction to sustainable cooperation and make it possible to raise the international profile of existing research priorities.
Virtual exchange space (master's level)
Another proposal concerns the establishment of a virtual exchange space at master's level between the University of Vienna, Humboldt University and King's College London. Students could present and discuss project ideas, seminar papers or theses internationally – a format that integrates international perspectives into academic education at an early stage.
Medicine, engineering & data-based analysis (University of Pisa + University of Aarhus)
Concrete approaches were also presented in the technical-medical field: collaborations between Pisa, Aarhus and other partner universities could include opening up existing Master's courses, a teaching format on the regulatory approval of medical devices, or an interdisciplinary summer school on medicine, engineering and data-based analysis.
Exchange and conclusion
In addition to the presentations on content, personal exchange was central. During the joint lunch/farewell, impressions were shared, initial feedback was gathered and contacts were deepened. It is precisely these informal conversations that often form the starting point for sustainable cooperation.
The matchmaking event in Vienna showed once again that Circle U. is not only a strategic alliance, but also a platform on which concrete teaching projects can be developed – from the initial idea to the implementable concept.
