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How can universities move beyond educating students for the future and instead empower them to actively shape it?

This question will drive the discussion during the EAIE 2026 session “Real-world learning reimagined: students as co-creators in innovation ecosystems”, where representatives connected to the Qⁿ Alliance will contribute to a timely conversation on the future of higher education.

Taking place on 11 September from 09:00 to 10:00, the session has been selected as part of the EAIE Student Voice Initiative, highlighting the growing recognition that students should not simply participate in educational programmes but play a central role in designing, improving and transforming them.

For the Qⁿ Alliance, this vision is not new. Student co-creation is deeply embedded in the alliance’s ambition to build an inclusive, innovative and challenge-driven European university ecosystem. Through its unique 5Helix model, Qⁿ brings together academia, business, public institutions, civil society and media to create meaningful learning experiences that connect education with real societal challenges.

The session will explore how higher education institutions can integrate students into the development of innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives, ensuring that learning extends beyond the classroom and generates tangible impact for communities and regions. Examples from European university alliances and partner institutions will demonstrate how students can contribute as innovators, problem-solvers and change-makers.

These discussions resonate strongly with Qⁿ Alliance’s strategic priorities. The alliance promotes permeability between universities and their surrounding ecosystems, encouraging students, academics and professionals to collaborate across sectors and disciplines throughout their learning journeys. By fostering challenge-based learning, entrepreneurship, research collaboration and societal engagement, Qⁿ aims to prepare learners not only for employment but also for active participation in shaping a sustainable and inclusive future.

The session will be facilitated by Toñi Caro with the participation of Piet Van Hove and Wessel Meijer, who will invite participants to share ongoing initiatives and exchange ideas through interactive roundtable discussions. The objective is to identify practical approaches that strengthen student engagement and accelerate the modernisation of higher education across Europe.

As a European alliance committed to the social, green and digital transformation of higher education, Qⁿ welcomes opportunities to amplify student voices and showcase innovative educational models that place learners at the centre of knowledge creation, innovation and societal impact. Through events such as EAIE 2026, the alliance continues to contribute to the broader European conversation on the future of universities and the role students play in shaping it.

Session Details

Real-world learning reimagined: students as co-creators in innovation ecosystems
EAIE 2026
11 September | 09:00–10:00

We look forward to joining students, educators and university leaders from across Europe to explore how co-creation can transform higher education and strengthen innovation ecosystems for the benefit of society.

Yudith Cardinale, Doctor in Computer Science, at VIU will attend the Engineering and Technology Management Summit (ETMS) 2025, held at Abdullah Gül University (AGÜ) in Kayseri from October 23–25, 2025. As part of the summit, she will actively contribute to the panel on “University Associations,” sharing insights and engaging in dialogue on the evolving role of academic institutions in technology management. The conference will centre around the theme of AI, humanity and sustainability and will bring together experts to discuss the ethical, societal and environmental implications of integrating AI into engineering and management practices.

Qn Alliance played a prominent role at the EAIE 2025 Annual Conference in Gothenburg, represented at the highest level by Toñi Caro, Director of Valencian International University-VIU, who served as chair of the session “Universities and Quadruple Helix Co-Creation – Are Living Labs the Game Changer for Impact?”

The session explored how universities, governments, businesses and communities can move from isolated efforts to systemic collaboration, using Living Labs as a key tool to create tangible societal impact. The discussion featured two European university alliances at different stages of maturity, SUNRISE and ENGAGE.EU, alongside Qn Alliance, highlighting the consortium’s commitment to Quadruple Helix co-creation, regional development and transformative governance. The session featured the participation of full and associated members of the Qn Alliance, such as Valencian International University (VIU), Aalen University and garagErasmus Foundation.

“Co-creation is not just about knowledge, it’s also about connection,” said Toñi Caro, emphasising how bringing together institutions, cultures and generations sparks energy, trust and creativity to drive transformative initiatives.

Qn Alliance’s participation in EAIE reinforces its commitment to a more agile, inclusive and impactful model of higher education, demonstrating leadership in connecting universities with society, business and government.

Through initiatives like this, Qn continues to strengthen its role in transforming higher education in Europe and strengthening collaborations that generate real and sustainable societal impact.

The Engineering and Technology Management Summit 2025, to be held at Abdullah Gül University in Kayseri on October 23–25, will feature a panel on “University Associations,” where the Qn alliance will be represented by Valencian International University (VIU). 

