European University Alliance
Current Events
EUonAIR Meeting at HTW Berlin
Oktober 6-7, 2025
HTW Berlin hosted the EUonAIR meeting on “Education for Students, Staff and Community.” Representatives from the European partner universities came together to discuss how AI can transform learning, teaching, and collaboration across Europe. Also joining the discussion were the Berlin Senate, the Croatian Embassy, and the French Embassy, who shared their perspectives on the future of European higher education.
Smart Country Convention in Berlin
Oktober 1, 2025
Prof. Dr. Florian Koch, Alejandra Urrutia (both HTW Berlin), and Swen Seebach (Universitat Abat Oliba CEU) from the EUonAIR team took part in this year’s Smart Country Convention in Berlin. They presented the European University Alliance under the title “EUonAIR – Smart & Green UniverCity Labs: A project for practical science transfer in the fields of artificial intelligence, smart cities, and living labs.”
First EUonAIR Blended Intensive Programme
September 28 - October 4, 2025
In the last week of September, HTW Berlin hosted the first Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) of the European University Alliance EUonAIR. Students from partner universities ESSCA School of Management (France), ISM University of Management and Economics (Lithuania) and Kozminski University (Poland) joined 18 HTW Berlin students in the course Informatics and Society taught by Prof. Dr. Katharina Simbeck.
Upcoming: ISCN Smart City University Challenge at HTW Berlin
November 29, 2025
On November 29, 2025, HTW Berlin will host part of the ISCN Smart City University Challenge, supported by GIZ. In an interdisciplinary one-day hackathon, students will develop smart city ideas for a German city.
The challenge is open to bachelor's and master's students from all disciplines and can be attended both on site in Berlin (5 places) and online (two groups of 5–6 students).
EUonAIR at EAIE
September 18, 2025
International Office staff members Sarah Marx and Petra Car represented the university at this year’s EAIE – European Association for International Education in Gothenburg, Sweden. A key highlight was the exchange with colleagues from EUonAIR partner universities, where next steps for virtual collaboration and joint initiatives were discussed.
New Elective: AI and Smart Cities for Real Estate Management (AWE)
September 10, 2025
This new elective links real estate management with smart city development. Students gain insights into smart city fundamentals and AI-based analytical tools, working with examples from European cities such as Aspern Seestadt in Vienna. A highlight will be the participation in the ISCN Smart City University Challenge 2025 on 29 November, organized by GIZ.
Lange Nacht der Wissenschaften – Long Night of the Sciences
June 28, 2025
Prof. Dr. Katharina Simbeck, HTW Berlin’s Academic Lead for EUonAIR, hosted an AI workshop for senior citizens at the LNDW. Research assistant Sophie Schauer contributed a presentation on stereotypes in AI, while fellow research assistant Ricardo Knauer demonstrated in the KI-Werkstatt, the AI Competence Cluster at HTW Berlin, how modern AI models can recognize and classify objects in real time.
French-German Conference on European Unviersity Alliances
June 17, 2025
On June 16–17, the French-German Conference on European University Alliances was held at Humboldt Universität zu Berlin. EUonAIR was represented by HTW Berlin, Heilbronn University of Applied Sciences, and ESSCA School of Management.
Participants expressed strong support for the introduction of a European degree. University alliances were recognized as key drivers of a “Union of Skills,” with micro-credentials viewed as a first step and joint degrees anticipated in the coming years.
Visiting Circle U.'s Climate Day
June 5, 2025
Prof. Dr. Regina Zeitner (School of Engineering - Technology and Life) and Gina Hamann (Teaching Support Center) participated in Circle U.’s Climate Day organised on World Environment Day. They joined the fishbowl discussion “The Self-Effective University,” exploring how Berlin universities use their resources to test sustainability concepts. The event brought together experts from five Berlin universities representing their European University Alliances.
Start of Joint Work in Warsaw
May 15, 2025
From May 13 to 15, Kozminski University in Warsaw — the coordinating institution of the alliance — hosted the official kick-off of the new European University Alliance EUonAIR. The event brought together representatives from all partner universities, the European Commission, and the Polish Ministry of Science.
HTW Berlin was represented by Prof. Dr. Katharina Simbeck and research assistant Alejandra Urrutia Pinto. With the starting signal given in Warsaw, the collaborative work within the alliance is now underway.
Internal Kick-Off at HTW Berlin
February 18, 2025
On February 18, 2025, HTW Berlin hosted its internal kick-off meeting for the EUonAIR alliance. Participants engaged in inspiring discussions on innovative approaches and the promising opportunities of future international collaboration—marking a successful start to the university’s contribution to the alliance’s work.
