U!REKA

Open U!REKA courses: a milestone and a significant added value for students.

Pol Bracke — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 10:28:32 +0000

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Open U!REKA courses: a milestone and a significant added value for students.

The U!REKA European University, launched early 2024, is entering a new phase: from now on, students from partner institutions will be able to take a series of open (English-language) courses at other institutions within the U!REKA partnership. This is less obvious than it seems. In any case, it offers a significant added value for students: the range of courses available is becoming more extensive and more international, offering additional opportunities to acquire skills that are essential in tomorrow's professional life. Most courses are free of charge and earn students credits.

The open courses are clustered into three themes: digital skills (digital literacy and data skills), green skills (insights into sustainability, climate action and urban resilience) and transversal skills (broad competences such as communication and creativity). They offer students additional opportunities to broaden their knowledge and explore new horizons, for example with subjects such as digital fashion, ethical hacking or sustainability reporting.

It is no coincidence that sustainability is a specific item in the range of available open courses: U!REKA is strongly focused on knowledge about and development of smart & sustainable cities and strives to equip students with the ability to make climate-conscious decisions, e.g. through courses such as ‘urban development’ or ‘waste treatment’.

International and multidisciplinary

The courses also focus on topics that prepare students for their professional careers in not discipline-specific way, such as design thinking, adaptable mindset, entrepreneurship, and crisis management.

And of course, the U!REKA-courses enable the students to build an international network, improve their English language skills, and collaborate in a multidisciplinary way. “This international and interdisciplinary context is of great importance in today’s society,’ says Lena De Mol (HOGENT), lecturer in research methods, which will be offered as a U!REKA course from the next academic year onwards. “Contact and exchange opportunities can take the students’ experience to a higher level.”

Hurdles

“The international and interdisciplinary context is of great importance in today’s society. Contact and exchange opportunities can take the students’ experience to a higher level.”

Lena De Mol, lecturer in research methods (HOGENT)

At the same time, Lena points out that coordinating such a joint course is less straightforward than it seems. “Students must, of course, obtain permission from their own institution and programme to take a course from the U!REKA offer. The semesters at the various U!REKA partners do not run entirely in sync. That can be an initial practical hurdle. It is also essential to agree on the method of assessment: should we use a traditional examination, continuous evaluation or some other method? And are all partners familiar with the chosen methods?” she explains.

Adjustments to the course are also part of the deal, she adds, giving an example from her own course: “In research methods, students learn how to find a specific research question and check if it’s suitable for a bachelor’s thesis. They also learn how to critically evaluate sources. These are general skills that are not discipline-specific. But my course also contains specific elements that are geared towards the applied computer science programme, in which the course is embedded. In the U!REKA context, these should be broader in scope.”

Important step

An open course programme for all U!REKA students is not just a matter of plug-and-play. It requires a careful process involving a great deal of consideration and mutual coordination. But precisely this complexity demonstrates that the courses offered, which will be further expanded in the coming months, are an important step forward for all partner institutions, their educational programmes and, above all, their students. In other words, the open U!REKA courses are a not-so-obvious milestone, but a milestone nonetheless.

Check the U!REKA courses on the website: ureka.eu/courses.

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U!REKA supports green and digital transition through EU-funded projects.

Pol Bracke — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 10:58:16 +0000

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U!REKA supports green and digital transition through EU-funded projects.

In the past 2 years, U!REKA European University established several EU-funded projects. These are major milestones that support the green and digital transition, inclusion, and competitiveness in higher education. With this additional funding, they create new opportunities for students, foster entrepreneurship, and address urban and climate challenges through applied research. They also strengthen collaboration within European University alliances and demonstrate the added value of the U!REKA-partnership.

Our projects DEGREE, U!Innovate and CoMaCT, foster new study opportunities for students related to green transition and entrepreneurship and support businesses to get the skilled workforce they need. These projects help students to develop their entrepreneurial skills, and by consequence contribute to enhanced employment in our cities and regions.

In the realm of digital transition, the AI-HED project focuses on responsible and inclusive adoption of artificial intelligence in higher education. It equips students and teaching staff with AI-related skills and provides recommendations for responsible AI integration across European universities.

