As ambassadors, students will disseminate information about events and activities, engage with fellow students and staff members, and contribute to the Alliance’s outreach and engagement initiatives. They will actively promote the values and activities of the Arqus Alliance and act as points of contact for students interested in learning more about the Alliance and its programmes.

To ensure the success of the programme, the Arqus Alliance will provide ambassadors with comprehensive training and support, giving them access to resources such as open-source materials, training sessions on effective communication and leadership, and guidance on best practices.

Ambassadors will also benefit from networking opportunities, gain visibility and recognition through the Arqus Alliance’s communication channels, and receive exclusive access to events and resources offered by the Alliance.

Eligibility

The Arqus Student Ambassadors Programme is open to all students enrolled at the member universities of the Arqus Alliance. Eligible candidates should demonstrate a strong interest in international collaboration and cultural exchange, possess good communication skills, and show initiative and creativity. Previous international experience, such as participation in study abroad programmes or language exchanges, will be highly regarded.

Application

Students interested in becoming an Arqus Alliance Ambassador should complete the application form by 15 November, including their CV and a motivation statement that highlights their institutional engagement, experience working with international students, and dedication to promoting international cooperation.

Arqus Student Ambassadors will enhance the student experience and uphold the values of openness, diversity, and excellence in research and education by supporting the Arqus Alliance, promoting cultural exchange, and fostering international collaboration.

To apply, click .

The Arqus Community of Practice “Libraries of the future” invites staff members of the Arqus universities to their hybrid meeting “Impact of AI on Arqus Member Libraries”, organised by the University of Graz on 6 and 7 November 2025.

Over two days, professionals from Arqus member libraries, research offices, and academic departments will come together to discuss the current challenges associated with expanding knowledge and the latest AI-related developments across the Arqus Alliance university libraries.

With contributions from speakers from the University of Graz and other Arqus member institutions, the meeting will address key topics in the field, including:

• Internal opportunities and risks of AI use.
• Library user-centred AI usage.
• Competence building for library staff (prompting, analyses, etc.).

The meeting will include an online part on 6 November and an in-person meeting on 7, where participants will have the opportunity to join a dinner in the evening.

This event is only open to members of the nine Arqus Alliance Universities (Universities of Granada, Graz, Leipzig, Lyon 1, Maynooth, Minho, Padua, Vilnius, and Wrocław), and it is primarily aimed at library staff, however, any Arqus staff member interested in Artificial Intelligence is welcome to attend.

For more information, click .

The Institute of Pedagogy, University of Wrocław, and the Faculty of Education Sciences, University of Granada, joined by the Froebel Department of Primary and Early Childhood Education at Maynooth University, invite the Arqus community to participate in this one-day scientific seminar, which will take place online on 10 November 2025.

This seminar will provide a space for discussing research findings, sharing practical experiences, and engaging in dialogue on how to foster meaningful and sustainable learning environments in kindergarten, school, and outside of it.

Participants will explore innovative, interdisciplinary approaches that bring together the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Outdoor Education, and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics).

Attendees will also have the opportunity to present their research and share examples of good practice. While the seminar is particularly interested in contributions related to its main themes, other innovative approaches to teaching and learning are also welcome.

The registration deadline is:

• 5 November 2025, for participants willing to present their own research and work.
• 9 November 2025, for general participation.

For more information, click .

From 29 September to 1 October, the Arqus Development working group met in Granada to thoroughly analyse the planning programme towards the final report of the second Erasmus+ funding period of the Alliance.

The agenda was packed with essential topics. Participants reviewed the Arqus First Progress Report, laying the foundations for an informed and forward-looking planning process. Looking ahead, the group devoted significant time to designing the updated Alliance Mission Statement.

Another central theme of the meeting was quality assurance. The Arqus Development team examined the Quality Manuals of both the educational offer and the Alliance as a whole and prepared the groundwork for the upcoming quality audit. The development and refinement of Standard Operating Procedures were also high on the agenda, covering the implementation of Key Progress Indicators and the design of joint calls and joint programme accreditation.

