A really big "Thank you!" to Benoît Raucent, Academic Director of the Teaching Innovation Lab, for the use of his magnificent drawings in this article.
Secretary General Kevin Guillaume opened the seminar with a talk on University alliances in Europe (and beyond" (pdf).
"It has been more than 2,5 years since I started in my position as Secretary General. Of course, there are challenges, obstacles and difficulties, but I firmly believe that the vision and ambitions we share are much more important than the actual challenges. And the commitment to Circle U. makes us all be solution oriented," he says.
“To me, the seminar has been useful, as we have been able to hear more about our community's projects, but also about the challenges that people encounter. And we have tried – together – to provide ideas and/or solutions to the challenges,” says Fanny Meunier, Academic Director of Circle U. Multilingualism, Interculturality and Language Lab (CU.mil).
Eivind Engebretsen, Dean of the Open Campus, held an introduction to what the Open Campus is and what it shall do (pdf).
"I am optimistic about the possibilities for growth and development, particularly in terms of fostering greater community engagement through the Open Campus!," says Fanny Meunier.
Youcef Kadri, CUSU representative from Université Paris Cité, talked about "Students' role in Circle U. – The Origins and Role of CUSU", highlighting the key role that the students play in the development of the alliance.
A short panel discussion about "Co-creating the Open Campus" was the last post before lunch. The second part of the first day was dedicated to workshops, on “Organization and communications”, “Circle U. pedagogy and educational formats” and “Student engagement”.
The idea is that the inputs from the workshops will be used in the further development of the Open Campus and the alliance.
"The workshop discussions were both inspiring and encouraging. We appreciated the significant focus on enhancing student engagement and eagerly await the continued development of the Open Campus initiative, recognizing its substantial potential to benefit students," says Leonie Michel, Circle U. Student Union (CUSU) representative in Work Package 3 and in the General Assembly.
The main discussions in the workshops were summarized in a panel discussion between the facilitators of the workshop.
"I have realized that there is a strong appetite to go further and deeper in this collaborative dynamic. I think that the “new” positions in our joint ecosystem (academic directors, academic chairs, fellows, dean, vice-dean) as well as the new faces in the project are providing an incredible push to our alliance," says Kevin Guillaume.
"Our seminar in Oslo embodied the spirit of cultural diversity and collaboration that defines the European higher education landscape. By bringing together individuals from varied backgrounds and perspectives, our gathering catalyzed the formation of the interconnected academic community envisioned by the Commission," says Alessandra Meoni, Work Package 5 co-coordinator from Università di Pisa.
Meetings in and across work packages and platforms were the main part of the second day. The topics discussed varied, as the work packages and platforms each prioritized their most pressing issues and worked on their specific projects.
"In the meetings and discussions I have become aware that Circle U. is grappling with internal communication issues, making it challenging at times to grasp the activities of other work packages and task forces within its complex structure. Initially, within CUSU, we believed this was a matter confined only to our communication with the alliance, but it appears to be a systemic concern affecting the entire alliance," says Leonie Michel.
Fanny Meunier characterized the sessions as "Interdisciplinary, as we have had the opportunity to meet with colleagues, staff members and students from numerous backgrounds and/or disciplines."
The Joint Seminar ended with a Q & A session and a discussion between the Academic Directors.
"The closing panel was very inspiring. I think that it has shown how the dynamic is open and to be co-built. It is a shared responsibility of all. In this panel, we had colleagues involved since the very start of Circle U. and others who joined quite recently. And you could feel once again the strong commitment and willingness to make Circle U. a successful reality for all," says Kevin Guillaume.
Leonie Michel adds: "It was good to observe Circle U. adopt a more realistic stance, acknowledging that it is impossible to have half, or even a quarter, of our students to participate in mobility programs.Despite the difficulty, embracing realism is essential. However, CUSU hopes that this acknowledgment serves not as a limitation but as a catalyst for the alliance to develop even more inclusive and accessible mobility options, ensuring opportunities for those unable to partake in regular Erasmus exchanges."
Fanny Meunier said that the seminar "Laid the groundwork for future initiatives and projects."
"During the various stages of the work, I had the impression that Circle U.ers are all talented musicians or virtuoso soloists coming together to create a fantastic orchestra," Alessandra Meoni says.
Let's conclude on that note.
