Emerge - European Margins Engaging for Regional and Global Empowerment

07/09/2026

Three students, three very different weeks abroad, one thing in common: none of them thought a short exchange would change much.

Jade went to Slovakia as a student ambassador and came back talking about "the opportunity to grow." Finn crossed into France and Greece for his BIP and calls it, simply, "European awareness." Leaticia spent one intense week in Spain and is still in touch with the people she met there.

This is what mobility actually looks like once you strip away the paperwork: a handful of days that quietly rearrange how you see your own field, and your own limits.

Putting the margins at the heart of Europe

euemerge.eu

04/09/2026

Big week ahead for EMERGE! 🎓

From 5–9 October, our colleagues at Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences (INN) are hosting the 2026 Intra-Alliance Staff Week, bringing staff from all nine EMERGE universities together in Norway. The programme spans four campuses (Lillehammer, Evenstad, Hamar and Elverum), including a special excursion to Campus Evenstad to explore INN's sustainability and forestry research.

💬 "The inter-alliance staff week is the highlight of the EMERGE calendar, a special moment for connecting and reconnecting our students, staff and communities."
— Lesley Lelourec, EMERGE Secretary General

💬 "It is a great pleasure to host a Staff Week for colleagues from across our University Alliance. Through a visit to Evenstad, we showcase the strength and breadth of our staff's research in sustainability."
— Stine Grønvold, Director of Organisation, INN

💬 "They connect universities, but more importantly, they connect people. For students, having a seat in that exchange and a voice in shaping it is something that matters for the whole community."
— Ioanna Papanikolaou, EMERGE Student Advisory Board, Neapolis University Pafos

Some sessions will be livestreamed, so keep an eye out if you'd like to follow along! 🌍

Find out more: https://euemerge.eu/emerge-staff-week-2026-inn/

21/08/2026

What does an EMERGE mobility actually feel like once you're there?

For Abid, it was a group project question that flipped halfway through a workshop. For Pavla, it was evening walks along the coast in A Coruña. For Ignacio, it was road trips between fjords, chasing the northern lights outside Lillehammer. For Achilleas, it was an academic host who welcomed him into her home in Flensburg.

Six students and staff from across the Alliance, in their own words: https://euemerge.eu/emerge-mobility-student-staff-stories/

Six EMERGE students and staff share what mobility across Slovakia, Spain, Norway, Germany and Ireland taught them about connection and growth.

24/07/2026

🏙️ What happens when communities transform forgotten spaces into places of learning and creativity?

In this reel, Dr Simon Blanckaert from the University of Mons reflects on how informal community spaces shape culture, identity, and new ways of learning.

💻 The conversation continues with the final event of this year's EMERGE Cultural Programme, Listening to the Margins. Voices of Minority Languages, taking place online on 26 October 2026. The webinar will explore how Europe's minority languages preserve cultural identity and strengthen communities.

🌍 The EMERGE Cultural Programme connects research, culture, and communities across Europe, with even more events and collaborations planned for 2027.

22/07/2026

BRIDGE 2026 brought the EMERGE European University Alliance mission to life through community-engaged placements in Slovakia and Ireland.

This summer, 38 students from eight EMERGE partner universities joined 13 students from Eastern Michigan University to work in international, multidisciplinary teams on projects created with local communities.

From revitalising public spaces in Zvolen, to delivering an English Summer Camp in Banská Bystrica, and supporting children living with serious illness at Barretstown Castle in Ireland, participants experienced how collaboration, civic engagement, and intercultural learning create lasting impact.

BRIDGE 2026 reflects the EMERGE commitment to empowering the margins of Europe by connecting students, universities, and communities through meaningful action.

A sincere thank you to all students, Eastern Michigan University, our community partners, and the host organisations who made these inspiring placements possible.

Read more: https://euemerge.eu/bridge-2026-emerge/

21/07/2026

📷 How do we see the spaces around us?

