Under the motto ‘Elevating Minds, Supporting Communities, Empowering Regions’, representatives from the worlds of academia and politics gathered at the Université Clermont Auvergne (UCA) in Clermont-Ferrand, France, to mark the official launch of a pioneering alliance. The European University Alliance ARTEMIS brings together eight European universities (Université Clermont Auvergne, France (EU Project Coordinator); Panepistimio Ioanninon, Greece; Università degli Studi di Perugia, Italy; Universitatea Ovidius din Constanța, Romania; Hogeschool VIVES, Belgium; Tallinna Tehnikakõrgkool, Estonia; Høgskulen på Vestlandet, Norway) and is committed to creating a common European higher education area.
Enabling greater mobility and collaboration
The aim is to promote synergies between education, research and innovation and to offer students, researchers and non-academic staff greater opportunities for mobility and collaboration. This values-based alliance is intended to strengthen the European ideals of democracy, solidarity and freedom.
The first day of the event, on 20 January 2025, began with internal working group meetings of the ARTEMIS Alliance. In various workshops, key topics were discussed, in particular the management and organisational structure of the Alliance for the implementation of its strategic objectives. These sessions also served to consolidate the organisational foundations for the various work packages within the project and to define the first operational steps.
The second day, 21 January 2025, was dedicated to the public kick-off ceremony. The event was opened by Mathias Bernard, Rector of the Université Clermont Auvergne, followed by welcoming remarks from Sacha Beck, representative of the European Commission, as well as other representatives from the ARTEMIS universities.
In a comprehensive presentation, Marie-Élisabeth Baudoin, Vice-President for International and European Affairs and Coordinator of the ARTEMIS Alliance, outlined the Alliance’s vision, objectives and planned measures, and her statement offered a glimpse into the future of ARTEMIS: “The launch of ARTEMIS into orbit is an extraordinary moment! May our European university embark on a brilliant path of solidarity and drive forward joint initiatives in inclusive education and research. May we reach for the stars together!”
“Belief in a Europe that thrives on knowledge and creativity”
On the afternoon of 21 January 2025, a press conference was also held, at which OTH Regensburg was represented by the Vice-President for Research and International Affairs, Prof. Dr Oliver Steffens, and the City of Regensburg by Dr Nicole Litzel, the City’s Science Officer. The event highlighted the significance of the ARTEMIS Alliance for international higher education, as well as the specific contributions made by OTH Regensburg and the City of Regensburg to European cooperation. “Today we are embarking on an ambitious and exciting journey – a journey that brings together different institutions, countries and perspectives under the shared vision of promoting excellence in education, research and innovation. The ARTEMIS initiative is not merely a collaboration between universities; it is a testament to the power of partnership, the strength of shared values and the belief in a Europe that thrives on knowledge and creativity,” said Prof. Dr Steffens. Dr Litzel went on to emphasise the close collaboration between the City of Regensburg and OTH Regensburg.
In addition to networking opportunities, a meeting was also held between the vice-chancellors and presidents of the ARTEMIS partner universities, during which the visions expressed clearly reflected their enthusiasm for the forthcoming collaboration and the far-reaching potential that ARTEMIS offers for the further development of the participating universities across Europe.
The second day of the event drew to a festive close with a reception hosted by the City of Clermont-Ferrand in the magnificent Salon de l’Hôtel de Ville. The participants were warmly welcomed by Jérôme Auslender, Deputy Mayor of Clermont-Ferrand, and had the opportunity to continue their discussions in a festive atmosphere.