In addition, the group addressed the selection of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion indicators, the integration of new digital tools, and the enhancement of the Arqus Strategic Development Dashboard. These discussions aimed to ensure that Arqus can monitor its impact effectively while promoting inclusiveness and accessibility across all its activities.

This meeting in Granada represented a decisive step in strengthening cooperation, refining internal processes, and advancing the long-term strategic vision of the Alliance. The Arqus Development team’s work continues to be crucial in ensuring that Arqus not only maintains but also enhances the quality and relevance of its initiatives in the years ahead.

Arqus launches the six finalist projects of the Arqus International Innovators Award 2025 – vote for your favourite.

The Arqus International Innovators Award is an online competition recognising the most innovative and internationalised start-ups across the Alliance, encouraging students and researchers to present their projects in a European context.

From 6 to 20 October, members of the Arqus community can vote for their favourite business models. The winner will be announced on 22 October at Start Cup Veneto in Padua.

The award helps start-ups showcase their international business models, gain visibility, and create new opportunities for networking and collaboration across Europe.

Following the great success of the Arqus Dives activity on 26 September, organised by the Arqus Café team, registration for the next edition of the Arqus Cafés is now open. The Arqus Café is a virtual or on-site meeting place where students and staff from the Arqus partner universities can practice their language skills outside of the language classroom.

The sessions are not led by teachers but instead by language tutors who are native-level speakers. This is a great way to expand your language and cultural knowledge informally and with other language learners in a relaxed atmosphere. You should have a working knowledge of the language (min. A2/B1) so that you can actively participate in the sessions.

The online cafés will run from 6 October to 12 December. Participants will be able to practice the following languages:

• Albanian
• Arabic
• Chinese
• Dutch
• English
• French
• German
• Italian
• Portuguese
• Russian
• Spanish
• Spanish
• Turkish
• Ukrainian
• Urdu
• Vietnamese

For registration, click .

The University of Lyon 1 invites students to apply for the ArchiFun Doctoral Programme “Architecture, Function and Dynamics in Life Sciences”. The call for applications is open until 2 November. 

ArchiFun is an international doctoral programme established within the Arqus Alliance and coordinated by the University of Lyon 1, focusing on the relationships between structure, function, and dynamics at all levels, from atoms to cells, organisms and ecosystems.

Applications for the third call are now open. A total of 3 doctoral candidates will be recruited to carry out their PhD at the University of Claude Bernard Lyon 1. You can find the list of proposed projects via the following . 

Key dates

• Deadline for applications: 2 November 2025.
• Evaluation process: November 2025.
• Interview phase: November 2025.
• Start of scholarships: 1 January 2026.

Further details about this programme and the open call are available .

����vlog���� Master’s students took part in the Arqus European Studies Summer School 2025 from 3 to 7 July in Bad Hersfeld, Germany. The event, organised by Leipzig University, brought together 23 students from four Arqus partner universities – Granada, Graz, Leipzig and Vilnius – to deepen their knowledge of European Studies.

The summer school was open to students of the Joint Master’s Programme in European Studies as well as to Arqus students from other fields. Participants had the opportunity to strengthen their methodological and conceptual skills in European Studies, particularly with a view to applying them in future research projects and the preparation of their Master’s theses.

The five-day programme opened with a one-day excursion to the Point Alpha Memorial, a historic Cold War site where NATO and the Warsaw Pact confronted each other until 1990. In there, students received a guided tour of the memorial and its exhibitions, engaging in lively discussions on the parallels between that historical moment and present-day challenges.

During the visit, special attention was given to how borders and border practices are represented in the memorial’s historical narrative, and how the emphasis on specific perspectives can shape broader understandings of security and border control.

Following this insightful beginning, the programme continued with a methodological workshop to study the challenges of research design, international relations and European integration theories, as well as specific methods and approaches, to prepare them to accomplish the master’s thesis of the Arqus Master programme in European Studies successfully.

