From 5 to 9 October, staff and representatives from the European university alliance EMERGE gathered at the Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences (INN). Nine working groups met at the Lillehammer, Evenstad, Hamar and Elverum campuses to work on shared priorities, including research, education, quality assurance, IT solutions and strategic development.
For INN, hosting the event is an important part of its efforts to develop international cooperation and strengthen the university’s European connections.
‘I am convinced that EMERGE is the most important initiative we have for strengthening our international engagement,’ says Rector Peer Jacob Svenkerud in his welcome address.
Addressing shared challenges
EMERGE brings together universities from eight European countries: Ireland, France, Germany, Norway, Slovakia, Spain, Greece and Cyprus. The aim is to strengthen cooperation between the institutions and create new opportunities for students, staff, academic communities and the regions in which the universities are based.
For Svenkerud, it is important that the collaboration also encourages the universities to look beyond their individual institutions:
"All the discussions this week are important. And perhaps, taken together, they can contribute to a shared European response to some of the developments we are seeing around us. We are stronger together."
Staff Week has given participants the opportunity to meet in person, share experiences and work practically on tasks and objectives for the alliance. At the same time, the gatherings have provided opportunities to learn more about one another’s academic communities and areas of expertise.
"Through EMERGE, we can further strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration. Partnerships like this give us access to expertise from across the alliance, including expertise that may not necessarily be available at our own institution," Svenkerud emphasises.
Showcasing INN and Innlandet
During Staff Week, INN had the opportunity to showcase its Lillehammer, Hamar, Evenstad and Elverum campuses.
One of the highlights in Lillehammer was the opening of the EMERGE hub. It will serve as a focal point for collaboration and help raise the alliance’s profile at INN.
A presentation on lifelong learning was also delivered by project manager Irene Thorsplass and Associate Professor Brit Svoen from the Centre for Lifelong Learning (SELL). Flexible lifelong learning for adults is a priority area within EMERGE, led by INN.
Rector Peer Jacob Svenkerud and EMERGE student ambassador Jade Hauan officially opened the hub in Lillehammer – a space where staff and students can interact and engage with regional stakeholders.
Associate Professor Brit Svoen and Project Manager Irene Thorsplass give a presentation on lifelong learning. Each of the nine universities in the alliance has selected themes and target groups for a range of micro-credentials, which will be developed to build the skills and expertise needed in their respective regions.
It was a sunny day in Evenstad, along the River Glomma – something the visitors greatly appreciated.
Communications colleagues met to work on website development, visual content production and engagement with external stakeholders and potential partners.
EMERGE Staff Week was not only an opportunity for colleagues to meet, but also a chance for friends who have worked together for several years to reconnect.
EMERGE places a strong emphasis on giving students a voice. Members of the Student Advisory Board took part throughout the event and contributed to many of the discussions.
The programme also included a dedicated excursion day to Evenstad, where research and sustainability were on the agenda. Participants had the opportunity to meet Head of Department Rasmus V Illeborg Sørensen, visit the university’s zero-emission building and hear about relevant research from Professor John Linnell.
Activities across the four campuses demonstrated the breadth of INN’s work and gave its European partners an insight into the university’s academic resources and distinctive profile.
EMERGE is shaping the future
"I hope this week has helped strengthen understanding of the alliance’s work at INN. We are now two years into the project and approaching a mid-term evaluation. We intend to make good use of this opportunity to identify where we have succeeded, as well as the areas we need to strengthen further during the final two years of our funding period," says Bente Gaalaas Rønningen, EMERGE’s local coordinator.
Staff Week is part of the long-term effort to develop a shared European university alliance. Through working groups and opportunities for dialogue, the partnership aims to translate cooperation into concrete activities and new opportunities for the participating institutions.
For INN, this means developing relationships that can deliver long-term value in research, education and administrative cooperation – and, not least, for the Innlandet region.
"EMERGE is so much more than a project. Through our work in the university alliance, we are building the university of the future for the next 20 years. We will do this by making societal engagement a driving force behind both our educational provision and our research," Rønningen emphasises.
Five days of meetings and working sessions therefore represent not simply the conclusion of a gathering, but also a starting point for the alliance’s continued work.
As Svenkerud emphasises, it is through dialogue and cooperation that universities can become stronger together as they respond to developments across Europe.
Read more:
- EMERGE press release on Staff Week
- About EMERGE
- European Universities Initiative
- Lillehammer Lifelong Learning Conference
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