Celebrating our first Policy Learning Lab

Great news from the inaugural Policy Learning Lab of the Community of Practice!

FOREU4ALL has  hosted its first Policy Learning Lab, an online event for discussion and exchange around key policy challenges facing the hashtagEuropean Universities alliances.

Focused on policy engagement in the higher education and R&I sectors, this first learning and exchange opportunity celebrated last Friday brought together representatives from 54 European University alliances and policy experts to exchange ideas on policy engagement in higher education and research. Jan Palmowski (Secretary General of The Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities) kicked off the event sparkling dynamic discussions on effective policy engagement strategies and practical tools for shaping policy at every level.

Inspiring pitches from stakeholder organisations leaders, Jakub Grodecki (EURASHE), Michael Gaebel (European University Association), and Lana Par  European Students'​ Union (ESU); showed how different stakeholders connect with University, European University alliances and policymakers at European and national & regional levels. 

A standout moment was the breakout sessions, where participants tackled key questions:

🔹How are alliances engaging in policy?
🔹What resources and networks are involved?
🔹What are the top policy priorities for the year ahead? 

A heartfelt thank you to the breakout session facilitators: Maëlle Gibbons-Patourel (EUTOPIA), Elena Del Giorgio (4EU+ Alliance), Michal Karpisek (E³UDRESS²), Graham Harrison (EUniWell - European University for Well-Being) and Mikael Vainio (U!REKA European University), as well as to the organisers and “Policy Dialogue” co-leads Kevin Guillaume  (Circle U. (European University Alliance)) and Sophia Karner (Una Europa) and FOREU4ALL Policy Officer, Giulia Falchi. 

About the Policy Learning Labs

The Policy Learning Labs are designed as open spaces for discussion and exchange on the key policy challenges facing European Universities alliances. They aim to foster meaningful dialogue, share best practices, and explore new opportunities for joint policy engagement at European, national, and regional levels.

For more information, read this interview to Sophia Karner and Kevin Guillaume, who have explained how alliances’ experiences on the ground bring added value to the work of existing stakeholder groups in shaping higher education policy – at national, regional and European level.