Stories

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.