1st BAUHAUS4EU Forum

Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco will host the 1st BAUHAUS4EU Forum in june 2025

From June 11 to 13, 2025, Castelo Branco will host the 1st Bauhaus4EU Forum, bringing together representatives from the ten higher education institutions that make up the European BAUHAUS4EU alliance. This event aims to strengthen international cooperation and promote sustainable, inclusive, and aesthetically appealing development in European regions, in alignment with the principles of the European Commission’s ‘New European Bauhaus’ initiative.

Organized by IPCB (Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco), the event will feature a diverse program held across different schools of the Polytechnic. On the morning of June 11, following the opening session, there will be an institutional presentation of the BAUHAUS4EU project, followed by thematic sessions addressing topics related to the region’s territory and business fabric, with the participation and support of the Beira Baixa Intermunicipal Community (CIMBB) and the Beira Baixa Business Association (AEBB). Toward the end of the morning, the “Castelo Branco – UNESCO Creative Cities Network” project, developed by Castelo Branco City Council, will be presented to European partners.

In the afternoon, thematic workshops will take place, aiming to discuss and gather input from regional partners regarding local needs. These sessions will run in parallel with a meeting of the presidents and rectors of the European higher education institutions within the alliance.

On June 12, at the School of Agriculture (Escola Superior Agrária), the focus will be on European Universities, with presentations on “EU Benchmarking” and four roundtables covering key areas: management, communication, educational offerings, and regional engagement.

The final day, June 13, will be dedicated to bilateral working meetings between the Work Package (WP) coordinators, as well as meetings of the student council, the administrative board, the PhD council, and the academic council, concluding with a project coordinators’ meeting.

In addition to the collaborative work activities, the Forum’s program will include cultural and social integration initiatives, such as a welcome sunset gathering, a tasting of regional products, and a local area visit.

According to Ana Vaz Ferreira, BAUHAUS4EU Project Coordinator at IPCB and Vice-President of the institution, “This initiative is a unique opportunity to showcase our region and highlight our strengths to our partners. It also allows us to listen to regional stakeholders in order to identify common action lines that can enhance our territory and businesses. Likewise, the discussion forums will provide essential input for the design of new academic offerings and expectations regarding the added value that a European university can bring in terms of innovation and regional development.”

IPCB’s participation in this European project not only enhances the institution’s internationalization and creates mobility opportunities for the entire academic community, but also enables active involvement in the construction of a European campus with integrated education and research programs.

BAUHAUS4EU is an alliance composed of ten European higher education institutions, including: Bauhaus-Universität Weimar (Germany), Blekinge Institute of Technology (Sweden), Polis University (Albania), University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy (Bulgaria), Università degli Studi di Bergamo (Italy), University of Economics in Katowice (Poland), University of Macedonia (Greece), Université Lumière Lyon 2 (France), Université de Picardie Jules Verne (France), and the Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco (Portugal). Together, these institutions represent a community of 124,000 students and 10,000 staff, working closely through various innovative cooperation formats to shape the future of education, learning, research, and innovation.

The 1st Forum represents a unique opportunity to strengthen ties between partner institutions, promote knowledge and experience sharing, and develop joint strategies to address the challenges of higher education in Europe.