EELISA European University Sets Future Roadmap at ITU

EELISA European University, of which ITU is a founding partner, gathered at ITU to shape its roadmap for 2026 and beyond. ITU Rector Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal assumed the role of Chair of the Governing Board of EELISA.

EELISA “Grand Meetings” were held at Istanbul Technical University (ITU) from November 17 to 20, 2025. At the ITU Süleyman Demirel Cultural Center (SDCC), administrators, students, and administrative and academic representatives from EELISA partner universities gathered for an event that marked a turning point for the alliance's next phase, dubbed “EELISA 3.0.”

Over 130 participants attended the Istanbul leg of the event, which is held only twice a year. The EELISA Management and Executive Boards, the EELISA Student Council, administrative staff representatives, and working groups held meetings where important decisions were made, and participated in special panels and programs focused on research and student leadership. The EELISA alliance's consolidation, expansion, and long-term vision were reaffirmed.

EELISA's “Grand Meetings” featured the following events over four action-packed days: Governance Meeting, Executive Board Meeting, Staff Representatives Meeting, EELISA Research and Talent Network Meeting, Research Managers Meeting, Student Council Meeting, Student-Led Bootcamp Program.

Chairship handover to ITU and expanding EELISA

The Governance Meetings of the EELISA Governing Board were held from November 18 to 19 to determine the alliance's long-term strategic direction and shape joint decisions on the implementation of the European University model. Board members assessed the progress made in line with the commitments made at their previous session in Paris.

Within the framework of EELISA's six-month rotating chairship tradition, ITU Rector Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal assumed the role of EELISA Governing Board Chair from EELISA partners Université Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL) and ENPC (École nationale des ponts et chaussées) in France. ENPC Director Anthony Briant and Université PSL President El Mouhoub Mouhoud presented the symbolic “EELISA Ruler” to Prof. Dr. Mandal as part of the handover. The transfer of the Chairship of the Governing Board is an important tradition that reinforces EELISA's spirit of shared leadership and enables partner universities to contribute to EELISA's journey with vision and commitment.

Our Rector Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal expressed his pleasure at hosting the EELISA Grand Meetings at ITU, stating, "We are honored to assume the chair of the EELISA Governing Board during this critical period. Our goal for the upcoming period is to position EELISA more strongly within our institutional strategies; empower our students; establish deeper interaction with our academic and administrative staff; and build vibrant EELISA communities with high social visibility and a mission-oriented approach."

Prof. Dr. Mandal emphasized that ITU will continue to consistently represent its identity as a research university focused on responsibility and impact, centered on collaborative learning, collaborative achievement, social contribution, sustainability, and global benefit at EELISA. Our Rector noted that ITU will continue to be one of the leading actors shaping the future of the alliance with its broad academic expertise supported by interdisciplinary approaches, strong research infrastructure, dynamic entrepreneurship ecosystem, and innovative education models.

The EELISA–USP and EELISA–UTM Co-Partner Adhesion Agreements were signed at the meeting. As part of EELISA's internationalization and expansion strategy, the University of São Paulo (USP) (Brazil) and the Technical University of Moldova (UTM) (Moldova), which stand out for their strong education, research, and innovation approaches in their respective regions, joined EELISA as Co-Partner Adherents. This expansion is a strategic step that strongly confirms EELISA's determination to increase its global impact and deepen its cooperation network.

During the meeting, two new memoranda of understanding were signed between USP, UTM, and ITU. The aim was to develop effective and sustainable relationships in the areas of student mobility, academic and administrative staff exchanges, and research, development, and innovation. Prof. Dr. Mandal stated that the memoranda of understanding strengthened ITU's internationalization vision while also expanding its academic partnership into a more comprehensive framework.

The Governing Board discussed the criteria to be applied for EELISA's transition to legal entity status in order to strengthen the future governance structure of the association and initiated an evaluation process for the most suitable model.

The meeting also reviewed the progress of EELISA 2.0 over the first two years. EELISA Innovation initiatives, which aim to enhance the Alliance's innovation capacity, were evaluated. Strategies such as the sustainability strategy that will shape the EELISA 3.0 period and long-term fundamental pillars were discussed.

“The Framework for EELISA Institutionalization, Staff Incentives, Engagement and Recognition,” which strengthens staff engagement, recognition, and institutionalization across the Alliance, was submitted for approval. A letter of support for the Erasmus Mundus joint degree application was brought to the agenda with the EELISA Joint Education model, which supports an integrated education structure across Europe.

With these comprehensive assessments, the fundamental milestones of EELISA's journey to establish a more sustainable, integrated, and impactful European University model in the fields of education, research, innovation, and governance were laid in Istanbul.

