First impressions of the Una Europa General Assembly in Paris
The Una Europa General Assembly was held in Paris from 27 to 29 May and was hosted by Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne. Ranoe Sewrattan (Head of Student Information and Administration) was there. This was her first experience of this international event.
The Una Europa General Assembly brings together staff from partner universities to exchange knowledge, strengthen their collaboration and shape shared ambitions for the future of European higher education. The alliance comprises various clusters that work together, including the Student Administration cluster, of which Leiden University is a member.
Our university has been actively involved in Una Europa since 2022. The alliance brings together 11 leading European research universities.
First time meeting in person
The General Assembly gave Ranoe the opportunity to meet colleagues from other countries and universities face to face. ‘My team and I are part of the Student Administration Cluster. We have monthly meetings with colleagues from other universities, but this was the first time I’d met them in person.’
The cluster plays a supporting role within the alliance. ‘We’re not the ones making policy, but we provide input on what proposed plans mean from an administrative perspective.’ Rather than making decisions themselves, the cluster members offer advice and feedback based on their experience.
Eye-openers and insights
One of the highlights was the newcomers’ meeting on Wednesday. ‘It was a real eye-opener. You get a clear picture of the areas we work together in and where we currently stand. I found it really useful.’ The session also helped her understand Una Europa’s positioning. ‘There was a strong sense that the EU is driving innovation, and that’s the direction we want to move in too.’
At the same time, Ranoe feels there are still questions about that shared direction. ‘It’s not yet entirely clear what our specific goal is within the cluster. We’re still exploring that.’ In her view, this is partly linked to the cluster’s role. ‘As a supporting cluster, we depend on the information we receive, and that has been fairly irregular so far.’
She does see positive developments, though. ‘Now we’ve met up in person, I hope we can focus more clearly on what we need and be more proactive in letting one another know when we have something to offer.’
Cultural differences and collaboration
The international setting also highlighted some cultural differences. ‘In the Netherlands, you’re used to meetings being run quite efficiently, but that wasn’t always the case here’, says Ranoe. ‘At first, I thought that was just how our cluster works. Then you realise that people have different ways of working, and you need to take a step back.’
That is one of the benefits of meetings like these. ‘We’re still getting to know one another and figuring out how best to work together. It’s cultural differences rather than a lack of will.’
Looking to the future
For Leiden, putting this into practice will be the next challenge. ‘For me, it’s mainly about figuring out how I can apply this within my team. What will be expected of us?’ Practical considerations also come into play. ‘We’ll probably be offering more tailored solutions. The question is how you combine that with the work you’re already doing, and what financial decisions you’ll need to make.’
Despite these challenges, she remains positive. ‘I’m getting a clearer picture of why this is important, and I really want to contribute.’ She also sees opportunities to spread the word with colleagues. ‘It’s up to us to bring others on board and inspire them.’
For Ranoe, this event is a promising start. ‘It was a great first experience with Una Europa.’
Discover what Una Europa can do for you
Would you like to explore the opportunities offered by the Una Europa alliance, or do you have an idea for a project or collaboration? Sign up for the newletter, join our team in Teams or contact the university team (una-europa@bb.leidenuniv.nl).