Beyond the academic programme, the summer school also provided networking opportunities where students met peers from across the Arqus Alliance and learned more about the universities where they will spend their upcoming mobility term. Lecturers from all partner universities also took part in the summer school to provide guidance and information.

The University of Wrocław invites the Arqus community to its new workshop, “Microcredentials as a New Form of Education – A Change or a Complement to Traditional Forms of Learning? The Perspective of Italian and Polish Universities”, in Wrocław from Wednesday, 22 October, to Friday, 24 October 2025. 

In this workshop, participants can collaborate to explore and discuss the evolving landscape of microcredentials within higher education, with a particular perspective of Italian and Polish Universities. The programme will explore whether microcredentials serve as a transformative change or a valuable complement to established learning paradigms. 

The comprehensive programme includes interactive workshops, welcome remarks and opportunities for networking and cultural engagement. For more information and registration, click .

To celebrate the European Day of Languages, the Arqus Plurilingual Hub is launching a special edition of the Arqus Café. On this occasion, the Arqus community is invited to explore new languages in a fun and engaging way. On 26 September, Arqus students and staff will have the chance to discover and explore 19 different languages. The event will feature 45-minute slots, each designed for complete beginners, so no previous knowledge is required. After just one short session, participants will be able to greet others, introduce themselves, and much more.

Join us and take your first steps into one (or several) of these 19 online Arqus Dives:

• Vietnamese
• Mandarin (Chinese)
• Lithuanian
• French
• Italian
• Bosnian
• Polish
• Russian
• German
• Flemish
• Irish
• Welsh
• Ukrainian
• Arabic
• Spanish
• Portuguese
• Azerbaijani
• Romanian
• Galician

We invite all Arqus students and staff to join us for this Arqus Café special event on 26 September. Just click on the , fill in the details, and you will get the link to Zoom where the event will take place.

The Arqus Alliance invites educators to the two upcoming Arqus online workshops on Teaching Innovation. These workshops, led by experienced teachers, will focus on specific strategies, methodologies and technologies for active learning, as well as psychological approaches to improving motivation and engagement. They are intended to support Arqus teachers in promoting innovative teaching approaches to make learning more effective and engaging for students.

Collaborative Learning

25 September 2025, 14:00–16:00 CEST

Learning is a social process. Cooperation and collaboration in classes can boost student engagement and retention of input and are thus crucial in improving learning outcomes. This practical session will explain how and why, and at the same time give participants personal experience of a variety of activities that promote effective student-to-student collaboration. The activities can be used in classes of all disciplines and with groups of any size.

Trainer: Jon Wright

For more information and registration, click .

Feedback is important, but feedforward is essential

20 November 2025, 14:00–16:00 (CET)

Most educators are in the habit of providing students with some kind of feedback on their work and contributions in class. However, there is a big difference between giving feedback on what has happened and making it valuable and relevant as a tool for improving students’ performance in future learning activities.

Feedforward adds key elements to traditional feedback, so it is future-oriented and an active component in improving students’ performance. This session will explain what feedforward is and underline why it is a vital companion to feedback. Participants will receive instructions on how to incorporate feedback when teaching in any subject.

Trainer: Jon Wright

For more information and registration, click .

Arqus launches its third joint call for Blended Intensive Programmes, designed and funded by the Erasmus+ programme. Blended Intensive Programmes (BIP) are intensive programmes that use innovative ways of learning and teaching, including the use of online cooperation. These programmes for students and staff must comprise a short-term physical mobility abroad combined with a compulsory virtual component, facilitating a collaborative online learning exchange and teamwork.

The programmes have to be developed and implemented by at least 3 partners from Erasmus+ programme countries, and in this case, at least 2 universities from the Arqus Alliance.

One of the partners will cover the role of coordinator. One of the partners, not necessarily the coordinator, will host the in-presence activities for 5 (min) to 30 (max) days and provide at least 3 ECTS. The home institution of each participant will be responsible for the recognition of the credits in their career, study programme.

