Circle U.

🌍 Circle U. is heading to in Glasgow!

From 8–11 September, more than 7,000 international education professionals will gather at the EAIE Conference and Exhibition — and Circle U. will be joining the conversation.

This year, we’re contributing to four sessions exploring some of the big questions shaping the future of European university alliances and international higher education:

💡 How can alliances build sustainable funding models?
On 9 September, Kevin Guillaume will join an interactive World Café on diversifying funding beyond Erasmus+, exploring EU and national programmes, institutional co-funding and other approaches to long-term sustainability.

🚀 How can we empower the next generation of innovators?
Also on 9 September, Circle U. Ambassador Setayesh Karami will present BeeLead – The Circle U. Women Founders Network, a student-led initiative supporting women innovators through mentorship, community building and entrepreneurial training.

📊 How do we understand and demonstrate the impact of European university alliances?
On 10 September, Audrey Sullivan-Reilly will join colleagues from across the sector to discuss approaches, challenges and lessons learned in assessing alliance impact.

🌐 How can internationalisation reach every corner of our institutions?
On 11 September, a panel featuring colleagues from Erasmus University Rotterdam, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Philipps-University Marburg will explore how professional services staff — from HR to IT — can benefit from mobility and knowledge exchange, and how institutions can embed internationalisation more deeply.

Together, these sessions highlight four dimensions of the work needed to build stronger, more sustainable and inclusive European university alliances: sustainability, innovation, impact and internationalisation.

More info about the event 👉 https://www.circle-u.eu/events/circle-u-eaie2026

🌍 What if students could help shape the future of Circle U.?

This year, participants in UCLouvain's Projet STIC course took on that challenge, developing creative solutions for learners, teachers and staff across the alliance.

The result? Five innovative prototypes designed to make Circle U. more visible, accessible and engaging. 🌟

Inside the student-led projects:

🎯 Discover Your Destination: An interactive quiz helping students explore which Circle U. partner university might be the right fit for them.

🤝 Supporting International Teaching: New tools to help academics connect with partners and navigate the administrative side of international collaboration.

📢 Planting the seeds of future courses: A platform designed to partner teachers who can develop international pedagogical projects together.

📂 Making Circle U. Clearer: A communication kit helping faculty staff connect students with Circle U. opportunities.

🎮 Learning Through Play: A gamified experience inviting students to discover the alliance's nine partner universities through challenges and mini-games.

🚀 These prototypes show that building a European university alliance isn't only about strategies and agreements. It's also about empowering students to imagine new possibilities and turn ideas into action.

📖 Curious to see all five projects? Read the full article 👉 https://www.circle-u.eu/news/classroom-circle-u-five-student-prototypes-reimagining-alliance

🌍 Help Shape a More Inclusive Circle U. Community!

Do you have an idea that could promote equity, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) across the Circle U. alliance? The ED&I 2026 Call for Flagship Initiatives is now open, offering support for small, high-impact projects led by students, academics, and professional staff.

Whether you're planning an awareness campaign, developing support networks, improving accessibility, fostering inclusive leadership, or embedding inclusive perspectives into teaching and learning, this is your opportunity to turn your idea into action.

💡 What's on offer?
Selected initiatives can receive up to €4,000 in funding to support project activities, events, networking, outreach, mobility, and more. Up to three projects will be funded.

ℹ️ Need guidance?
Join the online information session on 11 September 2026 at 1:00 PM CET to learn more about the call, funding eligibility, and the application process.

📅 Application deadline: 15 September 2026

🚀 Ready to make an impact? Discover the full call and application details 👉https://www.circle-u.eu/projects-and-calls/flagship-initiatives-edi

📥 The latest Circle U. Gazette edition, July 2026, has landed in inboxes! Take a look at the latest updates, insights and highlights from the past month.

In this issue:
🎓 Upcoming Circle U. courses on sustainable development, healthy ageing and more.
📆 Workshops and events for staff, researchers and students alike.
💡New opportunities for funding available through the Circle U ED&I 2026 Call for Flagship Initiatives
🤝 Become a Circle U. Ambassador and help shape the community through outreach and events at partner universities.
🚀 Circle U. celebrates new achievements, including the launch of the SOPHIA innovation project
☀️ Updates on innovation, AI, student projects, and summer school highlights across the alliance

Don't want to miss out? Subscribe to the Circle U. Gazette to get the latest issue sent straight to your inbox, and stay up to date with the latest courses, calls, events and stories from across the alliance 👉 https://bit.ly/newsletter-circle-u

🧠 How does inflammation influence our mood, and what happens as we recover?

Join our upcoming online lecture, "From Sickness to Relief: How Inflammation Shapes Mood and Recovery," to discover how the immune system and the brain interact to shape our emotions during and after inflammation.

Hosted jointly by Circle U. and NeurotechEU, this lecture will explore the latest research on:
🔗 The link between inflammation, mood and emotional recovery
🧠 How cutting-edge neuroscience reveals immune-to-brain communication
💡 What these findings could mean for understanding depression and future treatments

The session will be led by Anna Mathia Klawonn, Associate Professor at Aarhus University and Group Leader at DANDRITE, whose research combines neuroscience and immunology to better understand mood disorders and identify new therapeutic approaches.

Key information
📅 11 August 2026, 14:00–15:00 CEST
💻 Online
📝 Register by 10 August

More info about the event 👉 https://www.circle-u.eu/events/sickness-relief-how-inflammation-shapes-mood-and-recovery

💡 Have an idea that could strengthen collaboration across the Circle U. Alliance?

