Nine work groups from across the alliance will meet from 5 to 9 October 2026 across four INN campuses, including a research excursion to Campus Evenstad
University of Inland Norway (INN) will host the 2026 Hybrid Intra-Alliance Staff Week of the EMERGE European University Alliance from 5 to 9 October 2026. The event brings together nine work groups from across the alliance’s partner institutions to advance shared priorities across governance, quality assurance, joint degrees, digital infrastructure, communications, student engagement and strategic planning.
Participating groups include the Governing Board, the Alliance Management Team, the Quality Assurance Team, the Joint Degree Task Force, the ICT Task Force, the Communications Officers, the Student Advisory Board, the Strategic Planning Unit and the Administration Leadership Committee. EMERGE Secretary General Lesley Lelourec and the alliance’s European Commission Project Officer will also take part.
The inter-alliance staff week is the highlight of the EMERGE calendar, a special moment for connecting and reconnecting our students, staff and communities, taking stock of all that has been achieved over the past months and generating new energy and ideas going forward. It also shines a spotlight on the hosting partner (INN this year) and showcases their unique campus(es), placing the peripheries at the heart of Europe.
Lesley Lelourec, EMERGE Secretary General
The week opens on Tuesday, 6 October, with a hybrid plenary session at Campus Lillehammer, livestreamed for those unable to attend in person, featuring presentations from Work Packages 5 and 6, followed by dedicated work sessions for each participating group. On Wednesday, 7 October, the alliance travels to Campus Evenstad, INN’s most remote and international campus, for a day focused on research and sustainability, including a tour of the site’s zero-emissions building and a research presentation.
For the University of Inland Norway, it is a great pleasure to host a Staff Week for colleagues from across our University Alliance. The event represents a stepping stone for further collaboration, where we create arenas for discussion and knowledge sharing.
Through a visit to Evenstad and the Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, we showcase both the strength and breadth of our staff’s research, particularly in the field of sustainability, where the Alliance’s combined research generates significant impact.
Stine Grønvold, Director of Organisation, University of Inland Norway
Thursday continues with parallel work sessions across Lillehammer, Hamar and Elverum, giving each group dedicated time to progress its own priorities. This is also when the Student Advisory Board holds its official meeting of the week, alongside the Alliance Management Team, the Joint Degree Task Force and the Quality Assurance Team at Campus Lillehammer.
EMERGE Staff Week brings together people from very different backgrounds and institutions, and creates a space where ideas and perspectives can genuinely be exchanged. That is what makes these initiatives so valuable: they connect universities, but more importantly, they connect people. For students, having a seat in that exchange and a voice in shaping it is something that matters for the whole community.
Ioanna Papanikolaou, EMERGE Student Advisory Board, Neapolis University Pafos
The week concludes on Friday, 9 October, with a hybrid plenary summary session at Campus Lillehammer, where each work group will present a short reflection on the week’s outcomes. Two further work-package events, a research BIP linked to Work Package 6 and a dedicated staff week for Work Package 8, run alongside the main programme.
The Staff Week forms part of EMERGE’s ongoing work to deepen collaboration between its partner institutions across Ireland, France, Germany, Norway, Slovakia, Spain, Greece and Cyprus, ahead of key milestones in the alliance’s Erasmus+-funded work programme.
About the EMERGE Staff Week
The EMERGE Staff Week brings together academic, administrative and professional staff from across the nine partner universities for a week of exchange, collaboration and professional learning.
Organised annually as part of EMERGE, the Staff Week provides a dedicated space for colleagues from across the Alliance to share experiences, exchange good practices and explore new opportunities for collaboration. Through workshops, discussions, presentations and networking activities, participants engage with the work and achievements of EMERGE while strengthening connections across institutions.
The programme reflects the priorities and values of the Alliance, with activities addressing areas such as inclusive education, mobility, sustainability, digital transformation, multilingualism, intercultural cooperation and community engagement. The programme also creates opportunities for participants to learn from the different institutional contexts and expertise of EMERGE partners.
The Staff Week supports EMERGE’s objective of connecting the margins by creating an interinstitutional environment where knowledge, experience and ideas circulate between campuses. It also contributes to the development of a shared European university identity and strengthens the long term cooperation between the nine partner institutions.
Each edition combines professional development with opportunities to experience the host university and its local community, creating space for intercultural exchange alongside the formal programme.
Who can participate
The Staff Week is aimed at staff from EMERGE partner universities, including academic staff, senior academic staff, administrative staff and other professional staff involved in the Alliance’s activities.
What to expect
Participants take part in workshops and sessions focused on EMERGE priorities, exchange good practices with colleagues from partner universities, learn about ongoing Alliance activities and explore opportunities for future cooperation. The programme also includes networking and intercultural activities designed to strengthen connections across the EMERGE community.
The Staff Week is part of EMERGE’s wider commitment to creating a connected, inclusive and collaborative European university environment where staff and institutions learn from one another and develop new ways of working together. The annual event is also an important channel for sharing the results and lessons of EMERGE activities across the Alliance.