From 13 to 17 October 2025, the EMERGE European University Alliance gathered its members at Université Rennes 2 for the first Alliance-wide Staff Week and Governing Board meeting. The event brought together rectors, vice-rectors, project managers, communication officers, audiovisual technicians, and local coordinators from the nine partner universities to evaluate the first year of the Alliance and plan the next phase of collaboration.
Participants were welcomed by Prof. Vincent Gouëset, Rector of Université Rennes 2 , who emphasized the significance of hosting the first EMERGE Staff Week:
“Rennes 2 was at the origin of this project, driven by the belief that European cooperation can broaden our horizons and create new opportunities for our students, researchers, and staff. EMERGE embodies an ethical and social mission that brings together universities committed to forming open, resilient, and engaged citizens.”
Throughout the week, staff members engaged in a series of workshops and meetings focused on shared goals and operational coordination. Sessions for Communication Officers and Audiovisual Technicians explored best practices in communication, branding, and storytelling across multilingual contexts, as well as joint strategies for impact assessment and digital media. Governance meetings addressed strategic alignment, financial coordination, and future work package synergies.
The Governing Board convened at Université Bretagne Sud in Lorient, where the Presidents and Rectors reaffirmed EMERGE’s commitment to building a resilient European university that acts for and with the regions. The meeting also highlighted concrete initiatives in sustainable tourism and inclusive sports, presented by UBS as examples of local engagement aligned with EMERGE’s values of inclusion, solidarity, and resilience.
Lesley Lelourec, Secretary General of EMERGE, noted:
“This week marks an important milestone for EMERGE. Our alliance is not a closed network, but a living community of universities, regions, and people working together for inclusion, solidarity, sustainability, resilience, multilingualism and cultural diversity. With 56 associate partners alongside our nine universities, we are building networks that engage directly with the margins, bringing them into the heart of Europe. The energy and collaboration witnessed this week show how far we’ve come since our first discussions in 2019, and how much potential we hold when we educate, connect, and reimagine the future together.”
As the first year of EMERGE concludes, the meetings in Rennes and Lorient mark an important step in shaping the Alliance’s identity and future direction. The next cycle of activities will focus on advancing mobility opportunities, developing joint educational programs, and reinforcing cooperation between partner regions and their local communities.