The EC2U Forum was organised by University of Turku during 19–21 May, 2021. It was organised virtually and had several excellent keynote speakers and panelists. It had participants from the seven universities, cities and beyond.

Registered participants are able to see presentations and recordings of the Forum on the Liveto Platform for the next two weeks. 

 

Sininen liehuva lippu, jossa teksti EC2U ja seitsemän tähteä.

The EC2U Forum hosted by the University of Turku focused on topics including Social Sustainability, Cooperation of Universities and Cities, and thinking of ways how to recognise students' engagement that is not related to their studies.

EC2U is an Alliance of seven European universities whose aim is to create a pan-European campus with a new model of quality education. The Alliance led by the the University of Poitiers in France includes the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iaşi in Romania, the University of Coimbra in Portugal, the Friedrich Schiller University of Jena in Germany, the University of Pavia in Italy, the University of Salamanca in Spain, and the University of Turku in Finland.

Than you for Your Participation

Wednesday 19 May

10.00–10.45 (CET) Opening of the Forum

 

Host : Vice-Rector of the University of Turku Professor Piia Björn

  • Minister Annika Saarikko, Minister of Science and Culture in Finland
  • Professor Jukka Kola, Rector of University of Turku
  • Manager of International Affairs Mika Akkanen, City of Turku
  • Professor Ludovic Thilly, Coordinator of the EC2U Alliance
  • Chair of the Student Union Executive Board Aliisa Wahlsten, The Student Union of the University of Turku
11.00–13.00 (CET) Webinar and Panel discussion on Social Sustainability

 

Host: Tiia Enges, Head of Unit, Student Support Services, University of Turku

Keynote speakers

  • Consequences of the COVID-19 Pandemic for Young People’s Mental Health
    Professor Karina Weichold
    Institute of Psychology, Department of Youth Research
    The Friedrich Schiller University Jena
  • "BENESSERE: Third Mission and Public Engagement as conceptualized by the University of Pavia"
    Professor Gabriella Bottini
    University of Pavia
  • Students’ peer-to-peer psychological support in times of health crisis
    Associate Professor Daniela Muntele
    Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences
    Alexandru Ioan Cuza University  of Iasi,

Panel:

  • Prof.  Dr. Karina Weichold, The Friedrich Schiller University Jena
  • Professor Gabriella Bottini, University of Pavia
  • Associate Professor Daniela Muntele, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iaşi
  • Specialist in social affairs Ville Ritola, On my Mind Project, Student Union of the University of Turku

Chat moderator Lassi Yli-Muilu, International Officer, University of Turku

13.00–14.00 (CET) Thematic Discussions with Coffee

You may choose one coffee room or pop in pop out in different rooms. There will be 50 seats in every room, so if the coffee room you try to attend is full, plese choose another one.

  • Social Sustainability – Let’s continue discussion about Social Sustainability, host Tiia Enges, Head of Department, Student Support Services, University of Turku
  • Peer support for mental health – Peer support model for mental health, presenting On my mind -Project of the University of Turku/Student Union, host Specialist in social affairs Ville Ritola, On my Mind Project, Student Union of the University of Turku
  • New learning environments – New learning environments, discussion and short presentation of one of these spaces, host Petteri Mikkonen, Jani Pöyhönen, Satu Hakanurmi, Jari Sjölund from Educational Support Services.
  • EC2U in media – EC2U in traditional and social media – winners of Europe Day social media competition, host Lucile Birot EC2U Communication Coordinator
  • Support for exchange student – Presenting the Starting Package for Exchange Students, host Satu Nurmi, Specialist in International Affairs Student Union of University of Turku
  • My Mobile Tutor – Get familiar with My Mobile Tutor Application, host Susanna Lahtinen CEO of Choose Your Future (CYF) Digital Service and Soile Puranen, Technology and Project Manager, CYF
  • Science Battle – Let’s compete! Science Battle of EC2U in September, come and find out what it is about. Host Erja Hyytiäinen, Communications Officer, University of Turku
  • Meet Student Ambassadors – Meet our Student Ambassadors, host Olha Nikolaienko and Rasha ElMansuri
  • Traditional coffee room – Traditional coffee room with free discussion, host Lassi Yli-Muilu, International Officer and Suvi Hurttila, Student Advicer University of Turku
  • Zen! – Zen! No discussion, just the sounds of Finnish nature, no host needed.
  • Instant idea – Create your own coffee room – Share your own discussion idea during the Forum events at the Zoom chat and invite people to ”Instant idea” -coffee room, host is the person who invites people to the Instant idea -room
14.00–16.00 (CET) Peer Support and Peer Counselling of Student in EC2U Workshop for Students