Other projects address climate-neutrality in cities, such as 4APED, which supports ‘positive energy districts’, and UrbanSwarm, which develops nature-based solutions to tackle urban challenges like extreme weather and biodiversity loss. Besides EU funded projects, U!REKA has secured national funding for projects such as Smart Buildings for Climate Neutral Cities.

Additionally, U!REKA is represented by Metropolia University of Applied Sciences in FOREU4ALL, Future4Alliances, and Inst.All projects. FOREU4ALL is to share best practices between 73 alliances, Future4alliances to suggest sustainable funding models for alliances, and Inst. All to promote inclusion of students in all levels of European University alliances.

These projects are vital for U!REKA’s mission to drive societal impact and provide enhanced opportunities for students and stakeholders, ensuring a sustainable and competitive future for European higher education. They are a complement to our work, and with these additional resources, we can do much more and have a greater impact in collaboration with our partners.

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Making cities more climate-adaptive through small-scale interventions.

Pol Bracke — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 10:33:25 +0000

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Making cities more climate-adaptive through small-scale interventions.

The main question of the U!REKA research project UrbanSWARM, which started on 1 December, is how to make cities climate-adaptive through small-scale, circular and nature-based solutions focusing on sustainable management of water, waste and biodiversity. Funded by the Horizon Europe Programme, the research is therefore responding to a key issue on the European agenda.

Cities are increasingly faced with extreme weather conditions, flooding, loss of biodiversity and waste. Urbanisation causes heat to accumulate in cities. It is often several degrees warmer inside the city, and the lack of greenery means there is hardly any natural cooling. This is more than just a minor inconvenience, as heat has a negative impact on the health of older people and those who are economically vulnerable. More trees and plants are part of the solution: they can drastically reduce the perceived temperature of the environment by providing shade, but they also cool the air through evaporation.

However, planting trees is not always possible, and other solutions are needed. In this context, Amsterdam launched the Schaduwmakers (Shade Makers) project. The city installed cooling designs at various locations, i.e. street furniture that actively contributes to climate adaptation while promoting a sense of connection and ownership among citizens. The Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences is also involved in this. It is therefore no coincidence that the AUAS is coordinating the UrbanSWARM project.

Involving citizens

But it is about more than just creating cooling: often, parts of the urban infrastructure, brownfield sites and hardened surfaces remain underutilised. UrbanSWARM focuses primarily on these locations and on (re)development areas. The project tests temporary and long-term nature-based solutions on a small scale in various Urban Living Labs.

HOGENT has gained experience with such living labs in recent years. Living labs are communities of knowledge and educational institutions, businesses, local authorities and local residents who work together to devise and implement solutions to complex local challenges. They create ownership among local residents.

UrbanSWARM in a nutshell

UrbanSWARM will receive a total of €1.5 million in funding from the HORIZON Europe programme. Within U!REKA, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences is focusing on research topics related to sustainable energy, the circular economy, green cities, etc. AUAS is coordinating the project, and HOGENT and Metropolia are also involved in U!REKA.

In addition, universities of applied sciences from outside the U!REKA network are also joining, as are local authorities, SMEs and private research institutions.

Eveline Seghers, coordinator of the HOGENT research centre Futures Through Design (which participates in UrbanSWARM) explains: ‘In concrete terms, we are looking at how we can use small lost sites, uncultivated green spaces in cities, to make cities more climate-adaptive. For example, by making adjustments that enhance biodiversity, or through initiatives in the field of water circulation and management. Rainwater, for example, can be put to good use.’

Construction and demolition materials can also be reused. For example, there are projects where rubble from renovations is used as roofing, known as “brown roofs”. Because birds leave seeds there and through wind dispersal, that construction waste eventually becomes overgrown and the brown roof evolves into a green roof.

One of the sites on which the research focuses is located in Sint-Niklaas (Belgium). There are also project initiatives in Amsterdam, Utrecht, Valencia and Athens. This provides diversity in climate conditions: in southern European cities, the impact of extreme drought and extreme weather conditions is even more pronounced, and the research also focuses on this particular context.

