15 June 2022
Bilbao Campus
Today, 15th June, the eight universities that are part of the UNIC European University of Post-Industrial Cities have signed a Joint Declaration on Engaged Research. Within the framework of the UNIC Conference and UNIC CityLabs Festival held in Oulu (Finland) from the 14th to the 16th June, representatives from the universities and belonging to UNIC Alliance as well as the city representatives, have gathered to sign the document. The University of Deusto has been represented by Stella Solernou, General Secretary of the university.
Within this document, the signatories show their commitment to develop a common approach in the research that involves local people and communities, NGO’s and Municipalities, working together with Universities and involving these societal partners in all stages of the research process.
This grassroots approach leads the way in bringing Europeans together across different languages and borders, to participate as active members in shaping flourishing, compassionate, enlightened societies, and sustainable economies, informed by the power of research and evidence.
‘Meaningfully involving people in research and innovation is key to the long term success of our cities and universities. Today, in a first of its kind in Europe, this Declaration on Engaged Research marks a pioneering step for realising the ambitions of the EU Commission’s European Education Area and the European Research Area,” says Professor Ed Brinksma, Rector of the University of Rotterdam.
University students and staff, municipalities and civil society partners attended an Engaged Research Strategy Forum in January and again in March 2022 in University College Cork, Ireland. There they worked together on developing the text for the Declaration, making this a truly collaborative initiative. The next step is the development of a Strategy for Engaged Research, launched later this year in Rotterdam.
“This Declaration is an important milestone for cities and universities in Europe. It is the first time that as a group we have developed such a joined up commitment to our communities. This historic initiative will have relevance, resonance and impact across Europe for many years to come”, says Mayor of Liège, Willy Demeyer.
This milestone takes place within the framework of the UNIC Conference and the UNIC CityLabs Festival held in Oulu in which the University of Deusto participates with a delegation formed by the rector, José María Guibert, the vicerector for International Relations and Digital Transformation, Alex Rayón, the general secretary, Stella Solernou, 5 academics and researchers, 7 students and 7 members of the International Relations team involved in the coordination of UNIC.
UNIC is one of 41 European University alliances funded by the European Union. UNIC’s focus is on teaching and research through community engagement, with an ambition of creating inclusive and sustainable societies. UNIC is creating an inter-university campus, where students, staff, researchers, and city partners will study or carry out research at cooperating partner institutions and municipalities.
Formed in 2020, UNIC is an alliance of the following partners: Belgium Université de Liège, City of Liège; Croatia Sveučilište u Zagrebu, City of Zagreb; Finland University of Oulu, City of Oulu; Germany Ruhr- Universität Bochum, City of Bochum; Ireland Coláiste na hOllscoile Corcaigh, City of Cork; Spain Universidad de Deusto, City of Bilbao; The Netherlands Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam, City of Rotterdam; Türkiye Koç Üniversitesi, City of Istanbul.
