U!REKA

ISCAL International Days 2026
2026-04-14 - 2026-04-17 | Polytechnic University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
The ISCAL International Days 2026 will consist of a mix of research conferences, round tables, discussion groups, and lectures to be held by the participants in their respective field.
The event aims to be a platform for academics from different countries and disciplines within the social sciences, such as law, management, accountancy, business administration, finance, and international relations, to share their teaching and research interests, good practices, and to network.
A full programme with activities will be circulated soon.
Participants can engage by:

Introducing their home institution on a pitch format;
Delivering a paper at the International Conference;
Delivering an open lecture on a topic of choice;
Participating in workshops and roundtables.

Intent of participation | Register now until 15 November 2025:
https://forms.office.com/e/k0nKiYwtyt

Further information:
The mobility can be funded primarily through Erasmus+, but national or institutional programs may also be available, depending on your home university. Please contact your Erasmus+/ alternative funding coordinator for more information.

Call for papers: DGWF Annual Conference 2026 | Future Lab Continuing Education: New Scenarios for Lifelong Learning
2026-04-15 | Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, Nibelungenplatz 1, Frankfurt, 60311, Germany
Under the title “Future Lab Continuing Education” the DGWF Annual Conference 2026 invites participants to develop, discuss, and reflect on new scenarios for continuing education. The focus is on the systematic development, discussion, and classification of future endeavours that could be significant in the context of continuing education—in terms of content and target groups, as well as formats, governance, framework conditions, and social impact.
The aim is to identify different possible visions of the future and explore their implications for education policy, academic institutions, and professional practice, as well as synergies with undergraduate teaching. What possible, probable, and desirable futures will shape the continuing education of tomorrow—and how can we shape them actively today? How could continuing education position itself in different visions of the future? What skills, structures, and formats would be conceivable? And how can universities and continuing education institutions make and pave the way for bold and strategically necessary decisions?
A particular focus will be placed on international university partners – for example, from European university alliances and other global collaborations, to open a broader international perspective. What future developments are conceivable in this context? How can we jointly shape an international educational space characterized by openness, mobility, digital connectivity, and shared responsibility for education and research? What role can continuing education play here, drawing on its strengths in openness, flexible formats, diversity, and didactic innovation?
More information: https://dgwf.net/dgwf-annual-conference-2026

U!REKA EduForum - Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa (IPL)
2026-04-15 12:30 - 14:30 (Europe/Paris) | online MS Teams
Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa (IPL) is pleased to invite teachers, researchers, administrative staff and all stakeholders to its online U!REKA EduForum:
12.30 – 12.45h Welcome and overview of the U!REKA Project in 2026
Maria João Centeno, IPL
12.45 – 13.00h Presenting the Connects 2026 event and U!REKA Microcredential Framework
Antónia Estrela & Dalila Lino, ESELx
13.00 – 13.45h Gentrification, touristification, and social (in)sustainability in Lisbon’s historic center
Luís Mendes, ESELx
13.45 – 14.30 Play as a source of meaningful learning and wellbeing in higher education*
Sylvia Hakari, Metropolia University of Appplied Sciences

Registration here.
*In English
All the other presentations will be held in Portuguese.
We are looking forward to see you and connect online!

AI in je onderwijspraktijk: reflectiefiche (Dutch spoken)
2026-04-20 16:00 - 16:45 (Europe/Helsinki)
AI in je onderwijspraktijk: reflectiefiche (Dutch spoken)

Mon 20 April 16-16.45h CEST
Content: ontdek hoe de AI‑reflectiefiche je helpt om het gebruik, misbruik én de kansen van AI in je onderwijspraktijk in kaart te brengen. We kijken verder dan evaluatie alleen en nemen de volledige onderwijspraktijk onder de loep. Daarnaast bekijken we de AI‑validiteitscheck, die je op een heel hands‑on manier laat inschatten hoe valide je evaluaties vandaag nog zijn in tijden van AI. Een ideale teaser om daarna met je hele team verder aan de slag te gaan.
Trainer: Maud Vanderbeck (maud.vanderbeck@hogent.be) en Karen Baert (karen.baert@hogent.be)
REGISTER HERE

