CU takes baton from Sorbonne at annual 4EU+ meeting ****************************************************************************************** * Charles University takes baton from Sorbonne at annual 4EU+ Alliance meeting ****************************************************************************************** This week saw the holding of the annual meeting of the 4EU+ Alliance that brings together six top schools, including Charles University. Following Sorbonne University, CU took over presidency of the alliance, during which it outlined priorities over the coming months. Ch will be focusing on quality of education and the removal of barriers to open alliance acti greater number of students. On Monday, CU’s Rector Tomáš Zima formally took the baton from Sorbonne University’s Jean “Originally, we hoped to meet with our colleagues here in Prague, but we transferred all o online due to the coronavirus pandemic,” Zima explained. The alliance meeting, bringing together representatives from all six schools, saw a number and online discussions with students. In the afternoon, proceedings were broadcast live an Among noted speakers in the afternoon were the Czech Republic’s Minister of Foreign Affair Deputy Education Minister Václav Velčovský as well as the German, French and Italian ambas European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth Mariya Gabrie The German ambassador to Prague Christoph Israng tweeted during the annual conference, exp for greater cooperation slated between alliance members, including the University of Heide Roundtable discussion on science and education Part of the afternoon schedule was devoted to a public roundtable discussion on the topic between science and education. CU’s Rector Tomáš Zima, European Commission representatives rectors of the universities of Heidelberg and Copenhagen took part. Other participants inc Debiais-Sainton, the head of the unit in charge of Higher Education policies and programme Commission's Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, and Apostolia Ka of the unit in charge of Academic R&I and Research Organisations, Directorate General for Innovation at the EC. Three student representatives also took part in the discussion. The 4EU+ Alliance was formed three years ago with the aim of improving cooperation in educ and mobility between top European universities: Charles University, Sorbonne University, t of Warsaw, the University of Milan and the University of Copenhagen. Cooperation takes pla areas, so-called “Flagships” 1 through 4, focusing on the following major topics: Health a change in an urban environment, Europe in a changing world, Transforming science and socie Biodiversity and sustainable development. Cooperation in the time of coronavirus Like all aspects of life, the alliance has also been affected by the pandemic but continue and to meet set goals. Many events or meetings which would have taken place in person are student mobility has of course been affected, says CU’s Vice-Rector for European Affairs L restrictions have redoubled emphasis on the digitalisation of education and learning, whic 4EU+ original goals. “We weren’t sure at the start how we would implement some of those projects but the pandem it was possible to meet our goals over a short period,” the vice-rector said. Among the mo aspects, says Rovná, is the enormous dedication and trust in moving forward together and d cooperation; already there have been many positives from the sharing of expert databases t such as scientific publications. As it takes up the presidency, Charles University will aim to meet three main goals: to ov founding of a new Academic Council made up of 30 members (five from each university) to ac capacity for rectors, and to interconnect university management and academics. To erase further barriers in education and science, pushing for cross-recognition of schoo agreeing on the definition of a European degree. And to significantly boost student involvement and participation in all 4EU+ alliance acti You can learn more about the alliance and alliance projects here [ URL "https://4euplus.eu If you'd like to watch the video of the conference that was open to the public, click here www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMnZaT7NUxM&ab_channel=UniverzitaKarlova"] . ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 4EU+░by░the░numbers:░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ Students:░286░940░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ Academics:░23░680░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ Other░personnel:░26░350░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ Erasmus+░projects:░243░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ Finance░Horizon░2020:░368░M€░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ Number░of░ERC░projects:░115░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░