The 4th Arqus Annual Conference kicked off on the 2nd of July at the Universidade do Minho in Braga, Portugal, under the theme “Connecting universities, addressing challenges”.
 |
| Rectors' Council |
One day ahead of the meeting, Arqus Rectors and/or their representatives convened in Guimarães to deliberate on topics ranging from the agreed alliance strategy and the challenges facing higher education. The Arqus Rectors’ Council agenda also included topics on the implementation of the European Commission Higher Education Package, the consolidation of a research dimension for the Alliance, the different options to establish a legal entity, sustainable funding strategies and the expansion of the global dimension and regional engagement or leadership development strategies. The outcomes are largely expected to impact the mid- and long-term strategy of the Alliance.
"As the newest members of the Arqus Alliance, we were delighted to send a strong delegation of 20 MU staff members, including leadership and colleagues who are actively engaging in the work of the Alliance," said Ben Finnegan, the Arqus Alliance Manager at Maynooth University, reflecting on Maynooth's attendance and participation at this year's Arqus Annual Conference which spanned three days and brought together over 250 registered participants for productive meetings and networking opportunities aimed at advancing the Alliance’s goals in education, research and innovation and societal engagement.
Vice President of International, Prof Patrick McCole becoming the new Chair of the Arqus Alliance's Societal Engagement Board, where he outlined his vision in Braga for collaborating with colleagues across the Alliance. He noted that "the Maynooth University delegation had an excellent conference, showcasing the clear value that we contribute to the Alliance. It was fantastic to see how the work of Alliance can support us in achieving some of our key strategic goals and objectives outlined in the University's strategic plan. As the Chair of the Arqus Societal Engagement Board, we have a unique opportunity to lead the Alliance's efforts in attaining its global dimension goals and I greatly look forward to continuing to see the benefits that our membership in the Alliance will bring to the University".
Dr Gemma Irvine - Co-Chair of MU-based Scholars at Risk and MU Vice President for Equality and Diversity, delivered a keynote on the “Role of universities as places of sanctuary in challenging times.” at the Arqus European University Alliance 2024 Annual Conference at the University of Minho in Braga, Portugal! A plenary was moderated by Maynooth University President Prof Eeva Leinonen - on the subject of “European University Alliances – An opportunity to rethink internationalisation strategies in higher education" and which featured Pedro TeIxeira, former Secretary of State for Higher Education in the Portuguese Government. An additional highlight to round up a very succesful conference was on the final day of events when Dr Aneta Stepien, representing the MU Critical Skills team was the recipient of the prestigious Arqus Teaching Excellence Award.
Summing up Maynooth University's valued participation at the Arqus Annual Conference, Ben Finnegan declared that “all in all, a highly successful trip, and we are excited to continue embedding the work of the Alliance into the fabric of the university.”
* Accompanying the above in the Maynooth University delegation were: Susan Gottlober, Ben Finnegan, Rachel Msetfi, Kyla Henry (MSU), Erivelton Nepomuceno, Emma McDermott, John Dooley, Peter Conlon, Claire Doran, Martha Brandes, Clive Earls, Mark Martin, Niamh Ní Shiadhail, Philippa Harper and Alena Jurikova