ACE2-EU Alliance Kick-Off event in Madrid: project participants develop action plans for the next phases of the project
From 9 to 11 December, the Kick-Off event of the European University Alliance ACE2-EU took place at Francisco de Vitoria University in Madrid, bringing together representatives of the nine partner universities of the Alliance, which aims to create a cooperation platform for students, researchers and the public. The Kick-Off event was organised at the highest level, involving representatives from all partner universities and providing an opportunity to strengthen cooperation and represent the Alliance at an international level.
The event was attended by university leaders, work package coordinators and experts responsible for key areas of cooperation. The Latvian Academy of Culture (LAC) was represented at the event by Rector Dāvis Sīmanis, Vice-Rector for Studies Agnese Hermane and representatives of the ACE2-EU Alliance Working Group Ilona Kunda, Ieva Zemīte, Ilze Beimane, Signe Bahšteina and Aija Lūse.
The face-to-face meeting was important as it allowed the project participants not only to get to know each other in a more informal environment, which is an important aspect for successful cooperation, but also to work productively in teams, planning the next month’s activities and work tasks to be carried out. The project is about inter-institutional cooperation and identifying common points of contact in order to achieve the project's objectives - to develop joint study programmes, to create a platform for students from all participating universities to share study resources and experiences, as well as to introduce new forms of international mobility that would improve the quality of studies and expand opportunities for students to gain international experience and contacts. Promoting scientific research and the development of advanced digital tools to improve the educational process is an equally important priority for the Alliance, as is the promotion of entrepreneurship and social activities to foster cultural awareness.
The ACE² EU and Madrid event confirmed that cooperation within the Alliance is based on solid foundations and shared values such as excellence, openness and engagement. Further meetings and events planned in the coming months will build on the agreements reached in Madrid, contributing to the realisation of the project's ambitious objectives.
ACE²-EU is not only an initiative that strengthens partnerships between universities, but also sets new standards in international academic cooperation, putting students, researchers and society at the centre of its activities.
