ATHENA Among the European University Alliances in the Weimar Triangle

The Weimar Triangle (French: Triangle de Weimar; Polish: Trójkąt Weimarski) is a foreign policy forum for Germany, France and Poland, established in 1991 by the foreign ministers of the three countries. Since then, it has served to facilitate close coordination and cooperation between the three countries on European issues. The role of university alliances in shaping this initiative was the subject of the conference, which was organised jointly by the University of Warsaw and the French and German embassies in Poland. Partners in the event were: the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the French Embassy in Germany / Institut français de Pologne, the National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA) and Campus France.

The event was attended by over 150 participants, including Étienne de Poncins (French Ambassador to Poland), Miguel Berger (German Ambassador to Poland), Prof. Andrzej Szeptycki (Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Science and Higher Education), Lisette Andreae (Director Department for European Higher Education Area and Internationalisation at BMFTR Germany), David Itier (Head of the European Strategy Unit at the French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Space), Prof. Bogumiła Kaniewska (Chair of the Conference of Rectors of Polish Academic Universities, Rector of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań), Diana Jabłońska (Director for Youth, Education and the Erasmus+ Programme at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture), Prof. Beatrix Busse (Chair of the FOREU4ALL General Forum and the EUniWell Alliance), Dr Wojciech Karczewski (Director of NAWA), Dr Klaus Birk (Director of the Projects Department at the DAAD), Prof. Jerzy Małachowski (Director of the National Centre for Research and Development), Dr Jörn Achterberg (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft), Dr Marcin Liana (Deputy Director of the National Science Centre), Katarzyna Aleksy (Director of the Higher Education Programmes Office, FRSE), Prof. Nourredine Manamanni (Director of External and Institutional Relations, Campus France), as well as representatives of all European universities active in the three countries, educational institutions, PhD students and undergraduates.

During the conference, a number of panels and sessions were held on the future of European university alliances, fostering academic cooperation within the Weimar Triangle, mobility and degree programmes, collaborative research models within European university alliances, the careers of graduate and post-graduate researchers, and digital campuses. The Conference offered a valuable space to exchange experiences, explore new ideas and reflect on how universities can further contribute to European cooperation and to a stronger, more connected and forward-looking Europe. Special calls for projects in the Weimar triangle are in discussion to attract students and foster the spirit for solidarity. Seeing the growing number of Eurosceptics, the Weimar triangle could be taken as backbone for the European idea. 

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is expanding academic cooperation between Germany, France and Poland. With its new programme, ‘Weimar Triangle Future Network: Science for Europe’, the DAAD is establishing a trilateral platform for research and exchange within the Weimar Triangle region. The new programme consists of two parts: grants for early-career researchers conducting research on topics related to the German High-Tech Agenda (HTAD) and supporting the establishment of a scientific future network within the Weimar Triangle to develop interdisciplinary projects and long-term collaborations.

We are honoured that ATHENA was also represented at such an empowering event, which enables the alliance to offer the students, researchers and educators academic opportunities aligned with the latest trends in international higher education.