The Rector Participated in the Third Annual Conference of ENGAGE.EU in Rome

Luiss University hosted the largest Annual European University ENGAGE.EU Conference which took place in Rome on 25 and 26 October 2023. The event marked the successful completion of the first three-year funding period of the Alliance's activities as well as the start of the new funding period /2023-2027/ approved by the European Commission in June 2023, in which ENGAGE.EU will receive a total of EUR 14 399 963. Seven partner universities coordinated by the University of Mannheim /Germany/, Luiss University /Italy/, NHH Norwegian School of Economics /Norway/, Tilburg University /Netherlands/, UNWE, University Toulouse Capitole /France/ and WU Vienna University of Economics and Business /Austria/ have participated in the joint activities so far. In the new programme period Ramon Llull University /Spain/ and Hanken School of Economics  /Finland/ join as full partners.  

On the first day of the Conference the Rector of the Italian University Prof. Andrea Prencipe welcomed the participants from the nine partner universities and the first working sessions were meetings of the Rectors and associated partners.

Prof. Andrea Prencipe is meeting Prof. Dimitrov

During the Council of Rectors

The Rectors of ENGAGE.EU

At the official meetings the UNWE was represented by the Rector and Head of ENGAGE.EU for Bulgaria Prof. Dr. Dimitar Dimitrov, the Vice Rector for Educational Activities Prof. Dr. Matilda Alexandrova, Prof. D.Sc./Econ./ Michail Musov, Vice Rector for Research and International Affairs and Coordinator of ENGAGE.EU for UNWE, representatives of the Trustees Board - Mr. Maxim Behar (CEO and Chairman of the Board of M3 Communications Group, Inc.) and Mr. Yovko Atanasov (Regional Manager of Lenovo for Bulgaria and Macedonia). The Bulgarian delegation included also Dr. Ivana Radonova, State Expert in the Directorate of Higher Education of the Ministry of Education and Science which is an associated partner of ENGAGE.EU.

"ENGAGE.EU is not just a project, but a deep commitment to stimulate the innovations in teaching and research, to promote the sustainable development and to actively participate in building the European Education Area and the new European Research Area", said the Rector of UNWE after the event. “ENGAGE.EU is for everyone but especially for our undergraduate and postgraduate students who have the knowledge, skills and spirit to create a better future for us all”, added the Rector.

On the second day of the Conference - 26 October /Thursday/ - the other members of the Bulgarian delegation - Prof. Dr. Venelin Boshnakov, Prof. Dr. Hristo Katrandjiev, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Svetla Boneva, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kostadin Kolarov, Chief Assist. Dr. Yuri Tsenkov, Chief Assist. Dr. Sabrina Kalinkova, Chief Assist. Dr. Ivan Valchanov and Daniel Zhelyazkov /Member of the Student Council and the ENGAGE.EU Student Board/.

The Delegation of UNWE in Rome

After the plenary session on Europe in a Time of Change: Mobilizing and Accelerating Higher Education for Sustainable Development the main objectives for each of the work packages as well as the possible approaches for cooperation to achieve them were discussed. The activities in the new work packages and tasks will officially start on 1 November 2023.

During and after the plenary session

The working sessions were divided into the three main areas of work - education, research and social impact. Important issues of communication and impact were also discussed. Following the already established initiatives and ways of working in the Alliance, a significant increase in interest in the Alliance's activities is expected by students, postgraduates, members of the academic and administrative staff of the partner universities as well as by external parties.

As usually the UNWE continues to participate in all Alliance work packages and activities. In the new four years period our university will lead the Dissemination and Impact working package and will be responsible for all activities related to the internal and external communication and dissemination of results.

Meanwhile the ENGAGE.EU initiatives continue. The call for proposals is currently open for the Think Tank 2024 in Bergen for lecturers/researchers and the Joint Programme in Digital Transformation for students.