Fruitful First Annual Review of the Second Phase of the European University of Technology

The meeting served as a comprehensive assessment of the progress made in the ACCELERATE project, the strategic blueprint guiding EUt+ toward fulfilling its Mission Statement in alignment with the most ambitious European Commission’s vision of the European Universities Initiative. Several Rectors attended in person despite the last-minute cancellation of the Rectors Board.
 

Opening Session

The event officially opened on Tuesday, November 26th , with Rector Marco Dell’Isola and Director General Donatella Marsiglia welcoming attendees and emphasizing the dedication of UNICAS staff to advancing EUt+’s Mission Statement. Valentina Fabiani, representing the Directorate for International Affairs of the Italian Ministry for University and Research, reaffirmed Italy’s commitment to supporting the European Universities Initiative.

UNICAS Vice Rectors Giovanni Betta (Teaching) and Luigi Ferrigno (Third Mission) highlighted key projects, such as Microcredentials and Sustainability, with the latter strengthened by contributions from UNICAS industry partners: Enrico Pompamea (My Energy Q8), Giuseppe Tomasso (E-lectra), and Gianluca Vollaro (Società Gasdotti Italia).

Timothée Toury, Secretary General of EUt+, outlined the importance and structure of the Annual Review and introduced Alina Troshani, Project Officer at the European Commission. Ms. Troshani praised EUt+’s positioning among the 64 European Alliances while reminding participants of the ongoing challenges and monitoring efforts by the Commission. UNICAS encapsulated the meeting’s focus with its motto for the EUt+ week: Actors and Actions to ACCELERATE.
 

Key Milestones and Activities

Following the opening session, progress reports on Work Packages (WPs) WPA1 (Governance and implementation of the vision) and WPA11 (dissemination) has been presented. Under the lead of Raphael Toledo, who drove the methodology of this annual review, feedback was given from attendees and online contributions by external experts Hanne Smidt (EUA) and Stefan Delplace (EURASHE). A significant highlight was the signing of the Student Board Agreement by Rector Dell’Isola and student representative Gianvito Carlomusto, marking the full integration of UNICAS within EUt+. Raphael Toledo led an afternoon session on the Review Plan, detailing the guidelines, methodology, and KPIs for each Work Package. Presentations on WPA2 (Transitions) and a lively soccer night tournament involving the Students Board concluded the day.

Wednesday featured reports on WPA3 through WPA6 (European Degrees; Research; Innovation, Entrepreneurship), along with a symbolic flag-raising ceremony where representatives and rectors raised their university flags alongside the EUt+ flag, symbolizing unity and collaboration.

Thursday’s sessions WPA7–WPA9 (Quality; Communication; Digital infrastructure) took place in the historic Gaeta Castle, UNICAS’s summer schools and conference venue. Attendees explored the castle’s historic rooms and enjoyed a festive walk through Gaeta’s illuminated city center, adding a cultural touch to the week.
 

Looking Ahead

The event concluded with renewed energy and commitment to the EUt+ roadmap. The next meeting is scheduled for late January in Cartagena, promising further collaboration and progress toward the ambitious goals of EUt+.