Creating Interactive Learning Environments with H5P
2026-04-22 14:00 - 16:30 (Europe/Helsinki)
Creating Interactive Learning Environments with H5P in the LMS „campUAS“ of Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences
Wednesday 22 April – 14.00-15.30h CEST
Content: This workshop introduces the interactive capabilities of H5P within the campUAS learning platform. Participants explore how interactive learning activities can be used to support formative assessment, engagement, and active learning.Through guided demonstrations and hands-on practice, participants develop practical application scenarios and create their own interactive content using H5P. The workshop highlights how interactive elements can be efficiently integrated into existing courses to enhance student participation and provide structured learning feedback.In addition to practical implementation, the session offers space for exchange of experiences and peer networking among educators.
Learning outcomes:
After completing this workshop, participants will be able to:

Explain the pedagogical value of interactive learning activities for formative assessment and student engagement.
Design and create interactive learning elements using H5P within the LMS Platform of Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences „campUAS“.
Integrate interactive activities into their own teaching scenarios in a pedagogically meaningful way.
Evaluate the effectiveness of interactive learning tasks in supporting student learning.
Apply strategies to efficiently develop and reuse interactive content.

Trainer: : Bernhard Karakoulakis (karakoulakis@fra-uas.de)
REGISTER HERE

Call for nominations: U!REKA Awards
2026-05-11 - 2026-06-21 | Polytechnic University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
The U!REKA Awards will be presented at the U!REKA Connects 2026 in Lisbon. All members of the U!REKA community are kindly invited to nominate outstanding individuals or teams who have made a significant impact in one (or more) of the following categories during the academic year 2025-2026, aligning with the three values of U!REKA: co-creation, inclusion and boldness.
How to participate

Submit your nominations until 11 May 2026.
You may nominate individuals (students or staff) or teams. Self-nominations are also allowed!
The nominations must be related to inter-institutional collaboration in the U!REKA context.
The winners will be selected jointly by the U!REKA Institutional Coordinators.
The awards will be presented at the U!REKA Connects 2026 in Lisbon, on 25 June.

More information and form for nominations: https://urekaconnects2026.ipl.pt/awards/

Workshop The Sustainable Team: Mastering Synergy and Creativity in a Changing World
2026-05-12 09:00 - 14:00 (Europe/Helsinki) | Online
Too much to do, not enough energy? Let’s rethink how we work TOGETHER. Join our U!Innovate workshop The Sustainable Team: Mastering Synergy and Creativity in a Changing World and discover how to build teams that collaborate better, stay creative, and avoid burnout. We’ll focus on energy management and effective collaboration in today’s evolving academic environment.
The workshop takes place in two consecutive sessions: the first focuses on communication, resilience, and the team’s internal sustainability, while the second develops creativity and team synergy.
When?
Part 1: Tuesday, May 12, 2026, from 09:00 to 14:00 (CET)
Part 2: Tuesday, May 19, 2026, from 09:00 to 14:00 (CET)
Speaker
Martina Schneiderová is an academic at the Department of Social Sciences at VŠB-TUO, where she teaches and contributes to research and development projects, particularly in crisis and stress management and the development of soft skills. She collaborates with professional and volunteer emergency services, as well as companies and organizations, on training, coaching, and competency development.
Registration
Please click here.
Open to all academic and non-academic staff.
The workshop will be held in English.

