
ATHENA holds a four-day congress at Cusano University in Rome
ATHENA held a four-day congress in Rome, Italy, from the 2nd to the 5th of May 2023. The event took place at Cusano University and brought together more than 120 participants including ATHENA rectors, national project coordinators, the president of ESN ATHENA, students’ national representatives, and a group of Athenians arising from ten EU countries. The first day, Tuesday the 2nd of May, was dedicated to promoting industry connections in the area of Rome and the Unicusano network. On May 3rd, a welcome session was held, followed by plenary sessions focused on discussing and reviewing the progress of the various dimensions of ATHENA, including education, research, branding, industry, and infrastructure, among others.
The third day, May 4th, was devoted to parallel workshops focused on the key topics currently being deployed at ATHENA. These sessions took place in the New Building, with several classrooms designated for each WP. Participants were able to take part in discussions with group leaders and other members, exchanging ideas and recommendations. Each workshop generated a task list that will guide the work for the next months until the coming meeting to be held in Siegen after the summer.
The fourth day featured a plenary session with guest speakers and a presentation by the Carinthia University of Applied Sciences, an associated partner. Participants also had the opportunity to report on the parallel workshops held the day before.
The event concluded at Trajan’s Market on May 5th, following a tour of the campus and a tour of the markets earlier in the day. Project coordinators expressed satisfaction with the progress made and discussed future perspectives for the project.
ATHENA is a collaborative effort aimed at promoting transnational and inclusive education, research, and innovation, generating new paradigms for the future of the European Higher Education and Research Area. The event in Rome was seen as a successful step towards achieving the project’s objectives, promoting collaboration among its members, and installing the ATHENA European University. The warm welcome and all the care from Italian friends were key to such a successful meeting.
Ci vediamo, Roma!