INVEST project presentation

Παρουσίαση του έργου INVEST στο Πανεπιστήμιο Θεσσαλίας, INVEST project presentation
Παρουσίαση του έργου INVEST στο Πανεπιστήμιο Θεσσαλίας

On October 15, 2024, the University of Thessaly hosted an important event to showcase the INVEST project, which is part of the European Union's "European Universities" initiative.

The event aimed to present the progress and achievements of the project and encourage further active participation from the entire university community, including students, faculty, and administrative staff.

The conference was held both in-person and online at the amphitheater of the Department of Digital Systems on the GAIÓPOLIS campus. Participants had the opportunity to hear interesting presentations from members of the project team and learn about its goals and innovative activities.

Professor Nikolaos Samaras, the scientific director of the project, explained the overall goal of the initiative, which is to create a unified European education space. Following this, Assistant Professor Konstantinos Kokkinos provided a detailed presentation of the project's objectives, activities, and opportunities available to students, faculty, and administrative staff. Assistant Professor Omiros Iatrellis focused on INVEST Living Labs, which allow students to actively participate in innovative applied research activities, while Professor Eftychia Nathanael presented the project's postgraduate programs, which combine theory and practice to enhance students' skills. Later, academic staff member Vasilis Kyriatzis presented the Blended Intensive Programmes (BIPs) implemented in the first phase of the project, as well as those planned for the near future, emphasizing the benefits of this experience for students. This was reinforced by student Theodora Michou, who shared the experiences and skills she gained from her participation.

The event concluded with a speech by Professor Vasilis Gerogiannis, who presented the INVEST Incubator, a new structure that supports student startups and members of the academic community.

Additional information: The "European Universities" initiative includes 64 alliances from 35 countries, encompassing all 27 EU member states. To date, more than 560 universities participate in the program, supported by over 2,200 associated partners. Fourteen of these alliances include Greek higher education institutions. Within this framework, the INVEST alliance, in which the University of Thessaly participates, is a collaboration between universities from seven countries: Greece, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Finland, Italy, France, and Spain. This alliance creates a unified campus with over 90,000 students, 4,200 faculty members, and more than 150 research teams working together to develop joint innovative educational and research programs.

The INVEST alliance is not just another funded project but a strategic priority for the European Union, as stated by European Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas: "The University of Thessaly is a member of the European university alliance, meaning it is among the 10% of European universities that have achieved this. I believe that in the future, it can play a role in the new pathway we are opening for higher education institutions in the EU, which will lead to a common European degree."

Website: www.invest-alliance.eu