More information about the event: https://etms.agu.edu.tr/  

The project, entitled: 

‘Personal and institutional barriers perceived by staff of higher educational institutions in the process of digital transformation’ 

seeks to identify the main personal and institutional barriers that hinder the adoption of digital transformation in universities. 

Why participate? You will be part of an international consortium that promotes collaboration and knowledge exchange between higher education institutions. Your contributions will help generate a comprehensive and informed view of the challenges of digital transformation in universities. You will contribute to designing more effective digital innovation strategies in higher education. 

How to collaborate? We have developed a questionnaire aimed at gathering the perceptions of university staff. Your participation, whether by answering the questionnaire or sharing it with colleagues, will be key to enriching and diversifying the results. 

Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdSUsoqdaeO3d7gDAFzSWgf2yBL1tdok3iID3PHF9912BT3iw/viewform 

Your voice is essential to understanding the challenges of digital transformation and building a more innovative university future together. 

An AGÜ student has been selected to benefit from a Santander scholarship to carry out his international mobility period at VIU in the academic year 2025-2026.

This is a programme promoted by VIU and Banco Santander, an initiative that aims to support the academic mobility of university students from partner institutions, enabling them to study at VIU the next academic year. As both VIU and AGÜ are part of the Qn Alliance, this opportunity fosters cross-cultural learning, academic collaboration and the strengthening of ties between institutions committed to innovation and international engagement in higher education.

On July 3–4, 2025, the Annual Conference of the Qn Alliance took place in Valencia, Spain, hosted by VIU (Universidad Internacional de Valencia). The event, held in hybrid format, brought together representatives from the core partner institutions to align strategic priorities and shape the new phase of the alliance’s development.

The alliance has recently renewed its long-term commitment by aligning institutional strategies and setting a shared roadmap for 2025–2028.

The Annual Conference provided a space for meaningful dialogue and planning on the future of the alliance, with a focus on:

• Presentation of the Qn State of the Art and discussion of next steps
• Presentation of the 2028 Strategic Priorities for each partner university
• Discussion of the Qn Strategic Priorities, Mission Statement and Roadmap (2025–2028)
• Definition of key focus areas, with a strong emphasis on societal engagement, including initiatives such as Living Labs and the expansion of the alliance through new strategic partners
• Agreement on the Qn Mission Statement

The conference concluded with the formal adoption of the Qn Strategic Roadmap, which will guide joint efforts on the modernisation of education, a shared agenda for research and innovation and clear steps to promote entrepreneurship.

As part of our commitment to internationalisation and strategic collaboration, the Director of the Office for International Research Projects, Toñi Caro, had a high-level institutional visit this April to participate in the 2025 EUA statutory meetings & annual conference. Thus, hosted by the European University Association (EUA) in Riga, Latvia, this year’s conference—“Connecting the dots on sustainability and resilience”—brought together universities and European stakeholders focused on shaping the future of higher education and research. Our presence at this event was part of our broader goal of becoming a full EUA member in 2025 and provided a valuable opportunity to establish and deepen relationships with other universities and with European Commission representatives. 

The 2024 Report is available here: https://www.eua.eu/publications/reports/eua-annual-report-2024.html

As a seasoned strategic advisor for the modernisation of Higher Education, I was impressed during an institutional visit, the Rector of EKA University of Applied Sciences! Oksana Lentjušenkola, welcomed me, Toñi Caro, Director of the International Research Projects Office of VIU, to explore first-hand the impressive facilities and the bold modernisation journey that EKA University is undertaking.

This visit was pivotal to understanding the profound transformation EKA University is undergoing — a process aimed at positioning the institution as a key reference point for both its region and its academic community. The university is committed to creating lasting impacts through innovation, excellence and meaningful engagement with students of all ages, in the region and at international level.

During the meeting, common lines of work were identified, and a joint agenda was developed to foster stronger collaboration and deeper ties between the universities. Discussions also focused on preparations for the alliance’s annual meeting, set to take place in Valencia during the first week of July.

Modernisation is not a choice — it is an urgent necessity! EKA University’s example shows how vision, courage and action can drive the change our higher education systems need.

The Qⁿ Alliance of Universities continues to evolve, strengthening its governance and expanding its international collaboration. As part of this transformation, ESEnfC and EDC will transition to associated partners, maintaining strong ties with the network while focusing on specific areas of cooperation.