The virtual component is compulsory, but there are no constraints on timing or length. The BIP should involve a minimum of mobile participants (10 to 20, depending on the hosting partners) from the universities in the programme country. Participants can be either students (all cycles) or staff.

Contents for both the physical and the virtual component should be co-designed by the partners and can be either interdisciplinary or very specific. Activities must be implemented during the period from January to 31 July 2026.

The call is open until 15 November 2025.

For more information, click .

In the 2025–2026 academic year, ����vlog���� students are invited to take part in the Arqus Plurilingualism Module, which offers the opportunity to begin learning Lithuanian, Norwegian or French at A1 level. Alongside this, participants are encouraged to continue practising a foreign language they already know through informal activities such as the Arqus Café. The module brings together formal courses, informal learning opportunities and theoretical perspectives on language and culture, enabling students to reflect critically on their own learning strategies and cultural experiences.

The programme runs from September 2025 to January 2026 and is delivered online via Microsoft Teams and MOODLE. It comprises 150 academic hours (50 contact hours and 100 hours of independent work) and is free of charge. Students will receive 5 ECTS credits, participants from other Arqus universities will be awarded a certificate of participation. Registration is open from 1 to 16 September.

This year’s module builds on the pilot organised in 2024–2025, which focused on Lithuanian language and culture. Participants of the pilot combined A1 Lithuanian courses with lectures on Lithuania’s culture, language and politics. As one student reflected: “Overall, the multilingual module has provided me with valuable insights into language acquisition, cultural adaptation, and literary representation. Understanding different learning styles has allowed me to reflect on my own approach to language learning. Exploring Lithuania’s sociolinguistic landscape has deepened my awareness of historical influences on multilingualism. Finally, learning about women’s literature in Lithuania added to my cultural knowledge of the country I am now living in. This module has not only enhanced my academic knowledge but also enriched my personal perspective on language and communication in diverse contexts.”

By joining the 2025–2026 module, students will not only gain new language skills but also broaden their cultural horizons and take part in a wider European dialogue on multilingualism. For registration, click .

The universities of the Arqus Alliance, together with the “Scholars at Risk” network, invite you to the screening and discussion of the documentary (2023), which will take place on 23 September at 16:30 at the Small Hall of the “Pasaka” Cinema Theatre (Šv. Ignoto g. 4/3).

The “Refugee Girls” documentary talks about the lives of young refugee girls in Europe. One story follows Afghan student Robina, who is studying at Rome’s La Sapienza University, where she and other refugees are trying to adapt to university life and the new reality of Italy. Another story tells of Sofiia and Bozhena, two Ukrainian girls who integrate at the University of Barcelona while continuing their distance studies in Ukraine. Despite the difficult challenges of forced migration, these young women look to the future with hope.

The film screening will be attended remotely by director Leonardo Cinieri Lombroso and human rights researcher Dr Elisa Gamba, who analyses the inclusion of refugees in university communities. After a brief introduction to the topic, a screening of the film will take place, followed by a discussion that will also present a range of initiatives to support refugee students.

This initiative is being implemented by the University of Padova together with Arqus partners – ����vlog����, the University of Leipzig, the University of Graz, Maynooth University, the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, and members of the “Scholars at Risk” network.

Please register .

This initiative is foreseen as a first step to develop further interactions between Arqus staff and students and to build a strong basis for developing future programmes, activities and mobilities. The selected projects will be carried out through the academic year 2025-2026, enabling about 60 students and 12 lecturers to benefit from the mobility programme.

The response to the call was positive, with 24 proposals submitted from across the Alliance. This enthusiastic participation highlights the strong interest in building cross-institutional collaborations. While many proposals demonstrated excellent quality and high potential, only a small number could be funded.

