Join us in the celebration of EELISA achievements that aim to transform higher education in Europe!

On the 1^st of September, 2022, representatives from the nine leading European partner universities of EELISA (European Engineering Learning & Innovation Alliance) will gather in BME to celebrate the consolidation of the ground-breaking EELISA Communities and the issuance of the first EELISA Credentials. This celebration event will precede the EELISA Executive Board meeting planned for the 1^st and 2^nd of September, 2022, that will set the goals for the next academic year.

With the aim to give visibility to EELISA achievements, strengthen collaborations throughout the alliance and open a window to the journey ahead, the “EELISA celebration event” will present a program that will count on the presence of the Rector of BME Tibor Czigány and two keynote speakers: Claudio Feijoo (Delegate for entrepreneurship Universidad Politénica de Madrid) who will talk about tech diplomacy and the role of new European Universities, and András Pataricza (Professor at BME) who will offer some insights on how to build and maintain a fruitful international network to boost innovation.

In addition to these inspirational speeches, this hybrid session that will take place on-site for BME and via streaming for all EELISA members will feature two roundtables. The first one: “EELISA Achievements” with Sofia d’Aguiar, EELISA Executive director, who will address EELISA’s mission and values; Dale A. Martin, EELISA President who will recall the ambition of EELISA Communities and deliver the first EELISA Credentials to BME participants and Fabio Beltram, EELISA Executive Board member from Scuola Normale Superiore, who will review the innovative approach of EELISA Communities and Credentials.  A second roundtable under the name “EELISA’s Next Steps” will be held with the intervention of Alberto Garrido, EELISA Coordinator,  Kathrin Möslein, Vice-President of Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and EELISA Executive Board member and Eike Trost, EELISA project manager for FAU and leader of EELISA Work Package 4.

But the peak moment of the session will arrive with a special presentation highlighting EELISA Communities and the closure speech by EELISA students.

For BME Rector, Tibor Czigány, this event will take place at a very special moment for the Hungarian University: “EELISA’s mission is to blend academic excellence, innovative learning, and societal impact. As the leading Hungarian university of technology, we have been educating generations of engineers with the same attitude. We are also especially proud to host this event in 2022 when we celebrate the 240th anniversary of the university”.

The EELISA Communities and Credentials

As an alliance selected to be part of the “European Universities” initiative and meant to transform higher education based on the values such as sustainability, cooperation and diversity, the EELISA Communities have an important role within EELISA. In the words of EELISA President, Dale A. Martin: “they are the pivotal components that provide measurable outputs linked to knowledge exchange, research and societal impact. Presently we have over 30 Communities, offering not only a wide range of valuable educational experience but also innovative and mission-driven activities that help participants turn interdisciplinary knowledge into real action”.

Last month, an important milestone for EELISA was achieved – the issuance of the first 1.000 EELISA Credentials to participants of the activities promoted by these EELISA Communities. This is the academic evidence and certification that allows learners to prove their engagement with the SGDs and their efforts to create a real impact on society. For EELISA Executive director, Sofia d’Aguiar: “these 1.000 participants are the pioneers of a unique recognition system that aims to have an impact beyond the academic field to become a benchmark for public institutions, companies, and civil society organizations when looking for committed professionals ready to tackle societal challenges.”

First in-person EELISA Executive Board meeting in Budapest:

Following the Achievement Celebration Event on the 1^st and the 2^nd  of September, the EELISA Executive Board will gather in Budapest to pave the way for the next academic year. In this two-day meeting, representatives from all partner institutions will work towards a joint analysis of the EELISA ambition and how this should be projected into the future. They will also analyze targets and outcomes to be achieved by EELISA Work Packages at the level of each partner institution. Along with these work sessions, the Executive Board members will also participate in a “BME Campus Tour” showcasing BME competencies, such as the new Visitor Centre, BME Z10 Start-up Accelerator, and the Industry 4.0 Technology Centre, and visit the Department of Structural Engineering and Polymer Engineering Lab, among others.

“EELISA is present in all BME faculties and departments through our dedicated colleagues. Based upon this, the Executive Board meeting is an opportunity for us to build new relationships and create collaborations that will present really attractive EELISA opportunities to our students” – highlighted Professor Emília Csiszár, Vice-Rector and EELISA Executive Board member of BME.