The West University of Timisoara participated between September 9-12, 2025, in the most significant and far-reaching event dedicated to international collaborations in higher education in Europe, the annual conference and exhibition "European Association of International Education" (EAIE), in its 35th edition, under the aegis of "GO-Create". In figures, revealing the impact of the complex event, the 2025 edition of the EAIE conference and exhibition, organized in Gothenburg, was attended by around 8000 representatives from universities from all over the world. They reflected together on the newest, innovative ways of international collaboration in the field of higher education, but also on the importance of internationalization in education, in an increasingly polarized world and in an increasingly fragile geopolitical context.
With a constant presence at this event for the last ten years, West University of Timişoara was again at both the pavilion Study in Romania, along with 36 other universities in Romania, as well as at the pavilion of the European university alliance UNITA – Universitas Montium, UVT being one of its 12 member universities. At the pavilion Study in Romania the UVT team developed collaborations with older partners towards double degree programs, initiated new cooperations to ensure an educational offer that integrates various international experiences, at home and abroad, for as many students as possible, initiated dialogues aimed at outlining opportunities for specialized practice in partner universities abroad. The program also provided for meetings at the stands of the countries with which UVT wishes to initiate, diversify or develop its collaborations. At the same time, at the UNITA pavilion, our university coordinated activities to promote the results and models proposed by the 12 universities in the alliance in terms of institutional collaboration and international education.
The scope of UVT's participation was also determined by the individual involvement of its team in the event's activities. Thus, in various sessions of the EAIE conference, presentations of good practice models from our university and alliance on a number of relevant topics in the field of international relations took place. These include:
- the impact of short-term student mobilities on their academic and professional careers, but also on the initiation of double degree study programs, starting from intensive study programs in the ERASMUS+ program;
- models of good practices in building international communities of students, researchers and teachers;
- the role of UVT in Romania and in Europe as a model of good practices in the digitalization of mobility, in its capacity as a designated university Champion of Excellence by the European Commission.
On the first day of the conference, the workshop took place at the University of Gothenburg Leading internationalization in turbulent times, held under the auspices of EAIE–IAU Internationalization Leadership DialogueThe West University of Timisoara was one of only 21 universities that were accepted at the event organized by one of the most prestigious and oldest bodies in the field of internationalization of higher education, International Association of Universities (IAU), in collaboration with EAIE and the University of Gothenburg. The work, carried out in small groups, depending on the issues addressed, was facilitated by some of the most important personalities in the field of internationalization.
Organized by the National Council of Rectors (CNR), the program "Study in Romania” benefited from the support of the Ministry of Education and Research, as well as the participation of key institutions for higher education in our country - the Erasmus Agency, UEFISCDI and ARACIS. It is also worth highlighting the fact that, for the first time, alongside the Romanian stand, the Republic of Moldova also stood at EAIE, promoting their study offers together.
The Rector of the West University of Timișoara, Marilen Gabriel Pirtea, emphasized the importance of UVT's active participation in the event: "UVT's presence at EAIE confirms our university's leading position in the internationalization of higher education at the national level and also highlights its involvement at the European level in this field, as a proactive university. Our university has been supporting the "Study in Romania" program since the beginning, aimed at promoting Romanian higher education in the world. Constant participation in such events underlines UVT's objectives aimed at increasing institutional capacity through various international collaborations and at offering diverse training opportunities for students, relevant for a global and mobile labor market. Moreover, we have taken the collaboration with other universities on our continent to a higher level with the integration into the European Universities Initiative through the European alliance UNITA. In an increasingly fragile geopolitical context, we strongly believe in the power of international collaborations and in education, as answers to mitigating the effects of an increasingly polarized world. Only together with our strategic institutional partners abroad can we firmly shape the future of the European Higher Education Area and, at the same time, become globally competitive.. "
