Circle U.

Circle U. Circle U.

is an alliance of nine European universities committed to combining their expertise and common interests to build opportunities for students, academics and administrative staff.

🌍 Are you a PhD candidate or postdoctoral researcher looking to expand your network, gain international experience, and ...
29/09/2026

🌍 Are you a PhD candidate or postdoctoral researcher looking to expand your network, gain international experience, and explore new funding opportunities?

Join Circle U. for Early Career Researchers: Funding, Mobility and More, a one-hour webinar showcasing the opportunities available to early career researchers across the nine universities of the alliance.

During the session, participants will learn about:
🔹 Funded mobility opportunities, including grants of up to €2,250 for research stays at partner universities, NGOs, and start-ups
🔹 Sandpits and other initiatives that support interdisciplinary collaboration and project development
🔹 Networking tools such as the Academic Directory and Outputs Research Repository
🔹 Training opportunities designed specifically for early career researchers
🔹 Open Campus offers and upcoming activities across the alliance
➕ a live Q&A with Charlotte Birnbaum-Nyberg, Circle U. Research Lead

Event details
📅 12 October 2026, 12:00-13:00 CEST
💻 Online (Zoom)
🗣️ Language: English

More info and registration 👉 https://www.circle-u.eu/events/circle-u-early-career-researchers-funding-mobility-and-more



📸: Eric Descarpentri

🗣️ Open Conversation: Democracy, Gender and the Social and Solidarity Economy in PalestineHow can democratic participati...
25/09/2026

🗣️ Open Conversation: Democracy, Gender and the Social and Solidarity Economy in Palestine

How can democratic participation, gender equality and socio-economic rights be strengthened in contexts of protracted crisis?

On 29 September, Circle U. will bring together academics and civil society representatives for an Open Conversation exploring these questions, as well as the role universities and civil society organisations can play through socially engaged research and cooperation.

The discussion will include perspectives on:
• Social and solidarity economy and socio-economic rights in the occupied Palestinian territories
• Gender and economic participation and decision-making in contexts of protracted crisis
• The role of universities and civil society organisations in socially engaged research and cooperation

The event is organised by the Interdisciplinary Centre for Peace Studies (CISP) at the Università di Pisa , in connection with a visit by a Palestinian delegation to Italy as part of the IBTKAR for Social Change cooperation project.

Key info
📅 29 September 2026, 10:00–11:15 CEST
📍 University of Pisa & online
📌 Registration by 28 September

The conversation will include time for open dialogue with students, researchers and civil society participants.

More information and registration 👉 https://www.circle-u.eu/events/open-conversation-democracy-gender-and-social-and-solidarity-economy-palestine

🌍 Curious about studying abroad or student life across Europe?Join Circle U. for our Student Info Session & Welcome Day ...
24/09/2026

🌍 Curious about studying abroad or student life across Europe?

Join Circle U. for our Student Info Session & Welcome Day as part of this year’s

On 14 October, students from all nine Circle U. member universities will share their experiences and insights into student life, campus culture and mobility opportunities, followed by breakout rooms where you can ask your questions directly to student ambassadors and mobility staff.

💬 What to expect:
• Meet students from all nine Circle U. universities
• Hear first-hand experiences of studying and living abroad
• Get practical advice on mobility applications and procedures
• Ask your questions in dedicated student and administrative staff rooms

Key info
📅 14 October 2026, 12:00–13:00 CEST
💻 Online on Zoom

More info and registration 👉 https://www.circle-u.eu/events/circle-u-student-info-session-welcome-day

📣 Professors and professional staff: do not hesitate to share this event with your students



📸: Billion Images

How can European University Alliances create lasting change in European higher education? At in Glasgow, Circle U. con...
21/09/2026

How can European University Alliances create lasting change in European higher education?

At in Glasgow, Circle U. contributed to this conversation from several perspectives.

🎓 Supporting female innovators
Through the BeeLead initiative, Circle U. is creating opportunities for young women to develop entrepreneurial skills, exchange ideas and build connections across the alliance.