The Circle U. Seed Funding Call 2026 is open, and our upcoming online info sessions will help you turn your idea into a competitive project proposal.

Join the Info Session to:
🔎 Learn about the main features of the 2026 Seed Funding Call
🌱 Hear first-hand experiences from previous successful applicants
💡 Discover practical tips for preparing your proposal
🤔 Ask your questions during a dedicated live Q&A session

Choose the session that suits you best:
📅 28 August 2026 | 12:00–13:00 CEST
📅 30 September 2026 | 12:00–13:00 CEST
💻 Online

Whether you're already developing a project idea or simply curious about the call, these sessions are the perfect opportunity to get started.

More info and registration 👉 https://www.circle-u.eu/events/circle-u-seed-funding-info-session-2

👵🌍 Rethinking Healthy Ageing: Bridging Care, Community, and Innovation

How can we create healthier, more inclusive societies for an ageing population? As demographic ageing becomes one of Europe's most significant societal challenges, finding innovative solutions has never been more important.

Applications are now open for Rethinking Healthy Ageing: Bridging Care, Community, and Innovation, an interdisciplinary workshop hosted by the University of Pisa. Designed for Master's and PhD students from a range of academic backgrounds, this three-day programme combines expert talks, collaborative problem-solving, and innovation-focused activities to explore the future of healthy ageing.

💡 Why join this workshop?
📊 Explore the social, economic, and policy implications of demographic ageing
🤝 Engage with experts from healthcare organisations, municipalities, hospitals, and other sectors
🔬 Discover innovative technologies, services, and care models supporting older adults
🧩 Work in interdisciplinary teams to develop solutions to real-world healthy ageing challenges
🎤 Present your ideas to a panel of practitioners, innovators, and decision-makers in a final pitch session

📅 Key Details
📍 Format: On-site at the University of Pisa
🗓️ Dates: 21-23 October 2026
🎓 Level: Master's and PhD students
🗣️ Language: English
⏳ Application Deadline: 15 September 2026

Ready to collaborate across disciplines and help shape the future of healthy ageing? 👉 More information and registration: https://www.circle-u.eu/open-campus/rethinking-healthy-ageing-bridging-care-community-and-innovation

🌍 Become a Circle U. Ambassador!

Are you passionate about student engagement, international collaboration, and making opportunities more visible on your campus? Would you like to help strengthen the Circle U. community at your university?

We're currently looking for the next generation of Circle U. Ambassadors! Ambassadors play an important role in promoting Circle U. opportunities, connecting students and staff, supporting local events, and helping build a vibrant alliance community across Europe.

💡 What does a Circle U. Ambassador do?
🔹 Represent Circle U. at events, fairs, and information sessions
🔹 Share opportunities and experiences with fellow students
🔹 Bring students together through networking and community activities
🔹 Help create content and raise awareness about the alliance
🔹 Encourage participation in Circle U. initiatives and projects

🌍 As an ambassador, you'll join a network of students helping to connect our member universities and make Circle U. opportunities more accessible and visible across the alliance.

🎓 Interested?
Our partner universities are currently recruiting ambassadors for the next academic year. This is a registration of interest, not a formal application. If you're interested, complete the form and your local university may contact you with further information about the next steps.

Register your interest 👉 https://www.circle-u.eu/get-involved/circle-u-ambassadors

🌍 The Politics of Sustainable Development: Who decides what a sustainable future looks like?

From the United Nations and the World Bank to the G20 and BRICS, global institutions play a major role in addressing today's sustainability challenges. But how effective are they, and what role do politics and democracy play in creating lasting change? 🌱

Applications are now open for this fully online course hosted by the University of Oslo. Designed for Bachelor's students at Circle U. universities, the course explores the major theories and debates surrounding sustainable development, global governance, climate action, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

💡 Why take this course?
🔹 Examine the role of international institutions in achieving sustainable development
🔹 Explore the relationship between democracy, politics, and climate action
🔹 Develop a critical understanding of what works, how, and why in sustainable development policy and practice

📅 Key Details:
📍 Format: Fully Online
🗓️ Dates: 28 September – 2 October 2026
📜 Credits: 5 ECTS
🎓 Level: Bachelor's students enrolled at a Circle U. university
🗣️ Language: English
⏳ Application Deadline: 21 August 2026 [circle-u.eu]

More info and registration 👉 https://www.circle-u.eu/open-campus/politics-sustainable-development-0

💡 How can universities better support the next generation of researchers?

This autumn, CU.ecr is bringing together researchers and professional staff from across the Circle U. Alliance for two interactive workshops dedicated to strengthening career development and transdisciplinary research for early-career researchers.

📍 17–18 September | Aarhus University
Career Development as a Core Academic Responsibility
Exchange good practices, explore how universities can better support Principal Investigators (P*s) in mentoring early-career researchers, and connect with colleagues working on research career development across Europe.

📍 23–24 November | UCLouvain
Transdisciplinary Training in Doctoral and Postdoctoral Education
Join hands-on discussions on designing and delivering transdisciplinary training, share experiences, and help shape future collaboration across Circle U. institutions. The workshop will conclude with contributions to the Conference on Interdisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Research for Sustainable Development.

Whether you're a researcher, Principal Investigator, career development specialist, doctoral school representative or professional staff supporting research, these workshops offer an excellent opportunity to exchange ideas, build lasting collaborations and strengthen support for early-career researchers across Europe.

Discover the programmes and register today
🔗 https://www.circle-u.eu/events/cuecr-workshop-career-development-core-academic-responsibility
🔗 https://www.circle-u.eu/events/cuecr-transdisciplinary-training-post-doctoral-education-workshop