Neighbourhood upgrading

Climate adaptation strategies often go hand in hand with neighbourhood regeneration, explains Eveline Seghers. “It’s about socio-ecological justice. The presence of green spaces improves citizens’ well-being; the two elements are closely linked. And it goes even further: “multi-species justice” is also a point of attention here. This is a theory that encompasses the interests of all species and ecological systems and is therefore not human-centred but also takes into account the well-being of non-human entities such as animals, plants, rivers and forests.”

Ultimately, UrbanSWARM aims to increase knowledge about circularity and climate adaptation policy among local businesses, citizens and authorities, as this knowledge is still limited, particularly in smaller towns. The research should lead to publications on nature-based solutions, concrete policy advice and targeted action plans, including for the development of living labs.

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U!REKA Week@Frankfurt UAS: Five days of European networking, collaborative learning, and socialising

Franziska Hedrich — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 13:20:23 +0000

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U!REKA Week@Frankfurt UAS: Five days of European networking, collaborative learning, and socialising

What a week! From November 24 to 28, Frankfurt UAS hosted the first U!REKA Week. Around 200 international staff and students from Helsinki, Ghent, Amsterdam, Lisbon, Ostrava, Odessa, Vienna, Edinburgh, Sofia, and Bari had the opportunity to network with their international colleagues, further develop projects, or deepen their collaboration. The main program highlights included the U!REKA job shadowing programme, international guest lectures, and the two-day Urban Circular Hack(athon).

Job shadowing: exchange in everyday working life

In the U!REKA job shadowing programme, around 40 U!REKA employees gained insights into the working methods and organisational structures of Frankfurt UAS. The guests selected in advance those areas that are particularly relevant to their own work. For example, two colleagues from Helsinki and Ostrava spent time in the Marketing and Communications Department. They exchanged ideas with their peers about tasks, processes, and strategies and developed a mutual understanding of their daily challenges.

Urban Circular Hack(athon): New ideas for real challenges

One of the highlights of U!REKA Week was the Urban Circular Hack(athon), which took place for the second time this year. It was aimed at students who worked in interdisciplinary teams to develop innovative approaches to clean energy, urban mobility, and circular lifestyles. They were accompanied by experts from research, politics, and practice.

“U!REKA Week showed how much energy is generated when university members from all over Europe come together. This direct exchange not only strengthens mutual understanding, but also creates concrete starting points for new ideas and the development of solutions for a sustainable Europe,” explains Hanna Leonhard, U!REKA Institutional Coordinator at Frankfurt UAS.

Christmas market, karaoke, and fair trade breakfast

U!REKA Week was rounded off with open workshops, exhibitions, and informal meeting formats: a city tour, a visit to the historic Adlerwerke, a stroll through the Christmas market, a fair trade breakfast, and a karaoke night contributed to an open and warm atmosphere.

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U!REKA Research Days 2025: Driving collaboration for societal impact

Lotte Wijers — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 11:44:58 +0000

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U!REKA Research Days 2025: Driving collaboration for societal impact

In the first week of November 2025, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (AUAS) hosted the U!REKA Research Days, bringing together 130 researchers from nine European partner universities. This annual event serves as a platform for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and innovation, with a shared mission to improve societies and cities through applied research.

Building connections to shape the cities of tomorrow

During the Research Days, researchers pitched their ideas and discovered intersections between their projects, sparking new collaborations. U!REKA empowers researchers by providing better access to funding and resources, fostering meaningful partnerships through its Centres of Expertise.

The overarching goal of the U!REKA alliance is to contribute to climate-neutral and resilient cities. Applied research conducted by universities of applied sciences focuses on tangible applications and solutions, ensuring that academic insights are directly relevant to societal challenges. Researchers emphasised the importance of working together to find solutions and implement them effectively. As one of the key conclusions of the event highlighted, collaboration is essential to shaping the cities of tomorrow.

Exploring climate knowledge together

A standout activity during the Research Days was the Climate Exam, a 35-question test covering diverse aspects of climate change, including technological advancements, societal impacts, and psychological perspectives. This interactive exercise sparked engaging discussions and revealed surprising insights.

