UNIC (European University of Cities in Post-Industrial Transition)

🎄 UNIC's end-of-year present (the latest edition of our newsletter) is now in your inbox for some inspirational seasonal cheer! ✨ 2024 has been a momentous year for our alliance, and we want to take this moment to say a huge thank you to the UNIC community. Warm wishes for the season, and an advance happy new year to you and yours!

Recently, I attended the Students for Students week at the University of Lodz in Poland. This event brought together student representatives from UNIC (European University of Cities in Post-Industrial Transition) and Ukrainian students through the Polish NAWA network. Throughout the week, we engaged in sessions focused on fostering understanding and co-creating solutions for shared challenges. From access to education and student mobility to well-being and inclusion. It was a great opportunity to reconnect with fellow UNIC student representatives and engage with other students from across Europe. Our shared ideas led to meaningful discussions about the challenges we face in our universities and beyond.

🎤 UNIC Dialogues: A Step Towards Inclusivity and Representation Recently, we had the privilege of organizing UNIC Dialogues—a workshop designed to tackle representation and inclusivity on campus. The event brought together students, administrative staff, and the Student Council to create actionable solutions through a structured, interactive approach. The event stood out because of its problem-driven design, starting with brainstorming sessions led by students to identify key challenges. These ideas were then refined collaboratively with policy-making administrative staff, ensuring feasibility and actionable outcomes. What made it even more impactful was the focus on producing concrete results: the creative solutions co-developed during the event are now compiled into a report and will be shared with university leadership for practical implementation. This session was part of a broader initiative happening across all 10 universities in the UNIC (European University of Cities in Post-Industrial Transition) network, ensuring that the outcomes contribute to meaningful change across campuses. A huge thank you to Havva Funda Yagci Acar, our Vice Rector, for opening the event with a truly inspiring speech that set the tone for the day. Special thanks to my incredible colleague Arda Bulut and MiReKoc - Migration Research Center at Koç University for their dedication and hard work in making this event happen. I’d also like to extend my gratitude to the administrative staff, Student Council, and all the brilliant students who contributed their ideas and energy. This event wasn’t just about discussion—it was about crafting solutions that count. It was very inspiring to see students and staff working hand-in-hand to build a campus that’s truly inclusive and representative for everyone.

📣 Students as Career Partners: A Best Practice and Discussion Forum ❗ Sign up now: https://lnkd.in/ee9akCFN Join us for an exciting new event organised by the UNIC Network of Career Professionals and hosted by Koç University Career Development Center. Open to all staff involved in supporting student career success in higher education. WHEN? Friday 31st January 2025 14:00-15:30- Istanbul Time WHY ATTEND? To learn about established student partnership initiatives and to share ideas, learnings and best practices. Confirmed speakers include Tuna Dağlı, Selin Kalenderli Yücel, and Eadaoin O’Regan. 📝 Details and registration: https://lnkd.in/ehsSdSxR

Between December 2nd and 6th, the University of Lodz hosted the UNIC Students for Students training week, an initiative aimed at strengthening collaboration between the UNIC Student Board and partner universities in Ukraine. UNIC (European University of Cities in Post-Industrial Transition) is a network of 10 universities that share a similar history and challenges. Together, they are committed to developing innovative models for European higher education and learning. During that week, I had the opportunity to participate in various engaging workshops. One of the highlights was “Voices for an Inclusive Campus”, which provided a safe and welcoming space for participants to exchange ideas and experiences on promoting inclusivity within the academic community. It was truly inspiring to meet so many passionate individuals, learn about the challenges faced by different university communities, and explore ways we can work together to create more inclusive environments. #UNIC #StudentLeadership

