Building a long-lasting marriage or a strategic collaborative relationship is never a piece of cake. Success in these ventures often hinges on continuous effort and effective communication. Turku University of Applied Sciences believes in sharing best practices, and here’s a tip: think of it as a „tour.“ Not a Tour de France or a concert tour, but a tour designed to get to know each other and building lasting relationships between universities and most importantly, between people.
Turku UAS has a rich history of fostering strong European university alliances, even before the European Union began emphasizing such partnerships. The flagship alliance so far, CARPE (the European Consortium of Applied Research and Professional Education), was established already in 2011. Initially, like any new venture, this alliance experienced a „honeymoon period“ of enthusiasm and engagement. However, as time passed, involvement began to wane. To counteract this, the idea of a CARPE Tour was introduced to reinvigorate the collaboration. This initiative proved successful, resulting in
a thriving project portfolio and renewed energy among participants.
Learning from past success
Based on the success of the CARPE Tour, Turku UAS has now launched its own tour through EU.ACE. This initiative involves top management from the organization, alongside researchers, visiting each partner in the alliance. These coordinated visits are carefully planned, featuring reciprocal presentations, in-depth discussions on research topics, and informal meetings over dinner. This approach ensures that participants can build personal relationships that often outlast formal organizational structures.
The Turku UAS EU.ACE Tour exemplifies the belief that science and education are fundamentally about people. By fostering personal connections and facilitating open communication, Turku UAS wants to create a foundation for collaboration that is both resilient and dynamic.
The Turku UAS EU.ACE Tour started in 2023 by a visit to Hogeschool Utrecht, under the theme of Business Administration. On the first week of February 2024 it was Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts´turn and there the themes were Fine Arts, Music and Media. This was continued by a train ride through Alps to Milano and Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore. Finally, the delegation from Turku UAS visited Universitatea „1 Decembrie 1918” in Alba Iulia during the EU.ACE Executive Committee meeting and workshop in April, immediately followed by a visit to University for Continuing Education Krems .
Thus, 5 of 10 visits are already done. Next, Turku UAS is looking forward to visit Zenica, Ulm, Budapest, Paris and Madrid in the very near future.
Join Turku UAS’ journey through EU.ACE as it continues to strengthen the alliance and enhances the collaborative spirit that drives innovation and excellence in European higher education.
Johanna Krappe and Juhani Soini
Johanna Krappe (Head of RDI & Global Engagement) and Juhani Soini (Vice President) work at the Turku University of Applied Sciences.