For instance, participants were surprised to learn that global pollution is not as straightforward as commonly assumed, challenging preconceived notions about which continents contribute most to climate change. Another key takeaway was the recognition that climate change has been a pressing issue for decades, underscoring the urgency of spreading awareness and inspiring action.

The event also highlighted the importance of diversity in education. With students from various cultural backgrounds, classrooms become hubs for global knowledge exchange. Students can take lessons learned about climate challenges back to their home countries, fostering a broader, more inclusive approach to addressing these issues.

The Climate Exam and subsequent discussions reinforced the vital role of education, dialogue, and collaboration in tackling one of the most pressing challenges of our time.

Making research possible

One of the major benefits of the U!REKA collaboration is the increased accessibility to funding. By pooling resources and expertise, partner universities can operate more efficiently, enabling researchers to carry out applied research sooner and with greater impact.

Projects such as the European partnership Driving Urban Transitions exemplify how U!REKA partners are leveraging their collective strengths to address urban challenges. This project, coordinated by EURAC, researches sustainable and resilient local energy systems. The project addresses energy poverty in Europe by developing a framework based on four energy resilience principles—Availability, Accessibility, Affordability, and Activation of Positive Energy Districts (PEDs). Living labs in four cities apply this approach, with results shared through U!REKA’s European networks and educational partnerships.

More recently, researchers in the fields of health and well-being have joined forces to apply for additional funding, allowing them to accelerate their projects. This is an example of how bottom-up initiatives are leading to greater community ownership and sustainability in applied research. The collaboration within U!REKA enables researchers to combine data sets, test their findings in diverse environments, and bundle information from various contexts.

Students as change agents

Student involvement was one of the key focuses during the Research Days. Miles Weaver, Associate Professor at Napier University, emphasised the transformative power of education:

“The biggest power that we have is in the classroom. The people who will really take action are the students.”

A possibility to fuel student action was a two-day U!REKA workshop brought together 19 students from Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences and from AUAS to explore storytelling, experimentation, and sufficiency as tools for inspiring new ways of thinking about economic growth and sustainability.

With an international mix of bachelor’s and master’s students in climate psychology and economics, the workshop fostered creativity and reflection on what it means to become change agents in a post-growth world. The energy, openness, and curiosity of the participants demonstrated how transformation begins with questioning, imagination, and collaboration.

Learning across borders

The Research Days also provided a platform for partners to learn from each other’s unique contexts and experiences. Oleksandr Litvinov, vice rector from Odesa National Economics University in Ukraine, shared insights into the resilience of Ukraine’s financial system during wartime:

“Even regions under occupation have access to Ukrainian banks. It is very important that we do not have problems with banking, so that we can work and live. It’s one of the pillars of our resistance.”

Such exchanges underscore the value of international collaboration in addressing complex challenges, from climate change to economic resilience.

Looking ahead

Participants expressed a strong desire to continue building connections based on specific research topics. They also emphasised the need for greater student involvement and proposed ideas for enhancing collaboration, such as creating an open-source joint evaluation framework and collecting shared data.

One concrete initiative discussed during the event was the idea of a weekly silent writing retreat, where researchers commit to a two-hour online session to focus on their writing.

The U!REKA Research Days demonstrated the power of collaboration, education, and innovation in driving meaningful change. As researchers, students, and partners continue to work together, the alliance is ready to make a lasting impact on universities and society alike.

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HOGENT is first university of applied sciences in Flanders to become an SDG Ambassador.

Pol Bracke — Sun, 26 Oct 2025 14:10:36 +0000

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HOGENT is first university of applied sciences in Flanders to become an SDG Ambassador.

During the Voka Sustainable Entrepreneurship Day, held on Thursday 23 October at Technopolis Mechelen, HOGENT received the SDG Ambassador certificate, a UN-related recognition. This is a reward for its consistent and thorough sustainability policy, which is guided by the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals). HOGENT is the first university college in Flanders to be awarded the title of SDG Ambassador.

The recognition as SDG Ambassador is the third and final step in a process towards a sustainability strategy and policy that HOGENT launched in September 2021 in collaboration with CIFAL Flanders, a training and expertise centre in the field of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) affiliated with the United Nations. At the same time, it is an incentive and a mandate to continue on the path HOGENT has taken.