This is the list of the six projects selected for funding thanks to the Innovation Fund and partners’ resources:

• “Sustainable leadership and innovation: empowering future changemakers”. ����vlog���� and the University of Minho.
• “Urban green transition pathways”. ����vlog���� and the University of Granada.
• “Smart Finance for a greener future: ESG investing and digital-era risk management”. ����vlog���� and Durham University.
• “Greening transitions with AI: Climate, employment and sustainability in action”. The University of Minho and The University of Graz.
• “Energy Network for Advanced Conversion Technologies (ENACT)”. The University of Wrocław and The University of Padua.
• “The controversy over the orthodox concept of God in the late 18th century. Philosophical debates: investigations for a critical genealogy of contemporary secular and post-secular thought”. The University of Padua and Leipzig University.

Is learner autonomy just about studying alone, or is it something much deeper, more collaborative and more critical? How do we help students become truly autonomous learners in today’s digital world? These questions are at the heart of the latest episode of the Arqus Knowledge Pills podcast featuring Professor Marco Cappellini, specialist in Language Sciences at the University of Lyon 1 and co-editor of Learner Autonomy and Web 2.0.

Drawing on years of research in language education, virtual exchanges and teacher training, Professor Cappellini explores how our understanding of autonomy has evolved from individual self-regulation to a more social and reflective process supported by peer interaction and digital tools. He introduces the idea of social autonomy, where learning is shaped not in isolation, but through meaningful collaboration and dialogue, especially in online environments.

The conversation also touches on the role of teachers in fostering learner autonomy: not as distant facilitators, but as active mediators who scaffold learning, guide reflection, and help students navigate complex digital learning spaces. 

How can we support all learners, including those with less access to resources or digital confidence, in becoming autonomous? What kinds of environments and policies are needed to make autonomy an honest and equitable goal?

Don’t miss Episode #42 of Arqus Knowledge Pills, a rich and timely conversation on the future of language education, learner agency and the evolving role of teachers in the digital age. You can listen to the episode .

The new Arqus Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) “Cybersecurity for Citizens and Professionals” is now available to the public on the .

Developed within the framework of the Arqus European University Alliance as part of the Cyberactioning Project, co-funded by the Digital Europe Programme, this course aims to promote digital security skills for a broad audience: from citizens to professionals.

The MOOC was designed and delivered as part of the training activities foreseen in Cyberactioning, a project coordinated by the University of Granada. It was developed by academics and professionals from the project’s diverse consortium of academic and industry partners, including:

• University of Padua, ����vlog���� and University of Minho
• And industry and research partners: IMDEA, AMPED, QASCOM, DIGITALSIGN, EUROTUX, and 4iQ Constella Intelligence

About the course

The course is open and free for all learners. Once enrolled, participants have six weeks of access to the material and can follow it weekly or at their own pace.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

• Apply fundamental cybersecurity principles to safeguard personal and professional data
• Explore various online threats and identify strategies to mitigate them
• Investigate common vulnerabilities in digital systems and how to address them
• Evaluate real-world cybersecurity incidents and extract actionable lessons
• Practice creating secure environments, both at home and in the workplace

Certificate of achievement

Learners who wish to receive a certificate can upgrade the course via Future Learn. To qualify, they must:

• Mark over 90% of the course steps as complete
• Attempt all test questions
• Score above 70%

This course and other exciting learning opportunities will soon be accessible directly through the Arqus Learning Platform, bringing flexible, high-quality training even closer to our university community.

For more information, click .

An experience familiar to all students and researchers: You want to find out more about a topic or a person. That’s why you enter a library, take a book off the shelf and read a chapter or two to expand your knowledge. But what if there was a library where people instead of books were waiting for inquisitive people? People who are willing to behave like open books and answer open questions by recounting chapters from their lives?

This is exactly what PhD student Saumya Sadhu from the University of Graz wants to make possible together with colleagues from the universities of Granada, Lyon 1, Minho and Padua. As part of the Arqus “Human Chapters” project, online events on the topic of “Diversity at universities” are to be created in which all interested people can participate. People who study and work at universities and have experienced diversity will then be waiting for visitors in various rooms.

