𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒 European University Alliance

What does it mean to truly belong to a European university community? 🇪🇺

That question was at the heart of a workshop led by COLOURS EDI Officer Zorica Grubor and Elena Trenchev from FilmEU, at the European Parliament in Strasbourg earlier this month, as part of the FOREU4ALL conference hosted by the EPICUR Alliance.

Together with Elena, Zorica facilitated a session on values, interpersonal relations, and building a sense of belonging across European Universities, bringing together voices from alliances across Europe to share experiences and explore new ways of working together on Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion.

By taking part in this conference, COLOURS further reinforced its commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion, one of its four key focus areas, while also contributing to wider European efforts to foster a stronger sense of belonging within the European University Alliances.

Read the full article on our website to learn more about it. 🔗 https://colours-alliance.eu/news/colours-alliance-contributes-to-european-exchange-on-belonging-and-inclusion-in-the-european-parliament-in-strasbourg/

Yesterday, in Toledo, the Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, as part of the COLOURS European University Alliance, brought together communication professionals from 28 European university alliances for the workshop on Best Practices for Communication Professionals at Spanish Universities in European Alliances.

Seeing more than 50 of us at the same place, with similar goals and challenges, really creates an impact everyone is talking about.
The sessions sparked genuine discussion, the kind that doesn't stop when the programme ends.

A huge thank you to UCLM, and AUGAC, to Arantxa Castaño Tábara, Noelia Olmedilla Del Castillo, Felicidad Díaz Rubio and RAUL MARTIN for organising not only a conference worth travelling to, but also the WP11 on-site meeting, making the most of having so many of us in the same place at the same time.

Sometimes, in the day-to-day work, it's easy to lose sight of the bigger picture, but this picture below is exactly that. Days like yesterday remind us that we are not alone in our challenges, we are aligned, and what we do matters.

More to come. 👀

Last week, Kristianstad University was visited by Anna Irasiak, Associate Professor of Education from Jan Dlugosz University in Częstochowa (JDU), Poland.

Through this visit, HKR’s Department of Higher Education Pedagogy and the research environment HERD@hkr have taken several important international steps.

The ambition is to create an international network of teachers and researchers within COLOURS who wish to exchange experiences and realize joint ideas in higher education pedagogy development and research. The network is therefore called IHERD.

📸 In the photo: Annika Fjelkner Pihl, Anna Irasiak, Petra Nilsson Lindström, and Maria Melén. Visiting Professor Ann Ooms, Kingston University, also participated.

Are you ready to rethink the future of food?

Join UPB's CoLab and Hackathon to create fresh ideas for sustainable food systems, from reducing food waste to strengthening Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), regional products, and new green business models.

The CoLab is your space to exchange ideas, connect with European partners, and explore solutions for healthier, climate-friendly choices. Building on this, the Hackathon turns food challenges into practical solutions through teamwork, testing, and short pitches.

👥 Who can join?
Researchers, students, and staff from COLOURS Partner Universities, as well as people from civil society, business, politics, and public administration.

🗣️ Language: English
📍 Format: In-person or hybrid
📅 Registration deadline: June 19

Still hungry for more?
Join the Field Study at the “Tomorrow Eats” Festival at TH OWL’s Innovation Campus in Lemgo and explore what the future of food might look like. Discover the latest food trends and innovations, meet inspiring start-ups, get to know the Campus Foundery OWL, and connect with people from trade, industry, and research.

Bring your ideas, meet inspiring people, and help shape a greener food future. 🌿

Read more and register ➡️ https://buff.ly/wzFhaPH

How can food contribute to a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle?

At the UNIOS CoLab “Smart Food for Healthy Living,” organized within the COLOURS European University Alliance and in collaboration with PTFOS Faculty of Food Technology Osijek, students, researchers, teachers, and experts from across the alliance and beyond came together to explore key challenges and opportunities in nutrition, health, and innovation.

Through expert lectures, panel discussions, hands-on workshops, and field activities, participants engaged with topics such as biofortified food, the Mediterranean diet, public health, sustainable food systems, and access to nutritionally valuable food.

A strong emphasis was placed on bridging scientific knowledge with real-world practice, from visiting the Osijek city market and connecting with local producers to participating in workshops on chocolate making, natural cosmetics, and microgreens in Baranja.

The CoLab featured contributions from experts across partner institutions and organizations, including Ines Banjari (PTFOS), Zdenko Lončarić (FAZOS), Arthur Mesas (UCLM), and Vlatka Buzjak Služek (HAPIH), highlighting the strength of interdisciplinary and cross-institutional collaboration.

The event was also supported by Anamarija Matić-Kardoš, Head of the Department of Economy and EU Funds at the City of Osijek.

Through initiatives like this CoLab, the COLOURS Alliance continues to foster collaboration, knowledge exchange, and innovation, contributing to healthier communities and more sustainable food systems across Europe.

Read more about the event on our website 🔗 https://buff.ly/sIWmFwh

Huge congratulations to our amazing students Elena Valona Di Mascio and Irene Baldi for successfully organizing the 100% student-led COLOURS Online Language Café!

After attending a specialized training webinar back in February with language expert Stefan Serwe, Elena and Irene didn't just learn the theory - they brought it to life. Supported by their fantastic COLOURS ambassador team (Christel Ndrekaj, Masoud Arefmanesh, Lorenzo Franzoso, and Piergiorgio Mazzotti), they hosted a vibrant digital space on April 9th for students across Europe to practice languages and connect.

Here is a look at what they achieved:
🌍 20 active participants from 5 different European universities spanning fields from Medicine to Marketing.
⭐ An incredible 4.3/5 average rating from participants who loved the relaxed, learning-through-play atmosphere!

Read more about it on our website 🔗 https://buff.ly/5fv6eqL