The process led to various actions and policy decisions which two years later (November 2023) resulted in recognition as an SDG Pioneer and, barely a year later, the SDG Champion certificate. This swift evolution was the result of HOGENT’s sustained and valued efforts in the areas of climate resilience (including a strong focus on biodiversity, soil softening and management, and CO2 reduction), but also in the areas of sustainable mobility and inclusion, integrity and human rights (for example, in collaboration with partners from a number of African countries with which HOGENT has developed education and research projects). The fact that sustainability has been structurally embedded in the research centres for many years also contributed to the recognition.

Broad support

From the very start, HOGENT also chose to involve employees from as many parts of the organisation as possible, as well as students – who, among other things, helped to establish the Sustainable Office in 2023 – in order to give substance to its sustainability policy and ensure that it enjoyed broad support.

Recognition as an SDG Ambassador is not just about ticking off a list of points for attention. An international jury critically examined the sustainability policy that had been drawn up and assessed, among other things, how it was integrated into the overall organisational strategy and what concrete improvements it had led to.

Master plan

HOGENT’s sustainability policy encompasses various perspectives and does not stand alone, but is embedded in virtually all aspects of the strategy. For instance: the procurement policy is linked to the sustainability and inclusion policy. Infrastructural changes are also subject to a sustainability assessment in advance. Good examples of this are the surroundings of building T and the major renovation work on building C on the Schoonmeersen campus.

“Seeing how these infrastructure works were tackled, integrating elements such as water management, mobility and biodiversity, one cannot but conclude that we have achieved many tangible changes and improvements,” says sustainability coordinator Karen Van Bastelaere, who received the SDG Ambassador certificate.

This interconnection between infrastructure, spatial perception and sustainability in all its aspects is carried on in the infrastructural master plan for the Schoonmeersen campus, which was approved earlier in 2025. In the long term, this master plan provides for a number of additional buildings, but also for more meeting and relaxation areas, greening, biodiversity and attention to the neighbourhood, whereby all these aspects do not interfere with each other, but rather reinforce each other.

Pioneer

She emphasises that HOGENT received a great deal of support during the process from colleagues at Ghent University and other higher education institutions who shared their experiences in this area and with whom they regularly collaborate. Collaboration and sharing is something HOGENT wants to do even more than before: ‘That is an intrinsic part of the title of SDG Ambassador. Being an ambassador means inspiring, being a pioneer, sharing experiences and knowledge,’ Karen Van Bastelaere explains.

“Seeing how the infrastructure works were tackled, integrating elements such as water management, mobility and biodiversity, one cannot but conclude that we have achieved many tangible changes and improvements.”

Karen Van Bastelaere, sustainability coördinator HOGENT

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The importance of applied research on the way to green and sustainable cities.

Pol Bracke — Sun, 26 Oct 2025 13:23:09 +0000

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The importance of applied research on the way to green and sustainable cities.

U!REKA European University can help cities in the climate transition. As an alliance of applied universities, U!REKA contributes to the development of specific solutions, based on a multi-stakeholder approach, with focus on education, research, innovation and service to society. That was the main message during the UIREKA workshop at the European Week of Regions and Cities (EWRC) in Brussels (13-15 October), where two projects were presented as good practices of collaboration between universities of applied sciences and cities: one in Ghent, another in Helsinki. In this article, we focus on Ghent.

“When cities need academic insights related to an aspect of urban development, they mainly turn to universities and they tend to overlook universities of applied sciences”, Liesbet Cosyn says, U!REKA coordinator at HOGENT, who presented at EWCR the REWILD project, a collaboration between HOGENT and the city of Ghent. “Nevertheless, research conducted by universities of applied sciences complements the fundamental research carried out by universities and is much more focused on tangible applications and solutions”, she continues.

Soil softening and greening

The REWILD project, in which two research centres of HOGENT are involved – eCO-CITY and Sustainable Land Use and Mobility, in collaboration with the City of Ghent, proves the added value of applied research. The project, co-funded by the EU, aims to accelerate the green transformation of Ghent. More specifically, it focuses on both soil softening and greening, in places where there is an increasing need for space to work and live.

