The BAUHAUS4EU European University Alliance has concluded an intensive and highly engaging participation in the 36th Annual Conference and Exhibition of the European Association for International Education (EAIE), held in Glasgow from 8 to 11 September 2026. This year’s edition, organised under the theme “The Rhythm of Revolution”, was the largest in EAIE history, bringing together more than 7,300 participants from over 100 countries. More than 1,200 institutions and organisations from around the world were represented in the exhibition.
BAUHAUS4EU was present in Glasgow with its own booth, which throughout the conference served as a space for meetings, discussions and the presentation of joint Alliance initiatives. Representatives of seven partner universities took part in the event:
- University of Economics in Katowice,
- Université Lumière Lyon 2, France,
- Instituto Politécnico de Castelo Branco, Portugal,
- University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy, Bulgaria,
- Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, Germany,
- Blekinge Institute of Technology, Sweden,
- POLIS University, Albania.
The University of Economics in Katowice was represented by Rector Prof. Celina Olszak, Chancellor Paweł Kadłubiak, Director of the Internationalisation Office Edyta Lachowicz-Santos, Head of the International Projects Department Magdalena Skowron, and Dr Marta Grybś-Kabocik from the Department of Consumer Research.
BAUHAUS4EU at the centre of international cooperation
The dedicated BAUHAUS4EU booth provided a space to present the Alliance as a joint initiative of European universities, but above all it enabled direct discussions with representatives of universities, other European University Alliances and organisations active in higher education from Europe and beyond.
One of the highlights of this year’s conference was a meeting at the BAUHAUS4EU booth with Filip Van Depoele, Head of Unit for International Cooperation at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC). The meeting provided an important opportunity to present BAUHAUS4EU activities and to discuss European cooperation in higher education and the further development of the European Universities initiative.
The booth was also actively used by partner universities for individual meetings with current and potential partners. This made it possible to combine the promotion of the Alliance as a whole with the institutional objectives of its members and to demonstrate BAUHAUS4EU’s role as a platform opening new opportunities for international cooperation.
Strong presence of European University Alliances
Particularly significant this year was the presence of 36 European University Alliances, representing more than 300 universities in total. Such strong participation created an excellent opportunity for BAUHAUS4EU to meet directly with representatives of other alliances.
BAUHAUS4EU representatives were able to build new relationships, exchange experiences and good practices, and discuss shared challenges related to mobility, student engagement, communication, internationalisation, inter-university cooperation and the future of the European Universities initiative.
The strong presence of European University Alliances also confirmed that the EAIE Conference is becoming one of the most important spaces for direct exchange between alliances and for developing relationships beyond individual consortia.
Polish representation and the opening of the "Study & Research in Poland" booth
Another important element of the University of Economics in Katowice’s presence in Glasgow was participation in initiatives organised by the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA).
This year’s Polish representation was exceptionally strong. More than 40 Polish higher education institutions were present at the national "Study & Research in Poland" booth, the highest number to date at the Polish national stand during an EAIE conference.
The booth provided a shared space for promoting Polish higher education and research and for meetings between Polish institutions and partners from around the world.
The official opening was attended by Dr Piotr Kępski, Director of the Office for Institutional Programmes at NAWA; Rafał Wiśniewski, Chargé d’affaires a.i. of the Republic of Poland in the United Kingdom; Mirosław Sycz, Consul General of the Republic of Poland in Edinburgh; and Magdalena Maciejewska, Deputy Director of the Department of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Science and Higher Education.
The presence of the University of Economics in Katowice both within the Polish national space at the NAWA stand and at the dedicated BAUHAUS4EU booth enabled the University to present itself broadly – both as an active member of the Polish higher education system and as a partner in a developing European University Alliance.
More than 20 years of UE Katowice participation in EAIE
Participation in the EAIE Conference has particular importance for the University of Economics in Katowice due to its long-standing engagement in the EAIE community. UE Katowice has participated in the EAIE Conference every year for more than 20 years, treating it as one of the key platforms for building international relationships, developing partnerships and following the most important trends in higher education internationalisation.
The University’s position within the EAIE community is further strengthened by the fact that a staff member of the University of Economics in Katowice serves on the EAIE Board and is the only representative of Central and Eastern Europe in this body. This is an important distinction for the University and confirms its active role in the European debate on the future of internationalisation in higher education.
More than 7,300 experts and "The Rhythm of Revolution"
This year’s conference was organised under the theme "The Rhythm of Revolution", focusing on the transformations shaping contemporary higher education – from new models of cooperation and mobility, through growing global competition for students and talent, to the changing role of universities.
The programme included more than 240 sessions and events. Topics covered included the future of internationalisation, global academic cooperation, public policy in higher education, sustainability, new mobility models and the development of cooperation between Europe and other world regions.
The opening keynote was delivered by world-renowned neuroscientist Beau Lotto. One of his reflections - "in nature, the fittest collaborate" - resonated particularly well with the idea of European Universities and the spirit of cooperation developed within BAUHAUS4EU.
BAUHAUS4EU community meeting in Glasgow
An important part of the stay in Glasgow was also a meeting of all conference participants representing BAUHAUS4EU member universities.
The meeting provided an opportunity to exchange first impressions from this year’s conference, discuss experiences related to the Alliance’s joint presence and reflect on how to make even better use of the opportunities offered by EAIE.
It was also a first opportunity to discuss BAUHAUS4EU’s participation in the next EAIE Conference, which will take place in Lisbon in 2027, and to consider how the Alliance’s joint presence at this major European internationalisation event could be further developed.
Key outcomes of BAUHAUS4EU participation
Participation in the EAIE Conference in Glasgow was above all an opportunity to build relationships, increase the visibility of the Alliance and explore new possibilities for cooperation. The key outcomes included:
- increased international visibility of BAUHAUS4EU - the dedicated booth enabled the Alliance to present itself to a broad international academic community;
- development of new partnerships - representatives of partner universities held numerous meetings with institutions from Europe and beyond;
- strengthening relations with other European University Alliances - the presence of 36 alliances enabled intensive exchange of experiences, good practices and ideas for future cooperation;
- promotion of partner universities - the joint booth also provided space for individual member institutions to present their strengths and opportunities;
- strengthening the BAUHAUS4EU community - the joint meeting of conference participants enabled the exchange of experiences and initiated discussion about the Alliance’s presence at the next EAIE Conference in Lisbon;
- exchange of knowledge and inspiration - participation in conference sessions provided insights into current trends, challenges and future directions in higher education internationalisation.
EAIE Glasgow 2026 - joint presence, new opportunities
The EAIE Conference and Exhibition once again confirmed its position as the leading European meeting place for professionals involved in the internationalisation of higher education.
For BAUHAUS4EU, this year’s conference was particularly significant. The joint presence of representatives from seven partner universities demonstrated that the Alliance is increasingly operating as a single European community - capable of jointly presenting its activities, building international visibility, exchanging experiences with other alliances and creating new relationships beyond its existing network of partners.
The participation of representatives of the University of Economics in Katowice in the conference was part of the project "UEKat in BAUHAUS4EU - developing the University’s capacity for a European University for sustainable, resilient and inclusive regions".
BAUHAUS4EU returns from Glasgow with new contacts, inspiration and ideas for further cooperation - within the Alliance, with other European University Alliances, and with partners from Europe and around the world.
The project "UEKat in BAUHAUS4EU - developing the University’s capacity for a European University for sustainable, resilient and inclusive regions" is financed by the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA) under the "Support for European Universities" programme. The total value of the project is PLN 967,602.00.
Implementation period: 1 October 2025 – 31 May 2027
Implementing unit: Internationalisation Office
Join us