United for well-being in uncertain times: EUniWell Rectors’ Assembly and Associated Partners Meeting held in Santiago de Compostela

A group of officials stand in a wood-panelled hall beneath a red and gold heraldic tapestry. They pose for a formal photograph, some wearing lanyards, with flags of Galicia, Spain, and the EU behind them.
Attending Rectors and Vice-Rectors of the EUniWell universities.
A classical music ensemble performs in a stone cloister, surrounded by a seated audience. The musicians play string instruments, arranged in a semicircle around a conductor on a wooden podium.
A concert of the USC Orchestra during the Rectors' Assembly.
A group of young people, many with blue lanyards and name badges, pose outdoors on a wooden platform in front of trees. The mood is casual and cheerful, suggesting a student or team gathering.
Members of the EUniWell Student Board.

08/05/2025 | by Lara Marie Andres

From 5 to 7 May 2025, EUniWell convened its 8th Rectors’ Assembly alongside the EUniWell Associated Partners Meeting, hosted by the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Against the backdrop of current geopolitical challenges, the event brought together university leaders, student representatives, and societal stakeholders to strengthen cooperation, explore shared values, and chart a joint European course for the future. 

Strengthening academic freedom and collaboration

The event was cordially opened on 5 May during a special evening reception at the historic Parlamento de Galicia, hosted by the President of the Galician Parliament, Miguel Ángel Santalices Vieira, stating: “I am firmly convinced that alliances such as this one enable us to deepen the bonds between European countries through universities and academic training, while also extending beyond national borders”. Set in one of the region’s most esteemed institutions, the reception served as a gesture of welcome and recognition – underlining the close links between regional government, higher education, and European cooperation.

A central focus of the Assembly was the role of European University alliances in a time of global uncertainty. In the open sessions, EUniWell rectors and institutional leaders discussed how to safeguard academic freedom, manage the growing importance of research security in a time shaped by artificial intelligence, and fully leverage collaboration within and beyond the Alliance. Actively involved in these discussion was the EUniWell Student Board. “Together, we can continue to advance our commitment to furthering student well-being and inclusion across the Alliance and beyond.” said Sarah Bermann, Chief Student Officer of EUniWell. Pana Djamtorki, Student Executive Board Member, added that it is the Student Boards task to “develop, co-create, and critically evaluate ideas across the Alliance.”

A large group of formally dressed people poses for a photo in a wooden-panelled parliamentary chamber. Behind them hang the Spanish and Galician flags and a red emblem with a crown, likely indicating an official event or reception.
The EUniWell delegation at the Parliament of Galicia.
Five people pose indoors with drinks in hand, smiling at the camera. They stand in front of tall windows set in stone walls, with greenery visible outside. The setting is elegant and social.

Throughout the discussions, a clear consensus emerged: in an increasingly fragmented world, alliances like EUniWell can serve as stable and forward-thinking platforms for academic resilience and impact. By working across borders, disciplines, and sectors, the Alliance aims to not only respond to emerging challenges, but to be a leading institution that actively strengthens research security across Europe. Therefore, the EUniWell Board and Rectors decided to formulate a shared statement on academic freedom. EUniWell Chief Development Officer Professor Beatrix Busse highlighted this: “Academic freedom is not just an academic concern. It is a European value, a democratic principle, and a non-negotiable foundation for our well-being.”

The event’s host, Professor Antonio López Díaz, Rector of Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, commented on this: “We have ahead of us a future full of challenges, and as we face this road, I believe the traditional greeting used by pilgrims on the Camiño is especially fitting: Ultreia! Let’s go further. May it serve as a wish and an inspiration for EUniWell”. On a similar note, Professor Giorgia Giovannetti, EUniWell Deputy Chief Development Officer, underlined the relevance of a joint strategy for the future: “We are committed to becoming a voice for well-being, but also the voice for well-being. We are committed to becoming a European University. We are committed to become a community for well-being”, referring to EUniWell 2030: Strategy Framework and Strategy Questions.

Building cross-sector collaboration: First EUniWell Associated Partners Meeting

On 6 May, EUniWell welcomed representatives from its network of Associated Partners for the first ever Alliance-wide Associated Partners Meeting. The format provided a structured framework for exchange, joint exploration of cooperation potential, and concrete dialogue on how to advance well-being across different industries and regions.

Four people sit at a curved conference table with laptops and microphones, in front of a backdrop reading "USC CENTRO DE ESTUDIOS AVANZADOS". They appear engaged in discussion, smiling and attentive.
From left to right: Prof. María José López Couso, Prof. Antonio López Díaz, Prof. Beatrix Busse, Dr. Graham Harrison.
A group of visitors in white lab coats pose for a photo inside a sterile, high-tech laboratory environment. The room is well-lit with white panelled ceilings and modern equipment visible in the background.
A look behind the scenes of CiMUS (Centro Singular de Investigación en Medicina Molecular e
Enfermidades Crónicas), during the EUniWell Associated Partners networking session.

The morning featured presentations from Associated Partners and EUniWell members, showcasing practical examples and opening space for mutual understanding. In the interactive Market of Possibilities session, participants identified common interests and initiated ideas for long-term collaboration. Later in the afternoon, the representatives joined thematic networking meetings across the host city and university, exploring different industry partners in healthcare and research. They had the opportunity to look behind the scenes of a molecular medicine laboratory where new drugs for chronic diseases are tested and were able to practise resuscitation in one of the simulation rooms of a hospital. The event marked a key milestone for EUniWell’s civic engagement and knowledge transfer efforts and laid the groundwork for future cooperation.

