HEROES Alliance met in Halmstad to strengthen collaboration and shared progress
October 21–23, 2025 – Halmstad, Sweden
Around 120 representatives from nine higher education institutions gather in Halmstad for the semi-annual conference of the HEROES European University Alliance. The meeting brought 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.
The event is particularly important because it granted 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 that was 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 was 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 was also looked 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 was 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 was served as a key moment of alignment — connecting different strands of work and transforming collective ideas into practical, shared action.
