The Limerick School of Art & Design (LSAD), Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest (TUS) hosted the Regional University Network – European University (RUN-EU) Group Exploratory Mission meetings in Art & Design. This event took place at the Limerick School of Art & Design on the 26th & 27th April 2022. It saw more than 40 participants from across seven European Universities come together to explore possibilities for joint and double European Degrees, the creation of Short Advanced Programmes in Art & Design providing more opportunities for the students of TUS and their European counterparts. The participants of this GEM also discussed ways to increase mobility programmes for both staff and students and increase research collaborative activities that will benefit both regions locally and internationally. RUN-EU has partnered with associates ranging from regional and national authorities, chambers of commerce, higher education institutions, research centres, international policy units, non-governmental organisations and businesses to further increase the positive impact on society.
Dr Liam Brown, Vice President for Research, Development and Innovation outlined how “the education landscape across Europe is changing. Strengthening strategic partnerships with our associate partners including Limerick City and County Council and regional higher education institutions encourages the emergence of ‘European Universities’ as one of the flagship initiatives of the EU’s ambitions to build a European Education Area. The Regional University Network-European University (RUN-EU) facilitated through our student advisory boards enables our students to obtain a degree by combining studies in our campuses spread across our consortium and contribute to the international competitiveness of our RUN-EU European University”.
Dr. Adam de Eyto, Head of Design at LSAD-TUS highlighted “This RUN EU General Exploratory Mission in Art & Design gave a valuable opportunity for in-person collaborative and creative work between our partner institutions. We were delighted to welcome our colleagues from Portugal, Finland, The Netherlands, Austria, and Ireland to Limerick School of Art & Design – TUS and to build strong relationships with our Art, Design and Creative Media colleagues across Europe. We are optimistic for the continued opportunities that these partnerships will bring for our students, researchers, staff and to the wider communities”
Mike Fitzpatrick, Dean of LSAD noted “This week is very historic for us. For Limerick School of Art and Design, TUS and for our region this RUN EU European University Network allows our students to move fluidly to our partner colleges and gain an enhanced education and understanding of art, design, and creativity in a truly European context”
The Regional University Network – European University (RUN-EU) is an alliance of seven like-minded higher education institutions drawn from all regions of Europe and established in 2020 under the European Universities Initiative. It works collaboratively across languages and national frontiers to secure the sustainable economic, social, cultural, and environmental progress of our regions and stakeholders through education.
The seven higher education institutions that compose the alliance are the Polytechnic of Leiria (Portugal),
the Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest (Ireland), the Polytechnic of Cávado and Ave (Portugal), the Häme University of Applied Sciences HAMK (Finland), the University of Győr – Széchenyi István University (Hungary), the NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences (The Netherlands), and the Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences (Austria). Overall, RUN-EU comprises a student population of more than 76,500 students and 97 research centres and groups spread across Europe.
RUN-EU’s mission is to deliver future and advanced skills that will help students, researchers, academics,
and partners successfully meet the challenges of the future, engage in societal transformation, and promote active citizenship, thereby leading to the creation of a new type of multinational interregional alliance, a European Zone for Interregional Development.
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