From the 11th to the 14th of June, all roads – and even some bike paths – led to the fourth Annual Summit of the European University Alliance for Global Health (EUGLOH). Over 400 participants and representatives from EUGLOH partner and associated partner universities came together at the University of Szeged (Hungary) in order to discuss the ongoing development of the Alliance. The Summit was attended by members of the Alliance, leaders of the member universities, representatives of the Institut Pasteur and the WHO, as well as Nobel Prize-winning researchers Katalin Karikó and Anne L’Huillier.
The Annual Summit presented a unique opportunity to gather all members of the European University Alliance for Global Health (EUGLOH), which has expanded across the European continent, together in one location in order to foster collaboration and exchange. The University of Szeged hosted the event this year, giving participants the chance to explore the historic city located on the banks of the Tisza river in southern Hungary.
The event was officially opened in a ceremony on 13 June, which was attended by the Nobel Prize-winning researchers Katalin Karikó and Anne L’Huillier. Prof. Dr. László Rovó, rector of the University of Szeged, gave a welcome speech, which was followed by remarks from Prof. Dr. Dag Rune Olsen, president of EUGLOH and rector of UiT-The Arctic University of Norway, who spoke about the Alliance’s goals. He emphasised the member universities’ commitment and investments in global health development with regard to education and research. He also highlighted the Alliance’s role as a platform for experts to work together on achieving common goals, the most important of which is to improve the lives of future generations.
The next speaker, Prof. Dr. Sandrine Lacombe, coordinator of EUGLOH, emphasised that Europe can be made stronger and better by the Alliance. She explained that it is both necessary and achievable to adapt to social and global changes and that the Alliance has the knowledge and creativity needed to meet these challenges. She highlighted the Alliance’s foundations in education and research, as well as the power of its community in both fields. According to Prof. Dr. Lacombe, research is essential for achieving the Alliance’s goals such as acquiring and passing on new knowledge through education, which, in turn, provides a solid foundation for research.
The Nobel laureate Anne L’Huillier spoke about how five different universities had influenced her life and career, and Katalin Karikó, a Nobel Prize-winning professor at the University of Szeged, focused on the importance of dedication, perseverance and a sense of purpose in her research career. During her inspiring presentation, she particularly insisted on the fact that “believing you will fail is the end of the journey”, a strong message to keep in mind as EUGLOH faces new challenges.
On behalf of EUGLOH students, two leaders of the International Student Board, Florabelle Cabarrubias and María Pilar Moracho Torija gave speeches highlighting EUGLOH’s mission to “create a collective impact by elevating students’ potentials”. Florabelle Cabarrubias and Divyanshi Divyanshi, from the Szeged local student board, also interviewed the Nobel laureates in an insightful roundtable discussion encouraging students to pursue research they are passionate about.
In addition to plenary lectures and discussions, the Summit also included celebratory social events with dinner and dancing – and special recognition of Fausto Ignatov Vinueza from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität in Munich as the Summit’s “greenest traveller”, as he travelled all the way to Szeged by bike, a distance of nearly 1000km.
The EUGLOH Annual Summit is held every year at a different member university. It offers the chance to establish new projects for education, research, innovation, and start-ups, to identify new professional opportunities, and generally to increase the visibility and impact of the Alliance and its partner institutions. In 2025, the Annual Summit will be held at the University of Novi Sad, Serbia, from the 11th to the 13th of June.
Read more about the 2024 EUGLOH Annual Summit in the official newsletter, with contributions from Ferenc Lévai and the University of Szeged.