Karelia UAS and other members of the INVEST alliance participated in the kick-off meeting of the new four-year period (2024 – 2027) of INVEST, organized by the University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne in Reims, France, from January 22 to 24, 2024. This three-day festive and administrative meeting provided an opportunity to strengthen relationships between partner universities’ rectors and to consider the role and tasks of the rectorate. At the same time, the alliance’s short and long-term goals and the next concrete actions were specified. From Karelia, President Petri Raivo, Head of International Affairs and INVEST Director Liisa Timonen, and Project Specialist Riina Korhonen were present.
The second day of the event was open to all members of the INVEST university staff and partners. Guests included Vanessa Debiais-Sainton, Head of Unit at EACEA, and Jacques Comby from the French Ministry of Higher Education. In the first panel discussion, the rectors of the alliance considered the strategic importance and challenges of alliance cooperation. In the second panel discussion, leaders of the alliance from partner universities highlighted the benefits sought for the academic community, i.e., students, staff, and partners. Both panel discussions were moderated by Carle Bonafous-Murat, Senior liaison officer at the French Rectors’ Conference in Brussels.
– Alliances are really building the future of Higher education and research in Europe, they were given a blank page where they can put their vision, ideas and obstacles they face to build the university for tomorrow and we want to contribute to that future and be part of this momentum, emphasized Guillaume Gellé, President of University of Reims Champagne Ardenne
– As we all understand, European Universities initiative is not a project, but a long-term transformational process. In this context, the INVEST alliance will concertedly and steadily work towards ensuring a more systemic, structural and sustainable cooperation to unfold the full transformation potential of the European Universities Initiative, said Gabriella Pasi, local coordinator and vice-rector for international relations, representing the rector of the University of Milano-Bicocca.
Petri Raivo, President of Karelia UAS, considered the importance to include the results already achieved in the daily offerings and practices of all INVEST universities and above all, the need to concretize, deepen and expand goals with the new partners. As the second phase begins, three new universities have joined the INVEST alliance: University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, France; University Milano-Bicocca, Italy and University of Cordoba, Spain.
Recordings of the second day of the event can be viewed on the University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne Youtube channel.