Students for Students Week at the University of Lodz 🎒 Last week, I had the privilege of participating in the Students for Students Week at the University of Lodz in Poland as part of my role as a Erasmus University Rotterdam Student Representative at the UNIC (European University of Cities in Post-Industrial Transition) Alliance. This event brought together the Student Board of UNIC, local organisers, and Ukrainian students for a week of meaningful activities and cultural exchange. It was an incredible experience that brought diverse perspectives together and encouraged mutual understanding. However, it was also profoundly eye-opening. Ukrainian students shared how their university experiences have been shaped by the successive challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, followed immediately by the ongoing war. Many of them have never set foot in their university buildings, a reality that starkly contrasts with my own experiences and those of my fellow board members. This confronting truth highlighted the privileges many of us enjoy and reminded us of the resilience and strength of these students. I am deeply grateful for the chance to learn from them and to have contributed to this important initiative. #UNIC #StudentBoard #CulturalExchange #HigherEducation #StudentVoices

I have recently started working for UNIC (European University of Cities in Post-Industrial Transition) as a Student Representative at UCC. I’m delighted to have a hands on role in shaping the second phase of this European University Alliance strategy. I am also grateful to be working such a fantastic co-representative, Maddalena. Our first task in the role was to pilot ‘UNIC Dialogues’, a workshop focused on the theme of inclusive campus. Maddalena and I deciced to intersect creativity and inclusion, keen to show how artisitc thinking and visual practise can positiviely infleunce the student experience. This event was a great success, and we were delighted to have held such an engaging workshop! In the same capacity, I had the pleasure of attending Student for Students Week on behealf of University College Cork hosted by University of Lodz. This was a weeklong student confrence, in conjuction with NAWA - Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange to promote inter-cultural dialogue and strengthen the relationships between their alliances. In particular, I was glad to work closely with my Student Board, organsing some insightful workshops, and introducing students to the fantastic work of UNIC.

❗ LAST WEEK TO APPLY! Applications close 16 December ⚡Open Call: The new UNIC Fund for "Virtual and International Educational Projects" 💻 (a.k.a the UNIC "VIP" Fund) Calling staff across all 10 UNIC universities! This new alliance-wide fund supports virtual international educational activities and incentivizes faculty members at UNIC universities to include virtual collaborative international educational activities such as Virtual Exchanges into the regular curriculum. Initiatives may bring their courses together for a first-time collaboration and new activity, or they may consolidate, deepen or transfer an existing engagement. The call is open to all staff members of all ten UNIC universities (part- and full-time professors, educators, lecturers etc.) involved in teaching. All faculties, topics and disciplines are welcome. 📝 Details and submission guidelines: https://lnkd.in/egEvKQmE 📆 Deadline for Submission: 16th of December 2024 (23:59 local time)

“If your work can bring people together who would normally never encounter each other, that is a gift” - Double Dutch   There were art and personal stories. There were lively conversations and insightful questions. And there was plenty of laughter. We as IDEA Center - Erasmus University Rotterdam proudly collaborated with UNIC (European University of Cities in Post-Industrial Transition) in their first UNIC Dialogue at Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam (EUR): Comic Books, Comic Timing, and Connection. An afternoon full of building bridges, fostering connections, and creating meaningful work driven by empathy and solidarity.   The UNIC Dialogues are a new UNIC (European University of Cities in Post-Industrial Transition) initiative across the whole alliance - an annual student-centric event about cultivating campus connections. This inaugural edition was headlined by comic book artist B. Carrot and stand-up comedian Double Dutch, and moderated by UNIC Alliance Coordinator - and former Chief Diversity Officer at EUR - Prof. Semiha Denktaş. After the plenary part, participants headed to breakout rooms to talk about ways forward for building a more engaged and inclusive campus life. The breakout rooms - hosted by Yumna Asaf, Ph.D. and Lisenne G. of IDEA Center - Erasmus University Rotterdam, and Marco Aperti and Grace Yano of UNIC (European University of Cities in Post-Industrial Transition) - delivered engaged and passionate ideas, which UNIC will now take forward to strengthen meaningful connection.   Photos: Arie Kers 

Do you know the impact you have on the planet and the climate? 🌍 The Green Office of the University of Liège is inviting you to take part in a symbolic activity to mark World Climate Day on December 5 !   Together, let's calculate our carbon footprint and choose actions to reduce our impact on the environment and climate 💪   🕐 45-minute activity - From 16.00 to 16.45 (Brussels time - CET) 💻 Online (Teams) 👉 Link and info : https://lnkd.in/eBcnh53i