Tangible stories

Saumya Sadhu explains: “The aim is to enable people to learn more about the reality of life for a wide variety of people. But not through specialised lectures and theory, but directly from people who talk about their lives.” The aim is to make opportunities, problems and solutions tangible.

A platform that is here to stay

According to Sadhu, the funding of the Arqus Innovation Fund is central to the realisation of “Human Chapters”: “One thing was clear to us from the outset: we don’t want to expect our ‘chapters’ to do this without payment. That would be unfair and against our principles.”

Even though the project is only just getting off the ground, Saumya Sadhu and her team already know exactly what they want: “Our events should offer a platform where people can simply speak freely. Experiences should be shared as they were experienced. This can create a space where people can learn first-hand about the experiences of women, people of colour and queer people during their time at university.”

Human Chapters: Join in now!

The first edition of “Human Chapters” is set to take place at the end of 2025. And it won’t just be one event: “Our hope is that we can do this regularly with lots of different people.” That way, as many people as possible can learn from each other and ultimately understand each other better.

Anyone who would like to become a “Human Chapter” themselves and report on their own experiences at one or other event can contact Saumya Sadhu () and become an open book themselves.

Language centre directors from eight Arqus universities and one associate partner met in Granada from 25 to 27 June to focus on the topics of culture and management during their network meeting titled “Bridging cultures and leading change in university language centres: Intercultural and language workshop series for the plurilingualism module”.

The meeting began with a welcome session and an atmospheric evening tour of the Alhambra, Granada’s world-renowned historic palace and fortress. The next day was dedicated to intercultural awareness, with an insightful session led by Maria José Pérez from the University of Granada’s Language Centre. Participants explored key cultural concepts such as the three levels of culture and the distinction between low-context and high-context cultures. These themes will be developed further in future Arqus Plurilingual Hub workshops.

On the second day, Professor Andrés Navarro delivered a session on business models and strategic planning for university language centres. His presentation focused on building institutional vision, generating added value, and strengthening leadership practices.

Professor Roma Kriaučiūnienė from ����vlog����, who took part in the meeting, described the event as both meaningful and necessary. “The interactive lectures and practical workshops were immensely valuable, as were the discussions on intercultural cooperation led by Maria José Pérez from the University of Granada’s Language Centre,” she said.

She emphasised how important it is to foster students’ cultural sensitivity: “We were reminded of the need to continuously nurture students’ awareness of cultural differences – to help them recognise and respect these differences. This is the foundation of smooth and respectful communication in any multilingual and multicultural environment.”
The professor also noted that many of the ideas presented during the event will be reflected in upcoming seminars organised by the Arqus Multilingual and Multicultural Centre.

Reflecting on Professor Navarro’s contribution, she added: “His insights into language centre management models, strategies, and vision were both inspiring and practically useful. Many of his ideas can be creatively applied across the varied management contexts of our Arqus universities.”

This was the seventh meeting of the Arqus Language Centre Directors, and the group plans to meet again next year.

What causes the Earth to suddenly collapse beneath our feet? Can geophysics help us predict – and perhaps even prevent – natural disasters? These are just some of the fascinating questions explored in the latest episode of the Arqus Knowledge Pills podcast with special guest Professor Djamil Al-Halbouni, expert in Applied Geophysics and Remote Sensing at Leipzig University.

In this episode, Professor Al-Halbouni guides us through the invisible forces shaping our landscapes – from sinkholes in the Dead Sea region to erosion in Bronze Age archaeological sites. Drawing on his international research experience and innovative use of numerical simulation, remote sensing and fieldwork, he explains how water-related processes such as subsidence and collapse can reveal urgent insights into both our past and future environments.

The conversation also highlights his recent Arqus course in the Granada Geopark, where students explored how geophysical methods connect natural history with cultural heritage. Geoparks offer unique learning opportunities that bridge science, sustainability and storytelling.

Professor Al-Halbouni also discusses the social impact of natural hazards on vulnerable communities – especially those living along the receding shores of the Dead Sea. He reflects on the potential of new technologies, including AI and satellite data, to support early-warning systems and more resilient planning strategies.