Through applied research and numerous actual projects on its campuses, HOGENT has acquired specific knowledge and experience in the areas of soil softening, water infiltration, biodiversity, and greening. “This kind of experience and knowledge is at least as valuable as the academic research of the university. It’s not one thing or the other: both approaches are complementary ànd necessary”, Liesbet claims. “Unfortunately, European funding is almost exclusively focused on the number of scientific publications and rankings rather than on the practical applicability and impact of research.”

Quadruple helix

By cooperating within the ‘quadruple helix’ – government, industry, higher education, and civil society – the REWILD project will increase the pace and scale of urban greening efforts, mobilising both public and private partners. It addresses social, technical and financial stumbling blocks and the development of a number of local pilots. The project is based on co-creation concerning innovative greening methods, financial models, cost-efficient maintenance.

The output consists of a systematic and pragmatic framework that can operate with limited resources, while maintaining a fair distribution of responsibilities and benefits. The REWILD project aims to serve as a model for other European cities. The U!REKA European University can act as a facilitator. Because thanks to its strong network and knowhow, U!REKA has already secured considerable European funding for various projects.

“European funding is almost exclusively focused on scientific publications and rankings rather than on the practical applicability and impact of research.”

Liesbet Cosyn,
U!REKA coordinator HOGENT

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Applied Universities: shaping skills, innovation and society.

Pol Bracke — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 12:05:47 +0000

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Applied Universities: shaping skills, innovation and society.

The rectors of the U!REKA European University, an alliance consisting exclusively of universities of applied sciences, emphasize in a common statement the importance of the application-oriented approach of applied universities, closely connected to companies, organisations, and communities, have become indispensable in a changing society. By flexibly combining expertise and perspectives, students of universities of applied sciences develop innovative solutions to complex business and societal challenges.

“We live in a fast-changing world, facing an ever-growing set of societal, economic, and environmental challenges. While science and technology are advancing at an unprecedented pace, their potential is often constrained by recurrent crises. At the same time, citizens and professionals are confronted with an overload of information, not all of it reliable. Knowledge has never been more accessible, yet true insight risks being drowned in masses of data, opinions, and misinformation. Disruptive developments such as automation and artificial intelligence are reshaping established practices across sectors. In this turbulent context, the importance of meta-skills is rising: adaptive and critical thinking, social intelligence, working across disciplines, digital and media literacy, intercultural competences, among others.

That’s why higher education plays a pivotal role in preparing citizens and professionals for the future. In particular, the application-oriented approach of applied universities, closely connected to companies, organisations, and communities, have become indispensable in a changing society. This close connection to society is also reflected in their commitment to fostering and safeguarding European values.

Expertise and ability

Applied universities connect to society first and foremost through their education. They guide an increasingly diverse student body on their journey to become the professionals and European citizens of tomorrow, not narrow hyper-specialists, but versatile practitioners able to apply knowledge and skills across contexts and to act as changemakers. By flexibly combining expertise and perspectives, our students develop innovative solutions to complex business and societal challenges. An expanding educational offer for adult learners further strengthens this societal connection and enables more agile response to emerging developments. Applied universities stand at the intersection of expertise and action, precisely where the professionals of the future are shaped.

Research and impact

Applied universities not only transfer knowledge and skills, they also create them, in close collaboration with students and staff, companies and organisations. Their research is driven by impact—cultural, social, and economic. This research nourishes, inspires and shapes education. It is interwoven with the professional field and society, innovative, solution-oriented, and contributes directly to prosperity and a more sustainable society. Applied university research complements that of research universities and is equally essential. In this sense, they can be seen as universities of connected and engaged sciences.

Shaping the future

In this way, a changing society is not a threat or burden, but an interplay of challenges and opportunities, where change is not simply endured, but actively shaped. The ability to work in uncertain contexts, to remain alert and critical to opportunities, to act consciously and ethically, in personal relations as well as in the interplay between people and technology, lies at the very core of applied universities. Their alumni continuously construct and renew their professional fields as reflective practitioners and change agents. They not only embrace change within their fields but also shape it, drawing on the decisiveness, insight, commitment, and vision, fostered during their education.”

