High-Level Euro-Mediterranean Conference at the European Parliament

EMUNI University co-organised the high-level conference “Bridging Continents: Higher Education as a Tool for EU–Southern Mediterranean Cooperation”, hosted at the European Parliament in Brussels. The event brought together senior representatives of European institutions, national governments, universities, and regional networks to advance the implementation of the New Pact for the Mediterranean in the field of higher education.

The conference was jointly organised by EMUNI University and the Université Euro-Méditerranéenne de Fès (UEMF), in cooperation with the Slovenian Business and Research Association (SBRA) and with the support of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM). It served as a strategic platform to position higher education as a key driver of stability, cooperation, and shared development across the Mediterranean region.

Opening Ceremony

The conference opened at the European Parliament with welcoming addresses from:

• Dr. Drasko Veselinovic, Slovenian Business and Research Association (SBRA)
• Prof. Dr. Rado Bohinc, President of EMUNI University
• Prof. Dr. Mostafa Bousmina, President, Université Euro-Méditerranéenne de Fès
• H.E. Nasser Kamel, Secretary General, Union for the Mediterranean

Speakers highlighted the importance of academic cooperation as a pillar of Euro-Mediterranean dialogue and long-term regional resilience.

Keynote Session: Education, Mobility, and Cooperation for a Shared Future

The keynote session set the strategic tone for the day, underlining education and academic mobility as central elements of Euro-Mediterranean cooperation. Keynote speakers included:

• Vladimir Prebilič, Member of the European Parliament
• Metka Ipavič, Ambassador, Permanent Representation of Slovenia to the European Union
• Igor Papič, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation of Slovenia
  (represented by Sergej Možina, Slovenian Science Attaché to the EU)
• Dubravka Šuica, European Commissioner for the Mediterranean
  (represented by Tena Mišetič, Head of Cabinet)

Speakers emphasised education as both a social investment and a geopolitical instrument for fostering stability, inclusion, and sustainable development in the Mediterranean region.

High-Level Policy Panel: Education as a Strategic Driver for Euro-Mediterranean Stability and Integration

Moderator: Prof. Dr. Mouïn Hamzé

This high-level policy panel framed the political and strategic context of the conference, highlighting higher education as a tool for EU neighbourhood policy, enlargement, democratic resilience, and regional stability.

Key themes included:

• Higher education as Europe’s soft power in the Mediterranean
• Academic diplomacy within EU neighbourhood and enlargement policies
• Preventing brain drain and promoting circular mobility
• Building resilient societies through inclusive knowledge partnerships
  
  

Panelists represented DG EAC, DG NEAR, DG MENA, the Slovenian Quality Assurance Agency, UEMF, and EMUNI University, underscoring the growing political recognition of higher education in Euro-Mediterranean cooperation.

Panel I: Building South–North Mediterranean University Alliances for a Shared Higher Education Space

Moderator: Prof. Dr. Roberto Biloslavo, Vice-President, EMUNI University

This panel explored concrete institutional models for building sustainable Euro-Mediterranean university alliances, focusing on governance, joint programmes, and regional integration.

Key themes included:

• Designing inclusive and long-term South–North university partnerships
  
• Joint governance, degree recognition, and quality assurance
  
• Strengthening institutional capacity in Southern Mediterranean universities
  
• Moving from bilateral cooperation to multilateral academic integration
  
• The role of networks such as UNIMED, EUA, AARU, and Tethys
  
  

Speakers included representatives from the European Institute of the Mediterranean, UNIMED, AARU, Tethys, Lebanese University, and Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.

Panel II: Enabling Academic Mobility and Brain Circulation through University Alliances

Moderator: Petra Kezman, Union for the Mediterranean

This panel focused on academic mobility as a driver of inclusive growth, talent development, and balanced cooperation across the Mediterranean.

Key discussion points included:

• Structural gaps and limitations of Erasmus+ for Southern Mediterranean partners
  
• Circular mobility models that encourage talent return
  
• Visa, recognition, and access challenges
  
• Empowering youth and women through targeted mobility schemes
  
  

Speakers included presidents, vice-presidents, and rectors from leading Mediterranean universities. EMUNI University’s Alumna and Pr&Outreach manager Emna Jbara contributed a personal perspective as a former international student, highlighting the transformative impact of mobility opportunities.

Panel III: Advancing Research and Innovation Integration through Euro-Mediterranean Alliances

Moderator: Prof. Dr. Jaka Vadnjal, EMUNI University

The final panel examined how Euro-Mediterranean university alliances can strengthen research collaboration, innovation transfer, and alignment with EU research priorities.

Key topics included:

• Expanding cross-border research consortia
  
• Improving Southern Mediterranean access to Horizon Europe and PRIMA
  
• Inclusive research agendas in digitalisation, sustainability, and climate action
  
  
• Strengthening university–business–policy cooperation through innovation diplomacy
  
  

Panelists represented the European Commission, PRIMA Partnership, Agency for the Promotion of European Research, UNIMED, the European Institute of the Mediterranean, and Université Côte d’Azur, highlighting the need for a shared, inclusive, and impact-driven Euro-Mediterranean research and innovation ecosystem.

From Brain Drain to Brain Circulation

Across the three thematic panels, discussions addressed key structural challenges and opportunities in Euro-Mediterranean higher education cooperation, including:

• Building sustainable South–North university alliances
  
• Enabling balanced and circular academic mobility
  
• Aligning research and innovation cooperation with EU strategic priorities
  
  

EMUNI University played an active role throughout the programme, contributing institutional perspectives on alliances, mobility, and research cooperation, and reaffirming its mission to bridge the two shores of the Mediterranean.

Conference Outcomes and Next Steps

Participants agreed on key elements of a draft Action Plan for implementing the New Pact for the Mediterranean in higher education. Priority areas include:

• Development of South–North university alliances
  
• Simplified and inclusive mobility schemes
  
• Institutional capacity-building in Southern Mediterranean universities
  
• Academic resilience and crisis-response mechanisms
  
• Joint Euro-Mediterranean study and research programmes in strategic fields
  
  

The outcomes will feed into a consolidated Action Plan for the New Pact for the Mediterranean, expected in early 2026, and contribute to preparations for the upcoming UfM Policy Event on Higher Education.

EMUNI’s Commitment

As a Euro-Mediterranean university founded to foster dialogue, cooperation, and academic integration across the region, EMUNI University remains committed to shaping and implementing concrete solutions that strengthen higher education as a bridge between Europe and the Southern Mediterranean.