You can listen to the episode .

Programme participants. Photo credit: University of Granada

At the beginning of this year, the Arqus Alliance launched a call for applications for the Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) based on challenge-based learning. Professor Egidijus Rimkus from the Faculty of Chemistry and Geosciences at ����vlog���� (VU) and six VU students seized this opportunity to join the programme. Participants explored the causes and consequences of climate change, examined potential solutions, and looked into ways to strengthen climate resilience.

The programme was based on a hybrid learning model, combining remote lectures, a challenge-based collaborative research project, and in-person meetings at the University of Granada. “It was a valuable experience – I would recommend it to everyone, whether they are students or teaching staff. The activities were well-organised, timely, structured, and meaningful,” said Prof. Rimkus.

Solving climate issues through interdisciplinary cooperation

According to the Professor, one of the VU team’s key strategies was to ensure interdisciplinarity by selecting students from different fields and faculties: “Topics such as climate change, market dynamics, or social issues are highly interdisciplinary and require a variety of perspectives. That’s why we aimed to include students from different VU faculties; it’s the only way to take a truly holistic view of global challenges. And it worked – the students tackled issues beyond a single discipline's boundaries.”

The six VU students represented political science, law, sociology, geography, and pharmacy. This diversity enriched discussions by introducing multiple perspectives and deepening theoretical as well as practical understanding of climate-related challenges.

During the week-long session at the University of Granada, students attended lectures that covered the links between health, environmental protection, and climate change. They discussed the importance of rare earth elements in technologies used to combat climate issues. “We had a very intensive week, with classes running all day – from morning to evening. The students worked in international teams, tackled issues, shared ideas, and proposed solutions. It was an exciting and valuable experience,” added the Professor.

From scientific theory to practical sustainability solutions

One of the participants – Miglė Kapliukaitė, a student from the VU Faculty of Medicine – highlighted that the project not only deepened the participants’ academic knowledge but also introduced them to practical initiatives: “Together with lecturers and students from Poland, Portugal, and Spain, we explored topics related to climate change. In Spain, we visited a company working on innovative physical solutions and the largest vegetable supplier in Europe, which operates on sustainable business principles – their vegetables can often be found in Lithuanian stores, too.”

According to the pharmacy student, one of the most valuable aspects was the intersection of different disciplines: “Discussing climate issues from so many different angles was incredibly engaging.”

At the end of the programme, the students completed a creative task – a presentation on Vilnius as a green capital. “In our final assignment, our team analysed the sustainability-related challenges still relevant in Vilnius and identified areas where significant progress could be made. We also looked at examples of best practice and reviewed successful solutions already being implemented in the city,” said Gabija Bakutytė, a student at the VU Faculty of Chemistry and Geosciences.

Both personal and academic experience

According to geography student Gabija Bakutytė, the programme provided valuable insights and lasting memories: “Participating in the Arqus programme gave me some of the best memories – it deepened my knowledge and broadened my perspective. It was an incredibly enriching opportunity to attend interesting lectures on scientific topics, engage in discussions, meet new people, and get to know the host country through guided excursions and personal exploration. Ultimately, I returned home with many unforgettable moments and new friendships.”

Prof. Rimkus noted that the experience was meaningful on both an academic and personal level for all participants. He emphasised that students remained highly motivated throughout the programme: “The students were truly engaged – not only did they complete the assignments, but they also later integrated them into their studies. One student even chose her final thesis topic based on what she experienced and learnt during the programme. It mattered to them – not just as a professional subject, but as something personally meaningful.”

The Arqus Alliance consistently develops its international mobility programmes for students and academic staff alike. These initiatives offer opportunities to gain interdisciplinary knowledge, collaborate with international teams, and analyse pressing societal challenges. “I would strongly recommend the Arqus programmes to anyone looking for broader opportunities,” said Gabija Bakutytė, urging other students to make the most of what the University has to offer.