📊 Understanding impact
Circle U.’s Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) strategy provides a framework for tracking progress, learning from experience and strengthening accountability, while recognising that meaningful impact takes time.

💶 Sustaining the work
A World Café hosted by the Secretaries-General of Circle U., Engage.eu and Unite! explored how alliances can diversify funding, strengthen institutional commitment and embed their activities more deeply within their member universities.

Across these discussions, one message stood out: lasting transformation does not happen overnight. It requires experimentation, learning, sustained commitment and the structures to support collaboration over time.

Read our full recap of Circle U. at EAIE 2026 👉 https://www.circle-u.eu/news/ideas-lasting-impact-circle-u-eaie-2026

🌍 What happens when academic freedom, equity, and evidence-based research come under pressure?These questions are at the...
14/09/2026

🌍 What happens when academic freedom, equity, and evidence-based research come under pressure?

These questions are at the heart of the CREDO Workshop: Communicating Research, Equity, and Democratic Openness, a three-day hybrid event bringing together students, early-career researchers, academics, and civil society organisations to explore some of the most important challenges facing higher education and democratic societies today.

Participants will engage with topics including:
📚 Academic censorship and its impact on research and knowledge production.
🌈 The growing backlash against Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) initiatives and what it means for universities and society.
🗳️ The erosion of democratic values and evidence-based research.

Funded through the Circle U. Seed Fund, the workshop aims to equip participants with the knowledge, skills, and connections needed to defend and promote academic freedom, equity, and evidence-based research in their own communities.

📅 21-23 October 2026
📍 University of Belgrade, Faculty of Law & Online
🗣️ Language: English
⏳ Registration deadline: 18 October 2026

🔎 Interested in joining the conversation? Find out more and register: https://www.circle-u.eu/events/credo-workshop-communicating-research-equity-and-democratic-openness

🌱 How can we turn citizen participation into concrete climate action?Cities are increasingly bringing citizens into clim...
09/09/2026

🌱 How can we turn citizen participation into concrete climate action?

Cities are increasingly bringing citizens into climate policymaking, but what happens when participation moves from deliberation to implementation?

Join this student-led Open Conversation at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin to explore the political, operational and technical challenges of public–citizen collaboration in urban climate action.

Drawing on the experience of Vienna’s participatory budgeting, keynote speaker Byeongsun Ahn from the Universität Wien will discuss what enables (or prevents) collaborative policy initiatives from becoming concrete action on the ground.

The keynote will be followed by a panel bringing together perspectives from civic engagement, urban initiatives, community organising and social support.

Key info
📅 22 October 2026 | 16:15–17:30 CEST
📍 Online & Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Senatssaal

More info and registration 👉 https://www.circle-u.eu/events/open-conversation-how-can-we-act-sustainably-everyday-life



📷: Vitaly Gariev from Pexels

🌍 Step into the UN and represent a country at MUN Rome or MUN Paris 2027!Ready to debate, negotiate and find solutions t...
08/09/2026

🌍 Step into the UN and represent a country at MUN Rome or MUN Paris 2027!

Ready to debate, negotiate and find solutions to some of the world’s biggest challenges? 🎙️🌐

Circle U. is bringing together 40 students per destination from four partner universities for an immersive Model United Nations (MUN) experience in Rome or Paris in March 2027.

As part of the Circle U. delegation, you will:
✨ Take on the role of a UN representative
🤝 Negotiate and collaborate with students from across Europe
🎤 Develop your debating, diplomacy and public-speaking skills
🌍 Build an international network across Circle U. universities
💡 Tackle real global challenges through creative problem-solving

You’ll also prepare, train and travel as a Circle U. delegation, making this much more than a conference!

Key info
📍 Choose Rome OR Paris
🎓 Open to Bachelor’s (except first year), Master’s & PhD students
💶 Conference fee: €189 | Total estimated costs: around €750
📅 Apply by 29 September 2026 at 23:59 CEST

👉 Only students from UCLouvain/Saint-Louis Bruxelles, King’s College London, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Université Paris Cité can apply.