A European setting for a shared vision

The EUniWell Rectors’ Assembly 2025 was not only marked by strategic discussions, but also by a strong symbolic framework that highlighted the Alliance’s European roots and values. On 7 May, the Rectors’ Assembly culminated in a Europe Day celebration, held at the Pazo de Fonseca, one of the university’s most iconic historic buildings. A highlight of the festivities was the reading of the Preamble of the Treaty of the European Union in multiple languages by Erasmus and Seneca students in the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela coming from eight universities of the Alliance.

To close the Assembly on a high note, participants embarked on a symbolic walk along the final five kilometres of the Camiño de Santiago, from Monte do Gozo to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. The Camiño, recognised in 1987 as the first European Cultural Route by the Council of Europe, served as a powerful reminder of the cultural and historical ties that unite Europe. The walk marked a moment of shared purpose and connection – a fitting conclusion to a gathering defined by openness, dialogue, and joint vision.

 

A conference room with a wood-panelled ceiling and green velvet curtains. Delegates are seated in an auditorium, listening to a speaker at the podium. Flags of Spain, the EU, and a university are visible. The slide on the screen reads: "Student Engagement for Well-Being".
A formal dinner setting in a historic hall with vaulted ceilings and stone arches. Multiple round tables are filled with people in formal or semi-formal attire, engaged in conversation. In the background, a large religious sculpture is mounted on the white wall, lit by classic wrought-iron wall lamps.

Attending EUniWell Board Members and Associated Partners

Attending Rectors and EUniWell Members:

  • Prof. Beatrix Busse, EUniWell Chief Development Officer & Vice-Rector for Teaching and Studies (EUniWell Central Office, University of Cologne)
  • Sarah Bermann, EUniWell Chief Student Officer (EUniWell Central Office, University of Cologne)
  • Dr. Graham Harrison, EUniWell Managing Director (EUniWell Central Office)
  • Prof. Aleksandra Cavoski, Director of Global Engagement (University of Birmingham)
  • Dr. Erica Arthur , Head of Global Partnerships - Europe & South America (University of Birmingham)
  • Prof. Alessandra Petrucci, Rector (University of Florence)
  • Prof. Giorgia Giovannetti, Deputy EUniWell Chief Development Officer & Vice-Rector for International Relations (University of Florence)
  • Prof. Jean-François Huchet, Rector (Inalco)
  • Prof. Il-Il Malibert, Deputy Vice-President for European Affairs (Inalco)
  • Prof. Rüdiger Wilhelmi, Vice Rector for Teaching (University of Konstanz)
  • Prof. Peter Aronsson, Rector (Linnaeus University)
  • Prof. Daniel Alvunger, Vice-Rector for Internationalisation (Linnaeus University)
  • Prof. José Luján, Rector (University of Murcia)
  • Prof. Pascual Cantos Gómez, Vice-Rector for Internationalization (University of Murcia)
  • Prof. Carine Bernault, Rector (Nantes Université)
  • Prof. Céline Bressollette, Delegate Vice Rector (Nantes Université)
  • Gaida Lefeuvre Mendoza, Student Executive Board Member (Nantes Université)
  • Prof. Antonio López Díaz, Rector, (Universidade de Santiago de Compostela)
  • Prof. María José López Couso, Vice-Rector for Degrees and Internationalisation (Universidade de Santiago de Compostela)
  • Prof. Pilar Bermejo Barrera,  Vice-Rector for Scientific Policy (Universidade de Santiago de Compostela)
  • Prof. Belén Méndez Naya, Deputy Vice-Rector for Degrees and Internationalisation (Universidade de Santiago de Compostela)
  • Dr. Tamás Hegedüs, Rector’s Delegate (Semmelweis University)
  • Prof. Miklós Kellermayer, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine (Semmelweis University)
  • Pana Djamtorki, Student Executive Board Member (Semmelweis University)
  • Prof. Andrii Gozhyk, Vice-Rector for Education (Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv)
  • Prof. Kseniia Smyrnova, Vice-Rector for International Cooperation (Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv)

Attending EUniWell Associated Partners:

  • COGAMI – Confederación Galega de Persoas con Discapacidade (Galician Federation of People with Disabilities)
  • Consello da Cultura Galega (Council for Galician Culture)
  • Concello de Lugo (Lugo City Council)
  • Concello de Santiago de Compostela (Santiago de Compostela City Council
  • Croce Rossa Italiana (Italian Red Cross)
  • European Students’ Union
  • Fundación Rof Codina (Foundation Rof Codina)
  • Grupo Compostela de Universidades (Group of Universities of Compostela)
  • Hungarian Medical Students Association
  • IDIS – Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago de Compostela (Health Research Institute Santiago de Compostela)
  • INDITEX
  • Kalmar kommun (Kalmar municipality)
  • Kliniken Schmieder (Hospitals Schmieder)
  • Lightcast
  • Provincial Government of A Coruña (areas of Social Policy, Education and Mobility)
  • Unirisco
  • Xunta de Galicia - SERGAS (Galicia's regional government - Health Service)
  • Växjö kommun (Växjö municipality)

Contact

For general information or media enquiries, please contact Lara Marie Andres, EUniWell Communications Manager.

 

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