Democritus University of Thrace actively participated in the annual “Staff Week” of the EMERGE European University Alliance, which took place at the University of Rennes 2 in Brittany, France, from October 13 to 17, 2025.

The annual Staff Week brought together the Presidents and Rectors of the nine member universities of the Alliance, as well as local project coordinators, communication specialists, and audiovisual technicians from all partner institutions.

The official opening ceremony on October 14 was followed by presentations from representatives of all universities, showcasing the progress achieved by the EMERGE Alliance to date. Subsequently, the Council of Presidents and Rectors convened to discuss the Alliance’s strategic priorities. Throughout the week, specialized working groups engaged in meetings and workshops focused on improving project management, aligning communication strategies among the universities, and enhancing the dissemination of the Alliance’s message to society.

The program also included a visit and informative meetings at the University of Bretagne Sud in the nearby city of Lorient, which is also a member of the EMERGE Alliance. Networking meetings were held with representatives of local authorities in Rennes and Lorient, as well as with cultural and research partners of the two French universities.

The EMERGE European University Alliance, of which Democritus University of Thrace is a member, unites nine regional universities across Europe with a shared mission to foster collaboration in education, research, and societal impact in their respective regions and local communities. EMERGE partners of Democritus University of Thrace include the University of Limerick (Ireland), Université Rennes 2 and Université Bretagne Sud (France), Inland Norway University (Norway), Univerzita Mateja Bela (Slovakia), Europa-Universität Flensburg (Germany), Neapolis University Pafos (Cyprus), and Universidade da Coruña (Spain).