Once again, as it does every six months, EELISA brings together people, ideas, and shared energy through a series of in-person meetings, this time, taking place at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid on 18-22 May. During these days, governance bodies and working groups will meet to assess ongoing progress, strengthen collaboration, and set strategic priorities for the future of the Alliance and assess its impact on European higher education. In addition, the EELISA Grand Meetings will coincide with two major EELISA events: the 1st EELISA Communities Forum (18–19 May) and the 4th Scientific Student Competition (21–22 May), further enriching a week dedicated to collaboration, innovation, and academic excellence across Europe.
EELISA Governing Board meeting: Shaping “EELISA 3.0”
A key objective of the upcoming sessions held in Madrid will be to prepare EELISA for its next phase of development, marked by a deeper level of commitment and institutional consolidation across the Alliance.
Building on this objective, the agenda will include a deeper exploration of the work carried out by the EELISA Prospective Group, and particularly its assessment of European political priorities and context. In this framework, the first draft of the future EELISA legal entity’s statutes will also be presented alongside discussions on EELISA’s sustainability, with a focus on developing a long-term financial model.
Thus, these discussions are expected to foster strategic reflection on the future of EELISA and higher education in Europe, while paving the way for key decisions on the next steps toward the enlargement of the Alliance and the implementation of Joint Degrees. They will also include the signature of a joint EELISA statement, reinforcing the role of EELISA Communities as a European model for collaborative knowledge co-creation and societal impact, and intended to guide and inspire teams and university communities across the Alliance.
A key moment ahead of the launch of this high-level meeting will be the symbolic handover ceremony marking the transition of the six-month Chairship of the EELISA Governing Board from ENPC and PSL to UPM. According to Óscar García Suárez, Rector of UPM: “During this Governing Board, we will discuss several aspects related to the long-term strategy of EELISA, both in terms of integrated governance as well as pedagogical innovation. For the UPM, EELISA helps us to think in a new way about collaboration and impact in higher education.”
In parallel with this, other governance bodies and operational structures, such as the EELISA Student Council, Executive Board, EELISA Staff Representatives, and EELISA working groups focused on innovation, gender equality, diversity and inclusion in STEM and the EELISA Campus, will also convene for their respective meetings, ensuring an atmosphere of coordination and exchange throughout the week.
The EELISA Communities Forum 2026: From connection to impact
As a prelude to this intensive governance meeting, the 1st EELISA Communities Forum will kick off the week on Monday 18. Conceived as a collaborative space, the Forum will bring together leaders of EELISA Communities, alongside institutional actors and stakeholders, to connect, reflect, and co-create the next phase of the Communities ecosystem across the EELISA Alliance. Through workshops, peer exchange, and networking sessions, the event will showcase achievements and good practices, foster co-learning and collaborative problem-solving, align strategic priorities, and strengthen Communities’ capacity for social innovation, stakeholder engagement, and long-term institutional integration.
Morris Villarroel, UPM Deputy to the Vice-Rector for the EELISA Alliance and European initiatives and co-organizer of the event, highlights: “This Forum seeks to build a strategic and practical dialogue among EELISA Communities, offering a space for Community leaders, academics, staff and students to share experiences and learn how to mutually reinforce one another.”
For EELISA Executive Director Sofía d’Aguiar, “EELISA Communities are our first shared space for organic growth and experimentation. By aligning strategies, commitment, and purpose, EELISA community members are creating a strong continuum between education, research, innovation, and society. They bring EELISA’s vision to life.”
The opening session of the Forum will be publicly accessible via zoom, including the inspirational dialogue EELISA Communities as innovation and impact labs linking education, research and society with Supriya Singh, expert in corporate sustainability strategy and Chair for Corporate Sustainability Management at FAU, and Óscar Santos-Sopena, specialist in cultural studies and UPM Deputy to the Vice-Rector for Inclusion and Societal Commitment. This dialogue will be followed by a dynamic best practices session led by some EELISA Communities showcasing inspiring examples of their innovative projects, collaborative methodologies and impactful experiences. Registration is now open!
A memorable wrap-up: 4th EELISA Scientific Student Competition
As a fitting finale to the week and building on the century-long legacy of one of the flagship events of the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, a total of 170 EELISA students from across Europe will gather in Madrid to exchange ideas and present their research.
Over the course of this two-day event, BSc, MSc and PhD students from all EELISA partner institutions will strengthen key transferable skills, including academic writing and public speaking. Through engaging pitching sessions, participants will showcase work spanning a broad spectrum of disciplines, from Engineering and Architecture to Natural Sciences, Economics and Social Sciences.
A distinguished jury of leading academics and researchers will evaluate the contributions, and the event will culminate in an award ceremony recognising the most outstanding papers and the most innovative research.
More than a competition, the EELISA Scientific Student Competition is designed as a transformative experience and an opportunity for students to grow, build meaningful connections, and gain visibility in both academic and professional spheres. Carlos Polvorinos, former participant of the competition and co- organizer of this 4th edition, notes: “Exchanging ideas and discovering different approaches to similar challenges has been incredibly valuable and that exchange went beyond the event itself, as some of those connections have grown into collaborations, including a joint proposal recently awarded through the EELISA Joint Call.”
Both the EELISA Communities Forum 2026 and the 4th EELISA Scientific Student Competition will be brought to life on social media by a newly appointed team of EELISA Student Reporters. Offering a fresh, on-the-ground perspective, these students will capture the energy, insights and key moments of both events through dynamic, real-time content.
Stay tuned and follow EELISA on social media to keep up with daily updates, exclusive content and live coverage throughout the events!