TKN asked Thommy Gatling (Head, International Agreements at the University of Sydney) for a summary of EAIE 2023. This is his report:
The 33rd annual European Association of International Education conference (EAIE) wrapped up last Friday in Rotterdam. The largest higher education conference in Europe this year, with around 6700 delegates from over 100 countries gathered in the Dutch port city. This included delegates from around 30 Australian universities.
On arrival, delegates were delighted to discover that the conference centre (the nautically named Rotterdam Ahoy!) had been the venue for the 2021 Eurovision final. EAIE and Eurovision: together at last!
The conference theme of “Connecting Currents” was no doubt a reference to the intricate systems of canals and rivers that converge on this industrious port city and connect it to the sea. But the conference theme seemed particularly apt in light of attendees’ busy and diverse agendas and the multifarious ways the delegates travelled to Rotterdam. Encouraged by the climate action network CANIE, many delegates sought green transport options and arrived in town via ferry, bicycle and bus.
As always, the conference featured an impressive array of workshops, sessions and posters. Ideas were shared in and around these rooms, and industry trends were highlighted and dissected. Amongst the many very impressive offerings, two highlights were:
- A panel session on “Using students as a compass to navigate the tides of sustainability and internationalisation” delivered by Cara Bonnington (University of Sydney), Ramon Ellenbroek (Utrecht University) and Paola Di Marzo (Erasmus Student Network). This topical session explored the practical steps that student mobility practitioners can take to address and acknowledge the impact of climate impact of international programs in ways that align with student values and needs.
- A poster titled “Navigating Unknown Waters: Duty of Care for students travelling abroad”. This poster, delivered by Charlotte Kristensen (University College Copenhagen), and Adam Lipski (Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences), explored the idea that a duty care might mean different things in different countries and universities. Using Germany and Denmark at the test cases, the poster looked at the divergent responsibilities for travel security, personal safety, and learning outcomes.
As always, the centre of gravity was the conference floor. In this sprawling space, partnerships were forged, deals were struck, and new connections were made. The swirling, good-natured bustle on display offered a decisive answer to the question we’ve been asking since COVID-19: will in-person conferences, like EAIE (and APAIE and NAFSA) rebound to numbers seen before the pandemic? The answer, it seems, is this: Yes, we can all conduct business on Zoom. But there’s no effective substitute to the value of making a personal connection, in a face-to-face setting.
Sadly, the conference coincided with a fatal shooting at Erasmus Medical Centre, a centre affiliated with Erasmus University Rotterdam. This tragic event was commemorated in the closing plenary by EAIE President, Piet Van Hove, who offered heartfelt thoughts condolences on behalf of the university sector to those directly affected.
Importantly, the conference featured the Unissued Diplomas project, which, to date has been hosted at 45+ universities worldwide. This moving display honours the memory of Ukrainian students, who will never graduate because they were killed in Russia’s illegal and cruel invasion of their homeland. The display sat in the heart of the conference hall, as a pressing reminder of the human cost of the war, now almost at day 600. No one who spent time at this display could fail to be struck by the fierce resilience of the Ukrainian people, and the need for all of us to re-double our efforts (personal, institutional, and national) to support their cause.
As always, the closing plenary did not disappoint. After a playful and uplifting keynote address by rapper and musician Glenn de Randamie (a.k.a. Typhoon), the audience was serenaded by the always impressive EAIE choir, who this year sang in both Dutch and English. Quite a feat!
And so, the delegates head home, notebooks full, tired yet re-charged from a busy week. And now, our thoughts turn to the next EAIE, to be held on 17-20 September 2024 in the French city of Toulouse. Will we be ready to go again? Who better to answer that question than the Italian rock band, Måneskin, winners of the 2021 Eurovision:
“Excuse me, but I truly believe / that I can make this jump. And even if the road is uphill, that’s why I’m training now”.
Bedankt en tot ziens, Rotterdam! Et à bientôt, Toulouse!
Thommy Gatling is Head, International Agreements at the University of Sydney