The U!REKA rectors,

Andreas Breinbauer, Kai-Oliver Schocke, Antonio Bélo, Koen Goethals, Riitta Konkola, Naomi Graham, Geleyn Meijer, Igor Ivan.

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Koen Goethals, president HOGENT, is the new chair of U!REKA’s Steering Committee.

Pol Bracke — Sun, 21 Sep 2025 11:25:48 +0000

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Koen Goethals, president HOGENT, is the new chair of U!REKA’s Steering Committee.

Koen Goethals, president of HOGENT, takes over the chairmanship of the U!REKA Steering Committee from Riita Konkola of Metropolia University of Applied Sciences for the next two years.

We asked him about the importance of this chairmanship and the focus he intends to set. “First and foremost, the coordination of the U!REKA European University remains with our Finnish partner Metropolia. U!REKA has a clear project structure with various work packages that we have to report on to the European Commission, so it is certainly not my intention as chair to suddenly implement major changes. That is not within my mandate at all,” explains Koen Goethals.

However, it is up to the chair of the Steering Committee to “keep things together” and ensure that work is carried out with sufficient speed and efficiency. Although things are going quite well in that respect, Koen Goethals emphasises: “We are on track with many of the work packages. At most, a few minor adjustments are needed here and there.”

The chairperson can play an important role in attracting new partners and in profiling U!REKA. “As chairperson, I want to highlight the position of universities of applied sciences in the international higher education landscape. Universities of applied sciences play a complementary role to universities, also internationally. They are not the smaller counterparts of universities, but equals, with their own specific characteristics. Universities of applied sciences can make a difference in Europe because they are more flexible and agile when it comes to responding quickly to the needs of the labour market, for example,” says Koen Goethals, pointing out that he is working with the rectors of the U!REKA partners on a joint statement in this regard, which will be distributed shortly.

“In addition, my chairmanship sends a signal to the Belgian and Flemish governments that HOGENT is a respected partner on the international stage”, he adds pointedly.

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Studying during wartime: daily reality in Odessa.

Pol Bracke — Sun, 21 Sep 2025 11:13:00 +0000

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Studying during wartime: daily reality in Odessa.

Despite the war, Ukrainian universities continue to function and try to adapt to the difficult conditions, introducing innovative educational approaches, and strengthening international cooperation. Even during war, Ukraine’s higher education system remains resilient. One of the institutions is Odessa National Economic University, partner of the U!REKA University Alliance. At the start of the new academic year, they are facing another hard period. We asked some lecturers and students how they cope with this.

Small reminder: the war in Ukraine did not start with the Russian invasion in 2022, but with the Russian occupation of Crimea in 2014 and the military conflict that arose during that period in the Donbas, the regions bordering Russia. The fightings after the invasion caused massive destruction, forcing millions of people to flee their homes.

Higher education has also been heavily affected: universities in occupied areas were evacuated, and many campuses were damaged or destroyed: 4139 education institutions have suffered bombings – 394 of which are completely destroyed and 3745 seriously damaged.

Alarms

At Odessa National Economic University, the material damage caused by the war has so far been limited to broken windows following a bomb strike on a nearby building. Nevertheless, there are a lot of alarms, sometimes several a day, says Krystyna Tarasova (Associate Professor of the Marketing Department, Assistant to the Rector): “The alarms, even if there are no bombings, have a profound impact on our education: every time we all need to hide in our bomb shelters – every building is equipped with shelters – which takes at least 20 minutes, but often we lose close to an hour of our education time. And this time is needed, because it’s very difficult to postpone lessons since many of our students are working students, given the difficult economic situation associated with the war. Continuing the lessons in the shelters is mostly not possible, partly because our shelters are also open for citizens.”

Apart from the alarms, the Odessa university faces electricity blackouts quite often. Therefore, electricity generators are installed and are used for essential academic events, such as dissertation defenses and important meetings.

There was a shift from traditional classes to remote online education. The COVID-19 pandemic gave universities valuable experience in online learning. When the war began in 2022, this digital foundation allowed institutions to continue teaching, despite unprecedented challenges. Nevertheless, the internet connections are unstable, so it didn’t/doesn’t always work out smoothly. By consequence students get more assignments for which they don’t need computers.