Poster of the event.

Organised by Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi

The online GLADE Counselling lab for students of all ages - Workshop with and for Students.

The most active student’s association from each university will present, for 10 minutes, their best practices in supporting the international students during their mobility. Specialists will be present in order to guide them in offering peer counselling.

The peer counselling services will be addressed mainly to students during their international mobility in the EC2U universities.

Webinar content in a drawing.
Drawing of the panel discussion.

Thursday 20 May

10.00–12.00 (CET) Webinar on University and City in cooperation and research

 

Host: Sampo Ruoppila, Director of Turku Urban Research Programme, University of Turku

Keynote speakers:

  • Turku Urban Research Program - a City-University research collaboration
    Director Sampo Ruoppila
    University of Turku
  • Coimbra-European Capital of Culture 2027
    Professor Cristina Robalo Cordeiro
    University of Coimbra
  • Polo Tecnologico di Pavia: a concrete example of Public & Private collaboration
    Tommaso Mazzocchi

Panel

  • Examples of cooperation between cities and universities
    • Mayor D. Carlos Manuel García Carbayo, City of Salamanca
    • Mayor Fabrizio Fracassi, City of Pavia
    • Head of the International Relations Office of the City, Elena Farca, on behalf of Mayor Mihai Chirica
    • Educational technology "EdTech", Mayor Léonore Moncond'huy, City of Poitiers
    • Iasi Smart City, Professor Adrian Iftene, the Dean of the Faculty of Computer Science, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University  of Iasi
    • JenaVersum, Dr. Dana Strauss, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena.
    • Study in Turku cooperation, Specialist Anssi Kaisti, City of Turku

Chat moderator: Irinja Paakkanen, Head of International Relations, University of Turku

12.00–13.00 (CET) Thematic Discussions with Coffee

You may choose one coffee room or pop in pop out in different rooms. There will be 50 seats in every room, so if the coffee room you try to attend is full, plese choose another one.

  • University and City cooperation –  Let’s continue discussion about University and City in cooperation and research, host Sampo Ruoppila, Director of Turku Urban Research Programme, University of Turku
  • Students in the municipal – Presenting Group 40 000, a network of higher education students in Turku, whose purpose is to promote issues important to students in the municipal decision-making, host Aliisa Wahlsten, Chair of the TYY Executive Board 
  • Study in Turku -project – Presenting Study in Turku -project: The city, universities, student organizations and companies together are building Turku into the best student city in Finland, host Anssi Kaisti, Specialist, City of Turku
  • Student Union – What makes a Finnish Student Union, host Joni Kajander, Specialist, Academic Affairs, Student Union of the University of Turku
  • My Mobile Tutor – Get familiar with My Mobile Tutor Application, host Susanna Lahtinen CEO of Choose Your Future (CYF) Digital Service and Soile Puranen, Technology and Project Manager, CYF
  • Science Battle – Let’s compete! Science Battle of EC2U in September, what is this about, come and hear more! Host Erja Hyytiäinen, Communications Officer, University of Turku
  • Meet Student Ambassadors – Ask about UTU Ambassador programme, host Suvi-Anni Huhtinen Marketing Planner
  • Traditional coffee room – Traditional coffee room with free discussion, host Pia Le Grand International Liason Officer, University of Turku
  • Zen! – Zen! No discussion, just the sounds of Finnish nature, no host needed.
  • Instant idea – Create your own coffee room - Share your own discussion idea during the Forum events at the Zoom chat and invite people to ”Instant idea” -coffee room, host the person who invites people to the Instant idea -room
14.00–16.00 (CET) Life in the European Campus: A Glimpse to Student Culture and Activities