Gentrification, touristification and social (un)sustainability: a comparative European cities analysis
2026-05-12 11:00 - 13:00 (Europe/Helsinki)
12 may, 11h-13h CET
Online
Content
This activity focuses on the processes of gentrification and touristification in the inner city and their implications for social (un)sustainability, with particular emphasis on housing rights and urban justice. Using the historic neighbourhood of Mouraria, Lisbon, as a case study, the activity aims to promote critical understanding of contemporary urban transformations and their social impacts. It is organised in two complementary parts that combine theoretical reflection with participatory learning.
The first part consists of a one-hour thematic presentation and discussion addressing key concepts such as gentrification, touristification, social sustainability, and the right to the city, contextualised within the recent urban and housing dynamics of central areas of different European cities. Special attention is given to the role of tourism, short-term rentals, and urban regeneration policies in reshaping neighbourhoods and intensifying displacement pressures on long-term and vulnerable residents.
The second part involves a role-play exercise based on a realistic eviction scenario in Mouraria, in which participants represent different social actors, including municipal housing officials, housing rights associations, tenants, and property owners. Through structured interaction and negotiation, participants develop critical thinking, argumentation, empathy, and civic competences. The role-play highlights the pedagogical value of experiential learning in understanding complex urban conflicts and exploring the possibilities and limitations of policy responses and collective action.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this two-hour session, participants will:

Develop a critical understanding of the processes of gentrification and touristification and their implications for social (un)sustainability in inner-city contexts, as U!REKA cities contexts.
Examine the relationship between urban transformation, housing rights, and urban justice, with particular attention to vulnerable populations.
Analyse the role of tourism, short-term rentals, and urban regeneration policies in shaping contemporary European cities.
Engage with the concept of the “right to the city” as a framework for interpreting urban change and social inequalities.
Apply theoretical knowledge to a real-world case study (Mouraria, Lisbon) through participatory and experiential learning methods.

Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the session, participants will be able to:

Define and critically discuss key concepts such as gentrification, touristification, social sustainability, and the right to the city.
Identify and evaluate the social impacts of urban transformation processes, particularly in relation to displacement and housing precarity.
Compare urban dynamics across different European contexts, recognising common patterns and specificities.
Apply negotiation, argumentation, and critical thinking skills in a simulated policy and eviction scenario.
Reflect on the ethical, social, and political dimensions of housing and urban policy decisions.

Teacher: Luis Mendez
REGISTER HERE

Improving inclusion in internationalisation - Hidden curriculum and boundary-crossing collaboration
2026-05-12 13:00 (Europe/Helsinki) | online MS Teams
Date: May 12th 13.00-16.00 CET
Trainers: Tiina Piipponen (tiina.piipponen@metropolia.fi) and Carla van den Heuvel (c.van.den.heuvel@hva.nl)
Content:
Important elements of improving inclusion in internationalisation are hidden curriculum and boundary-crossing collaboration. This introductory workshop is based on the ICI training programme that has been designed to support the participants to address institutional issues that hinder students to benefit from internationalisation, related to their background and characteristics.
The online workshop covers:

Introduction to the ICI project

The hidden curriculum and involving ALL students
Boundary-crossing collaboration with stakeholders

Conclusions and wrap-up

Learning outcomes:
After completion of the workshop participants are able to:

Explain the relevance and need for inclusive Internationalisation
Give examples of exclusionary practices at their own institution
Explain the concept of the hidden curriculum and explain the impact of the hidden curriculum on student participation in internationalisation at home and abroad
Identify relevant stakeholders and explain the concept of boundary crossing and its impact on collaboration with diverse groups and stakeholders.

