Around 120 representatives from nine higher education institutions will gather in Halmstad, Sweden for the semi-annual conference of the HEROES European University Alliance on 21–23 October 2025. The meeting will bring together academic, administrative, and student representatives to review the alliance’s progress and to coordinate next steps toward building a more connected, innovative, and resilient European higher education community. More than ten representatives from SEAMK, including both staff and students, will attend the meeting. This diverse group will contribute valuable perspectives and ensure broad participation from SEAMK within the HEROES Alliance’s collaborative efforts.
The event is particularly important because it provides an opportunity for experts from different working groups to meet face-to-face, not only to discuss their own progress, but also to organise cross-package meetings that connect various thematic areas. These exchanges are essential for understanding the broader context of the alliance’s work and for shaping more coherent and effective joint solutions.
Among the topics to be discussed is the development of a Common Quality Assurance Framework, which is now being refined into a shorter and more flexible format to ensure consistent quality standards across all educational activities within the alliance.
Participants will also focus on strengthening joint initiatives in teaching and research cooperation, including the ongoing mapping of laboratory infrastructure and practices related to sharing equipment and expertise. These discussions aim to build stronger connections between research teams and to explore ways to align institutional approaches to laboratory management and access.
The meeting will also look ahead to the next phase of joint staff training initiatives, planned to start in 2026, following the publication of shared professional development guidelines prepared under the first phase of work. At the same time, partners will exchange ideas within the HEROES Sandbox – an experimental space supporting small-scale pilot projects that strengthen resilience, well-being, and community across the alliance.
Other sessions will focus on solutions for the HEROES Virtual Campus and on developing joint mobility promotion strategies to increase engagement among students and staff.
By bringing together all working groups, leadership, and students, the Halmstad meeting will serve as a key moment of alignment — connecting different strands of work and transforming collective ideas into practical, shared action.