EUniWell’s first Champions: eight researchers to promote the Alliance’s mission and advance well-being
The EUniWell Champions Scheme invites senior academics from EUniWell member universities to embrace a leadership role in promoting the Alliance’s mission: to foster well-being across universities and wider society. This is the first time that EUniWell has elected senior academics as champions to take on this role, following the initial Call for Expressions of Interest launched in January 2025.
From September 2025 to July 2026, each of the eight EUniWell Champions will receive funding of up to €15,000 to support their activities over the course of six month. During this time, they will contribute their expertise and vision to shaping future directions focused on well-being and strengthening collaborative networks within and outside the Alliance.
Acting as ambassadors for EUniWell, the Champions will promote interdisciplinary collaboration, disseminate well-being research results, and advance the Alliance’s core values - within their home institutions, throughout the broader academic communities and Associated Partners of the Alliance, and with civil society and policymakers in Europe and beyond.
The eight EUniWell Champions
Discover the selected senior researchers and their action plans:
Andreas Guidi, Associate Professor of History at Inalco: to raise awareness of the importance of History as a field for investigating changing notions and policies of well-being, with a focus on Mediterranean migration.
Anna María Papini, Full Professor of Bioorganic Chemistry at the University of Florence: to conduct a multidisciplinary research and knowledge transfer initiative around peptides to train the next generation of scientists, equipping them with skills needed to thrive in Europe’s growing wellness sector.
Azucena Mora Gutiérrez, Full Professor of Microbiology at Universidade de Santiago de Compostela: to raise awareness of the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance and its global impact, promote the One Health concept, highlight food safety challenges, and support low- and middle-income countries.
Beáta Dávid, Professor and Director of the Institute of Mental Health at Semmelweis University: to understand and explore the concept of Social Health and its implementation in the context of well-being.
Hamza Bennani, Professor of Economics at Nantes Université: to deepen understanding of the socio-economic and environmental factors contributing to heat-related hospitalisations, to support more effective healthcare responses.
María del Mar Grandío Pérez, Associate Professor of Communication at University of Murcia: to advance digital well-being research and expand theoretical frameworks beyond digital disconnection.
Theodoros Marinis, Professor of Multilingualism at the University of Konstanz: to strengthen research collaborations on multilingualism and well-being.
Yue Zhao, Senior Scientist in translational oncology and well-being sciences at the University of Cologne: to expand research and education initiatives that bridge oncology, ageing research, and well-being sciences.
At the beginning of September, the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela will host the kick-off meeting of the EUniWell Champions.
The second Call for Expressions of Interest for EUniWell Champions will open in February 2026 and the selected senior researchers will have flexibility to implement their work plan and activities in any six-month period between May 2026 and September 2027.
Further information on the EUniWell Champions Scheme
https://www.euniwell.eu/what-we-offer/euniwell-champions-scheme
Contact
If you have any questions, please contact Juan Antonio Corrales or Alma González Rodríguez at euniwell.wp8[at]usc.gal.
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