REGISTER HERE

International Week @ Frankfurt UAS | Faculty for Social Work and Health
2026-05-18 - 2026-05-22 | Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, Nibelungenplatz 1, Frankfurt, 60311, Germany
Under the motto “Urban Futures: Health and Social Sustainability,” the Faculty for Social Work and Health at Frankfurt UAS will welcome guest speakers from universities and organizations from across Africa, Asia, Europe and North America during the 33. International Week. The International Week will take place from May 18-22, 2026 and provides an exciting opportunity to learn more about social work and health care in a global context and to contribute perspectives from U!REKA partners as a guest lecturer.
Additional events within an Erasmus Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) “Be the Change – Advancing Urban Sustainability and Health in Metropolitan Regions” will be integrated into the International Week. The BIP includes the international conference and research day “Disaster Risk Reduction in Care and Social Work: Transnational Learning Lab” from May 20-21, 2026. This is a collaborative event of the TransKat research project (funded by VolkswagenStiftung), the U!REKA European University, and the City of Worms.
Interested or want to learn more? Find out more on our website or contact Maya Robinson at international@fb4.fra-uas.de.
The complete program will be published in April.
Join in as a guest lecturer to make global connections and experience Frankfurt!

COIL and BIP design course (3 sessions)
2026-05-28 10:00 (Europe/Helsinki) | online MS Teams
Content:
COIL and BIP Design is a 3 week course for teachers and their international partners to design their online collaboration project.
Training dates: 28 May, 4 June, 11 June, 10-12h
Trainer: Ava HAUG (Amsterdam UAS)
The following topics are facilitated:

Internationalising your learning outcomes for online collaboration
Icebreakers and the importance of online social presence – Collaborative activities
Reflection of the intercultural learning process
Assessment and evaluation of student learning
Choosing the educational technology to support your design
Getting students ready for COIL
Facilitating a COIL as international colleagues
BIP: designing complementary online and on-site activities

Learning outcomes:
Upon completion of the workshop, the participants will:

be able to internationalise their learning outcomes and develop aligned assessment for student learning
be able to develop and facilitate online, international collaborative activities and choose the appropriate technology
be able to prepare their students for the experience and address motivation for intercultural collaboration
have a completed COIL Project Plan that describes their project and is ready for implementation
(specific to BIP) have decided how the online engagement and the on-site activities complement each other and support the project learning objectives

REGISTER HERE

Erasmus+ BIP for staff: Libraries for a Sustainable Future
2026-06-01 - 2026-06-05 | Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
Join the Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) “Library for a Sustainable Future” organized by Haaga-Helia UAS in collaboration with Metropolia UAS and Laurea UAS.
The immersive professional week takes you to Helsinki to explore the future of libraries and information services together with colleagues from three different European University Alliances – Ulysseus, U!REKA and PIONEER.
In this exciting programme, we explore the current topics and future challenges by diving into the themes of artificial intelligence, open science, and sustainability. Participants will visit four different campuses and several iconic libraries in Helsinki.
BIP: Libraries for a Sustainable Future
Physical part in Helsinki: 1-5 June 2026
Virtual part: 5 May 2026 at 9-11 CET
Website
Go to BIP website and learn more about the programme.
Registration
Registration until 15 February 2026. U!REKA affiliates, please register via this link, preferably before the end of January.
Erasmus+ Mobility Documents
Haaga-Helia UAS serves as the official host institution and will take care of all Erasmus+ Staff Mobility Agreements. After the registration, participants will receive instructions for Erasmus+ formalities.
More information
For more information, contact:

Haaga-Helia International Services: Hanna Mikkonen, hanna.mikkonen@haaga-helia.fi
Metropolia International Services: Terhi Topi, terhi.topi@metropolia.fi

U!REKA Connects 2026
2026-06-23 - 2026-06-25 | Polytechnic University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
U!REKA hosts an annual in-person networking event, held each year by a different partner institution.
The U!REKA Connects 2026 will take place in Lisbon from 23 to 25 June. This flagship moment brings the alliance together to reinforce existing collaborations, spark new joint initiatives, and exchange expertise through interactive workshops, presentations and other collaborative formats.
You can take part in the event by presenting a paper, poster or workshop — or simply by attending and engaging in the discussions.

Connects Themes
1. Collaborative and challenge-based methodologies for a sustainable and digital future

2. Co-creating climate-neutral and smart cities
3. Inclusive universities

4. U!REKA community voices: experiences, projects and new ideas

Please, register here until 17 May.
More information about the event available here.