Artist Caroline Cieslik invites us to slow down and observe the changing landscapes of Rennes through large-format analogue photography. From woodlands and former allotments to industrial sites and open spaces, her work captures places that often go unnoticed.

🖼️ The Writing in the Margins exhibition remains open until 30 September 2026 as part of the EMERGE Cultural Programme, inviting visitors to explore artistic perspectives on Europe's margins.

🌍 Through exhibitions, performances, discussions, and creative collaborations, the EMERGE Cultural Programme celebrates Europe's cultural diversity and shared heritage. More events and cultural experiences are coming across the Alliance in 2027.

Art Culture Europe

07/07/2026

🌍 One student, one voice, one Alliance.

EMERGE was proudly represented at the European Universities Student Ambassadors' Forum (EUSAF) 2026 in Warsaw by Kmayha Dani from Neapolis University Pafos.

Bringing together student ambassadors from European Universities Alliances, EUSAF provides a unique platform to exchange ideas, strengthen collaboration, and discuss the future of higher education in Europe.

Reflecting on the experience, Kmayha shared:

"I represented the EMERGE Alliance at the European Universities Student Ambassadors' Forum (EUSAF26) as a participant. The event was a great opportunity to exchange ideas with students from across Europe, build new connections, and learn about collaboration between European university alliances. It was a valuable experience that gave me new perspectives and strengthened my international network."

Through opportunities like EUSAF, EMERGE continues to empower students to engage across borders, strengthen international cooperation, and contribute to shaping the future of European higher education.

Read more: https://euemerge.eu/emerge-eusaf-2026-warsaw/

EUC Voices



Image by Marcin FLIS SGH

01/07/2026

🌍 EMERGE is strengthening the connection between universities and communities across Europe.

The EMERGE European University Alliance has launched its first network of third places and community partners, bringing together organisations that create meaningful opportunities for collaboration beyond the university campus.

From cultural centres and humanitarian organisations to innovation platforms and community hubs, each EMERGE university has established at least one formal partnership with a local organisation. Together, these partnerships create the foundation of a growing European network dedicated to knowledge exchange, inclusion and regional engagement.

Through this network, EMERGE will support:
🎓 Community-engaged learning
🔬 Research with societal impact
🤝 Student internships, fellowships and mentoring
🌱 Sustainability and regional development
💙 Volunteering and community engagement

This milestone marks the beginning of an expanding ecosystem where universities and communities work together to address local challenges and create lasting impact.

Read more: https://euemerge.eu/emerge-establishes-its-first-network-of-third-places-and-community-partners/

29/06/2026

Building bridges between research and society starts with creating opportunities for people to connect.

The first EMERGE Open Career Days, hosted by the University of A Coruña, brought together early career researchers, academics, employers, industry representatives, and public organisations for two days of networking, professional development, and collaboration.

Through workshops, discussions, and career-focused activities, participants explored new research opportunities, strengthened professional skills, and built connections across academia, industry, and the public sector.

The EMERGE Open Career Days reflect the Alliance's commitment to supporting the next generation of researchers while strengthening collaboration across Europe.

Find out more: https://euemerge.eu//EMERGE-open-career-days

15/06/2026

📢 Next week, A Coruña becomes the meeting point for early-career researchers from across the EMERGE Alliance.

The EMERGE Open Career Days take place 22–26 June at the Universidade da Coruña, across Campus de Elviña and the historic Pazo de Mariñán.

Students, PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers from our nine partner universities will present their research, meet potential employers, and take part in skills workshops and professional counselling sessions with representatives from industry, civil society and academia.

Five days. Nine universities. One shared commitment to building careers that matter, in and beyond the margins of Europe.

Read more: https://euemerge.eu/emerge-career-days-2026-udc/

The University of A Coruña hosts the first EMERGE Career Days 2026, connecting students, PhD candidates, researchers and employers across Europe.