Mental health

Many Ukrainian students combine their studies with work or volunteer work, service in territorial defense, or forced displacement. Volunteering and mobilization often lead to interruptions in the learning process and time pressure.

“But this does not mean we change the time frame of the study programmes”, says Svitlana Manzhula (Associate Professor of the Economic Cybernetics and Information Technologies Department). “We obviously take into account the tough circumstances, but we do not offer students more time flexibility to get their degree because of the war. Although the success rate is slightly lower, the difference with the pre-war period is limited.”

“Despite the difficulties, students remain enthusiastic. Sometimes their resilience is an inspiration.”

Natalia Nianchuk, Associate Professor of the Banking Department

“Despite the difficulties, students remain enthusiastic. Sometimes their resilience is an inspiration”, Natalia Nianchuk, Associate Professor of the Banking Department adds.

Nevertheless the students’ mental health has been heavily affected: studies report increased levels of anxiety, depression, and symptoms of post-traumatic stress amongst young people in higher education.
“For many students, the emotional aspect is the hardest part”, explains Zlata, student at ONEU. “Luckily, we get a lot of support from the lecturers. The campus became a kind of mental back-up and the process of education a way of surviving.”
The students and lecturers are developing resilience mechanisms: peer social support, finding meaning in volunteering,… The Odessa National Economic University provides psychosocial support initiatives to help mitigate the negative effects.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that since Russia’s major invasion in 2022, many students – and their families – have fled abroad. Officially, almost seven million people fled the country, but probably this is an underestimation. Amongst them, a lot of students: in the academic year 2023-2024, 115.000 Ukrainians were studying abroad (mainly in Europe, USA, Australia, Canada,…), compared to 21.000 in 2008-2009, an evolution which represents an increase from 2 to 11 per cent of the total student population in Ukraine.

At the same time, more than 5000 scientists left Ukraine after the invasion. International projects and scholarship programs help them continue their research activities.

“Balancing international mobility with strategies to encourage students and researchers to return and contribute to Ukraine’s recovery remains a crucial priority.”

European and global universities have offered strong support to Ukraine through exchange programs, scholarships, and hosting displaced students, ensuring their education could continue despite the war. These initiatives not only provide safety and academic stability but also create valuable international opportunities for Ukrainian youth. At the same time, Ukraine has accelerated its integration into European higher education structures.

Brain drain

This situation, of course, carries the risk of a brain drain. The lecturers of Odessa National Economic University do not see this happening that quickly: most students, researchers and lecturers abroad are still affiliated with Odessa University, and a lot of them claim they will return once the war is over.

Nevertheless, balancing international mobility with strategies to encourage students and researchers to return and contribute to Ukraine’s recovery remains a crucial priority.

In this context, U!REKA European University can play a crucial role. Odessa National Economic University (ONEU) was invited to join the U!REKA alliance to develop cooperation in difficult times. Liliia Zherdetska (Head of the Banking Department) is convinced that joining the U!REKA-network provides ONEU with invaluable support: “It has a lot of potential, from knowledge exchange and joint projects to opportunities for students and staff mobility. At the same time, ONEU offers its partners the unique perspective of a university operating under crisis conditions, contributing to shared research and practice on resilience and social responsibility. Together with U!REKA, ONEU aims to turn challenges into opportunities for mutual growth and stronger European integration.”

The remarkable combination of resilience, innovation, and willingness to collaborate and adapt to difficult circumstances ensures that ONEU is able to continue to function and evolve. “The war makes things difficult for us, but in term of organisation, we got used to cope with it”, says Liliia. “But what I never get used to is the wall with the war victims and the flowers I walk by daily on my way to the campus.”

The post Studying during wartime: daily reality in Odessa. appeared first on U!REKA.

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“Despite the difficulties, students remain enthusiastic. Sometimes their resilience is an inspiration”, Natalia Nianchuk, Associate Professor of the Banking Department adds.

At the same time, more than 5000 scientists left Ukraine after the invasion. International projects and scholarship programs help them continue their research activities.