 

European Campus of City-Universities (EC2U) is all about creating a shared space. That space is diverse and it stretches across seven countries, seven academic cultures and seven cities. Students are in the centre of every campus and its culture.

The Student Union of the University of Turku invites you to begin the journey towards a European Campus and gives glimpses of local student culture and activities. We will also discuss how these relate to other campuses of EC2U. Teaser: you will for example learn about the biggest student event, which involves the whole city, and you will learn a new sport.

Draeing of the discussion obout university&city cooperation.
Drawing of the panel discussion.

Friday 21 May

10.30–11.30 (CET) Building a value-based community: findings of the 1st EC2U Think Tank survey Value4YourValues

 

With your help we have sketched the value sets within our seven European cities – on a personal, professional and societal level. More than 1.300 people have participated in the survey. Now, we like to reflect the results and discuss what we can do to further develop and strengthen a value-based community. We have invited representatives from the spheres of academia, city and businesses to share their understanding and perspective.

Panelists:

Francisco Silva, member of the Erasmus Student Network Coimbra, Master's student in Quantitative Methods in Finance, University of Coimbra

Prof. Heikki Ervasti, National Coordinator of the European Social Survey (ESS), University of Turku

Matthias Bettenhäuser, Mayor’s office, City of Jena

Jean-Marc Neveu Co-founder of PLAXTIL/ CEO of CDA group, Poitiers

12.00–13.45 (CET) Higher Education Round Table on: Micro-credentials and Student Engagement

 

Host: Piia Björn, Vice-Rector of the University of Turku

Speakers on Micro-credentials

  • Klara Engles-Perenyi,  Policy Officer, European Commission
    A European approach to micro-credentials for lifelong learning and employability.
  • Jonna Korhonen, Senior Ministerial Adviser, the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture
    Promoting continuous learning through micro-credentials.
  • Frederik de Decker, Head of International Relations Office, University of Ghent
    Micro-credentials and universities: big opportunities for small volumes of learning.

Panel on Student Engagement:

Host: Specialist in Academic Affairs Joni Kajander, Student Union of the University of Turku 

  • Representatives from the Partner universities of the EC2U Alliance.

Chat moderator: Oscar Nyman, Career Service Planner, University of Turku

13.45–14.00 (CET) Closing of the Forum

 

Host: Piia Björn, Vice-Rector of the University of Turku

  • Rector Jukka Kola,  University of Turku
  • Professor Ludovic Thilly, Coordinator of the EC2U Alliance
  • Professor Raúl Sánchez Prieto, University of Salamanca

Find out who will be the first competitors at the Science Battle in September 2021.

14.00–15.00 (CET) Social Programme: Virtual City Walk on the banks of river Aura

 

Join the streamed live broadcast from the banks of the Aura River. Along this river are the origins of Turku and Finnish culture, so we have a lot to show and tell you. Our guide walks and shows you views online, while telling the history and present of this magnificent city. You have the opportunity to ask questions while walking.

15.00–16.00 (CET) Casual Discussion and Evaluation

Let's summarise the Forum together and have final discussions. We can also think of best practices and issues which could be taken to the next EC2U Forum in Salamanca.

Drawing of the micro-credentials round table.
Drawing of the panel discussion student engagement.

More infomation

Liisa Järvinen kasvokuva.

Project Manager
Liisa Järvinen
ec2u@utu.fi
+358 29 450 2912
+358 50 436 2648

Students jumping in the air and inviting to the EC2U Forum.

Logos of the EC2U universities.