On 10 June 2026, EU-CONEXUS was represented at the European Universities Rectors and Presidents High-level Meeting in Brussels, a closed high-level event convening institutional leaders from European Universities alliances to discuss the future of the initiative and its contribution to Europe’s innovation capacity, competitiveness and higher education transformation.
The alliance was represented by Professor Artūras Razbadauskas, Chair of the EU-CONEXUS Governing Board and Rector of Klaipėda University, and Professor Veronica Campbell, Vice-Chair of the EU-CONEXUS Governing Board and President of South East Technological University.
Organised by the European Commission, the meeting brought together around 150 Rectors and Presidents representing European Universities alliances and Seal of Excellence alliances. The event opened with a keynote intervention by Roxana Mînzatu, European Commission Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness.
The high-level discussions focused on the strategic role of European Universities alliances in completing the European Education Area, attracting and retaining talent in Europe, and advancing the European Degree. Participants also exchanged views on how alliances can support the modernisation of national and EU higher education systems, making them more responsive to a rapidly changing society.
A dedicated session addressed the role of European Universities alliances in strengthening EU competitiveness and realising the EU Single Market’s fifth freedom for knowledge and innovation. The meeting also included peer exchanges among Rectors and Presidents on the achievements of the initiative, its future opportunities, and the role of alliances in driving institutional transformation across Europe.
For EU-CONEXUS, participation in this high-level meeting was an important opportunity to contribute to the European-level dialogue on the next phase of the European Universities initiative. As an alliance focused on Smart Urban Coastal Sustainability, EU-CONEXUS continues to strengthen transnational cooperation between its partner institutions and to support the development of a more connected, inclusive and future-oriented European higher education area.
The meeting took place in a timely policy context, as European Universities alliances are increasingly recognised not only as cooperation projects, but also as structural instruments for the transformation of higher education in Europe. Their role is becoming increasingly relevant in relation to the European Education Area, the European Degree, the Union of Skills, the European Research Area and the wider EU agenda for competitiveness and innovation.