More info 👉 https://www.circle-u.eu/open-campus/circle-u-delegation-mun-rome-and-mun-paris-2027

🌍 How can we create more inclusive, equitable, and accessible universities?Across higher education, students, academics,...
04/09/2026

🌍 How can we create more inclusive, equitable, and accessible universities?

Across higher education, students, academics, and professional staff are developing innovative solutions to address barriers to participation, representation, and belonging. The Circle U. ED&I Flagship Initiatives Call is designed to support those ideas and turn them into meaningful action across the alliance.

The call provides funding for small, high-impact projects that advance equity, diversity, and inclusion. This could be through planning an awareness campaign, developing support networks, improving accessibility, fostering inclusive leadership, or embedding inclusive perspectives into teaching and learning.

Interested in applying but have questions about eligibility, funding or your application?

ℹ️ Join the online information session to learn more about the call and get answers to all your questions about the funding criteria and application process.

📅 Information Session: 11 September 2026, 13:00 CET
💻 Online
⏳ Application Deadline: 15 September 2026

🔎 Find out more: https://www.circle-u.eu/events/info-session-call-edi-flagship-initiatives

🌍 Curious about how to create meaningful international learning experiences without students having to travel?Join our u...
03/09/2026

🌍 Curious about how to create meaningful international learning experiences without students having to travel?

Join our upcoming webinar, Discover COIL: Bringing International Collaboration into Your Teaching, and explore how Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) can connect classrooms across borders through virtual collaboration.

During this interactive session, participants will:
✅ Learn the fundamentals of the COIL approach
✅ Discover inspiring examples from lecturers who have successfully implemented COIL projects
✅ Explore the benefits and impact of international virtual collaboration in higher education
✅ Gain practical advice from experts on setting up, developing, and sustaining effective virtual international teaching collaborations.

Whether you're new to COIL or looking to strengthen your existing international teaching practice, this session will provide inspiration, insights, and concrete ideas to help you get started.

🔑 Key Details
📅 Date: 1 October 2026
🕛 Time: 12:00-13:30 CEST
📍 Place: Online
🗣️ Language: English
⏳ Registration deadline: 30 September, 12:00 CEST

View more details and register 👉 https://www.circle-u.eu/events/discover-coil-bringing-international-collaboration-your-teaching

💡 What happens when researchers start thinking like entrepreneurs?For many academics, launching a business can feel far ...
02/09/2026

💡 What happens when researchers start thinking like entrepreneurs?

For many academics, launching a business can feel far removed from their day-to-day work. But the Venture Creation Summer School at the University of Vienna challenged participants to see entrepreneurship not as a career path reserved for founders, but as a mindset built on creativity, problem-solving, and turning ideas into impact.

Bringing together PhD candidates, postdoctoral researchers, and innovators from across the Circle U. alliance, the programme immersed participants in the full entrepreneurial journey, from idea generation and customer discovery to business model development and investor pitching.

Key takeaways from the experience:

🚀 Learning by Doing: Participants worked in teams to transform early-stage ideas into viable ventures through hands-on experimentation and collaboration.

🧠 Building an Innovation Mindset: The programme encouraged participants to approach challenges with curiosity, resilience, and a willingness to test new solutions.

🤝 Cross-Border Collaboration: Researchers from different disciplines and universities came together to share perspectives and develop ideas with real-world potential.

🎤 From Idea to Pitch: The week culminated in a Demo Day, where teams presented their ventures in an investor-style pitching environment.

The experience highlighted an important lesson: entrepreneurial thinking is valuable far beyond the startup world. Whether in research, education, industry, or public service, the ability to identify opportunities and create value is a skill that benefits everyone.

📖 Read the full article and discover why everyone should try starting a business at least once: https://www.circle-u.eu/news/why-everyone-should-try-starting-business-venture-creation-summer-school-recap

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