The kickoff event was the Erasmus Days in October 2024. The EU4Dual team was well represented, informing students and staff about international experience opportunities within the EU4Dual framework.
In December, a 40-person delegation from our Hungarian EU4Dual partner university, the John von Neumann University, visited us, deepening bilateral exchange and sparking new ideas for joint projects. Also in December 2024, the second EU4Dual Grand Challenge Forum and a Project Management Committee meeting were held at FH JOANNEUM in Graz.
With the publication of the EU4Dual Sustainability Report at the beginning of 2025, the alliance made a comprehensive commitment to ecological, economic, and social responsibility.
At the Rectors’ Council Meeting in Finland in February 2025 – at the halfway point of the alliance – the successes achieved so far were reflected upon. These included the development of joint study programs, successful pilot projects, and the establishment of sustainable cooperation structures. Additionally, the strategic direction for the second project phase was sharpened.
A further highlight was the EU4Dual Annual Conference in April 2025 in France and Spain, which brought together over 300 participants. Researchers from FH JOANNEUM presented a total of 11 papers on the topics of Future of Work, Green Economy, and Dual Higher Education. Particularly noteworthy is the Research and Innovation Prize, which was awarded for the first time and in which Nadja Pirchheim, a graduate of the CMS program, won third place. This year, the student perspective was particularly well represented, including through a Short-Term Mobility Program on the topic of Green Economy and a meeting of the EU4Dual Student Council. A total of seven students from FH JOANNEUM participated in these program points.
Another significant milestone was the EFQM-Assessment in the spring of 2025. The alliance was evaluated for the first time at the European level according to the EFQM Excellence Model – with great success. EU4Dual received 306 points and three stars, earning the “Recognized for Excellence” award, which we are very proud of. The assessment process was led by a team from FH JOANNEUM, which is now preparing for an international EFQM-Assessment in 2026.
On an operational level, the year was also marked by movement: The EU4Dual Staff Week on the topic of Sustainability and Well-Being in the Workplace at FH JOANNEUM in May 2025 provided colleagues from the alliance with space for exchange, training, and idea development. At the same time, new mobility formats for PhD students and entrepreneurs were tested.
Last but not least, the students were very active: Health students from FH JOANNEUM participated in a Blended Intensive Programme in Finland, which focused on innovative approaches to health promotion in rural areas. Other students dealt with topics of digital transformation and Industry 4.0, such as the optimization of value chains.
We look back with pride on a year that has shown how powerful European university cooperation can be – and we look forward to the continued joint journey.
