Participation in UNIC alliance gives new European possibilities to the whole academic and city community. It underlines the desire of both the university and the city to invest in innovative research and education, which have a significant influence on designing social impact and creating international visibility. We look forward to further cooperation between researchers, students and administrative staff as part of an international partnership of 10 leading academic centres
- comments Professor Elżbieta Żądzińska, Rector of the University of Lodz.
The new Mission 2.0 provides a detailed list of activities and initiatives up to 2024 for students, researchers and administrative staff. Particular attention is given to increased mobility, which is to be facilitated by hybrid campuses providing both course offers, in which the entire academic community can participate virtually, as well as research programmes, seminars and micro-credentials, which are confirmations of learning outcomes achieved during a short educational experience (e.g. a course or training).
Based on the foundations established in 2020, the Mission Statement 2.0 also proposes to change the name of the alliance from European University of Post-Industrial Cities to European University of Cities in Post-Industrial Transition. It underlines UNIC's renewed goals for the upcoming years, mainly unlocking the models of inter-institutional learning, teaching and research, which should be deeply engaged with diverse post-industrial urban ecosystems. The alliance's new mission also extends to citizens across Europe, as increased emphasis has been placed on the UNIC alliance's flagship project, 'CityLabs', which creates opportunities for knowledge exchange between universities and cities in which they are embedded.
The Alliance is establishing new programmes that reflect the renewed mission: the Seed Fund for Collaborative Engaged Research Projects was launched in December 2022, and the charter for the UNIC Centre for City Futures will be announced in February 2023. UNIC's innovative Hybrid Campus will lay the groundwork for cutting-edge mutual exchanges, opening up Blended Intensive Programs, virtual courses and joint degrees so as to integrate the community of students, researchers and citizens.
UNIC initiatives benefit nearly 20 million citizens, students, workers and researchers in post-industrial cities across Europe. The next phase of this alliance aims to further develop knowledge that will influence collaboration, innovation and integration within the cities in which the alliance's academic centres are located.
We are ten universities from ten very different parts of Europe but we are connected by history, present and future. Our impact lies in educating students as change agents of the future. UNIC aims to establish a positive model for bringing together learning, research and innovation involved in aid and urban transformation that will define Europe's future
- said Prof Ed Brinksma, President of the Erasmus University Rotterdam.
The Joint Mission Statement 2.0 will form the basis of UNIC's proposal for its next phase. The new proposal, signed by 10 universities, will be submitted later this month to the European Commission's European University Initiative.
Source: UNIC
Edit: Communications and PR Centre, University of Lodz; Katarzyna Liberska - Kindermann