Assessing EELISA’s progress, sharing best practices

The EELISA Executive Board meeting was held on November 17–18. The meeting aimed to evaluate the alliance's progress in its fifth year within the EELISA 2.0 framework, finalize the necessary preparations for the Periodic Progress Report (PPR) to be submitted to the European Commission, and strengthen EELISA’s quality assurance processes.

Member universities shared best practices reflecting their transformations under EELISA. Steps to be prioritized in strategy, governance, impact, and monitoring were determined in line with the Evaluation Committee's recommendations. Furthermore, progress made in core components such as the digital campus, the lifelong learning model, joint pedagogy support programs, and community calls was reviewed. Success indicators and a roadmap to guide EELISA's next-period goals were clarified. The Executive Board Meeting concluded with the adoption of decisions strengthening the alliance's operational alignment and the production of concrete outputs that will enhance EELISA’s impact in the European higher education area.

Strengthening staff involvement and recognition

The EELISA Staff Representatives Meeting was organized to strengthen staff participation, recognition, and institutionalization across EELISA. The meeting addressed the Institutionalization, Staff Participation, and Recognition Framework that supports EELISA's long-term vision. The goal was to strengthen the role of EELISA partner universities within the Alliance, develop incentive and recognition mechanisms, and integrate these efforts into institutional structures in line with EELISA's student-centered approach. Furthermore, coordination issues related to joint messages to be conveyed to the Governing Board, 2026 priorities, the upcoming Erasmus+ Staff Exchange/Development Week, and EELISA Task Observation Program activities were evaluated. Enhancing EELISA's research–innovation–talent development capacity.

The EELISA Research and Talent Network Working Group meeting, which forms an important part of the EELISA meetings, was held to assess the progress made in the alliance's research management and talent development processes, review the outputs of the first two years, and finalize the necessary contributions for the EELISA 2.0 interim report. The meeting also aimed to establish a common roadmap for the next two years, compile recommendations for the research managers network, and identify concrete steps to make the research and talent ecosystem more integrated across the alliance. The sessions shaped the updated content to be included in the interim report, clarified the annual planning, and consolidated proposals to strengthen EELISA's research–innovation–talent development capacity.

Improving student participation in EELISA's governance processes

At the EELISA Student Council Meeting, new model proposals were evaluated to strengthen the functioning of the EELISA Student Council and ensure its continuity, with the aim of making student representation more sustainable, effective, and institutionalized. In this context, critical arrangements were discussed, such as the structure consisting of experienced “veteran” students who will serve in local offices, the coordination of the Career Ambassador Program by the student council, the development of mentoring and recognition mechanisms, and ensuring the systematic participation of student representatives in work packages. The meeting aimed to discuss and submit for joint approval these structural improvements, which seek to integrate student participation more strongly and holistically into EELISA's governance processes.

More visible and effective student leaders across EELISA

The Student-Led Bootcamp Program, held for the first time this year across EELISA and developed by the EELISA Student Council, was designed as an event focused on enabling students to develop self-entrepreneurial, innovative, and solution-generating approaches. The program aimed to encourage EELISA students to come together in interdisciplinary teams to generate creative solutions to real-world problems, and to enrich their mentoring, collaboration, and leadership experiences. Outcomes included prototype proposals completed with the participation of more than 60 students, the presentation of findings and business models by student teams, the initiation of sustainable collaborations among students, and the development of proposals to make student leadership more institutionally visible and effective across EELISA

About EELISA

EELISA is a "European University Alliance" supported by the European Union’s Erasmus+ program, bringing together higher education institutions specializing in engineering, science, and technology within a framework of cross-border cooperation.

Key Features:

• Alliance: Formed with the participation of universities, students, researchers, and industry stakeholders from multiple countries.
• Vision: Aims to transform European higher education into an inclusive, resilient, and socially impactful model, aligned with the priorities of the green and digital transition.
• Education and Competences: Focuses on areas such as creating a "European Engineer" profile, developing interdisciplinary education models, micro-credentials, joint degree programs, and increasing student international mobility.
• Societal and Institutional Engagement: Establishes cooperation with industry, the public sector, and civil society through solution-oriented communities (EELISA Communities) linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and research and innovation networks.

About EELISA Communities

EELISA Communities are collaborative, mission-oriented platforms that serve the alliance's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Students, researchers, and staff come together with companies, public institutions, and non-governmental organizations to develop interdisciplinary solutions to societal and environmental problems. These communities function both as a “magnet,” attracting existing projects from EELISA partners and their regions, and as an "incubation center," encouraging new multi-stakeholder and interdisciplinary collaborations. To date, more than 60 communities have been established, over 500 activities have been carried out, and more than 8,000 competence credits have been awarded. These communities, accessible via the EELISA Digital Campus, facilitate the participation of students, researchers, and staff in networks that will produce tangible impact on global issues and also pave the way for the creation of new communities.