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Charles University Excelled at CEEDUCON 2025

Charles University once again played an active role at CEEDUCON, one of the most significant international conferences dedicated to internationaliation of higher education. Dozens of representatives from both the Rectorate and CU faculties attended, and a total of six Charles University speakers contributed speeches on some of the most current topics in the field. To show support the speakers and participants, CU Rector Milena Králíčková also personally attended the opening of the conference.

Lenka Henebergová, Member of the Rector’s Board for Social Affairs and Sustainable Development and Vice-Dean for Internationalisation at the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, took part in the panel discussion Critical Perspectives on Geopolitical Challenges to Current International Higher Education. She addressed the impact of geopolitical challenges on international higher education, reflecting on changes driven by the war in Ukraine, the political situation in the United States, and global economic trends. The panel also featured contributions from Eva Janebová, Head of the Mestenhauser Institute for International Collaboration; Harvey Charles of Gateway International Group; and Jos Beelen, Professor of Global Learning at The Hague University of Applied Sciences. All four internationalisation experts highlighted the importance of global cooperation in addressing geopolitical challenges and emphasised the need to build new institutional, regional, and international partnerships.

Jelizaveta Getta, Head of the Erasmus+ Programme at Charles University, co-organised an interactive workshop titled Going International by BIPs – Let's Co-Create the Know-How! together with Helena Alves of European University Foundation (EUF) and Lucie Weissová, Coordinator for Internationalisation at Home at Halmstad University. The workshop focused on finding ways to maximize the potential of Blended Intensive Programmes (BIPs) through effective advertising, meaningful content, and sustainable collaboration. Participants created and presented posters addressing institutional strategy, methodological support, examples of good practice, programme quality, integration of BIPs into curricula, and the development of competencies crucial for BIP organisation. Charles University particularly contributed by sharing insights gained from coordinating more than 20 BIPs at both faculty and rectorate levels. This year, the University also participated in a pilot BIP selection process within the 4EU+ Alliance, of which Charles University is a member.

Petra Šmídová, Erasmus+ Outgoing Mobility Coordinator, participated in the dynamic panel discussion Enabling Green Mobility: Student Perspectives and University Practices. Together with Salome Dermati of EUF and Neli Kalinova-Schmieder from the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) in Brussels, she presented the latest trends in environmentally sustainable student mobility – from destinations most accessible by eco-friendly transport to grant opportunities supporting green travel. The speakers offered practical tips for navigating rail travel across Europe, outlined the advantages of train travel for students, and shared best practices for accelerating the green transformation of Erasmus. Many of the insights presented originated from the prestigious KA2 project Erasmus Student Travel (SET), in which Charles University is a key collaborator. The project has already mapped rail connections between major Erasmus destinations, organised focus groups on barriers to sustainable travel, and launched the second round of a competition for the most sustainable travel ambassador. In 2025, the University also hosted the BIP Sustainability as an Integral Part of International Experience, which advanced to the final round of nominations for an Award in the Sustainability category of the Centre for International Cooperation in Education (DZS).

Valérie Hůrská, the manager for security in the fight against corruption and institutional resilience at Charles University spoke at a panel discussion Responsible and Secure Internationalisation in Higher Education: Institutional Perspectives and Practical Responses, which brought together representatives from Czech universities for sharing their institutional responses to the challenges of responsible and secure internationalisation. The speakers presented specific strategies and procedures for risk assessment and the integration of security awareness into academic education The session was moderated by Jiřina Fryčová from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic.

Simona Kostelanská, manager of the Healthy Campus project, prepared a workshop entitled Inclusion and Diversity – Sharing Experiences, Finding Ways Forward in collaboration with Palacký University in Olomouc. Its first part presented outcomes from a staff week on inclusion, equality, and diversity, including activities like adapted games for people with disabilities. The second part will discuss support for students with fewer opportunities during their mobility abroad, featuring the story of a student who spent a semester abroad. The goal is to inspire and share ideas from various institutions.

Bartłomiej Wróblewski, Vice-Chairman of the Paedagogium platform, who focuses on developing teaching competencies of academic staff at Charles University, was among the speakers in the panel discussion Embedding Internationalisation for All: Strategies for Systemic Change. The panel explored the concept of internationalisation for all, highlighted the crucial role of Education Support Centres in the internationalisation process and emphasised the need for clear institutional prioritization: Universities cannot respond to every emerging trend; instead, they must identify key areas for structured and sustainable development. Panelists introduced recommendations for initiating institutional change and shared innovative approaches from different perspectives: that of internationalisation administrators, strategic management representatives, teaching and learning specialists, and academic staff. Contributors included Lukáš Kala of Mendel University in Brno and Lucie Weissová and Simon Holmesson of Halmstad University.

Representatives from two Charles University faculties also presented at CEEDUCON. Natálie Wolfová, Coordinator for International Cooperation at the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport (FTVS), co-led the workshop Unlocking Opportunities: European Solidarity Corps programme. The session provided participants with a practical introduction to the EU’s European Solidarity Corps (ESC), an initiative supporting youth volunteering and civic engagement. Since 2023, Charles University has held the ESC Quality Label accreditation, enabling it to host high-quality volunteering activities for young people across Europe. The workshop addressed how to integrate volunteering into university environment, encourage both local and international students to participate in socially beneficial activities, and fully harness the added value of ESC. Natálie Wolfová was joined by Andrea Duchoňová of FTVS, Olivia Hynne of Nord University, and Lenka Martináková and Theodor L. Háva, ESC coordinators at the Czech National Agency for International Education and Research (DZS).

Martin Mejstřík from the Institute of International Studies at the Faculty of Social Sciences contributed a presentation titled Quality Assurance in Erasmus Mundus Programmes: Good Practice and Processes. His talk examined mechanisms for enhancing the quality of Erasmus Mundus programmes, which rest on academic excellence, transparency, and continuous improvement across institutions. He highlighted systems that ensure the integrity of joint degrees, foster cooperation, and reinforce the international recognition of these programmes. The presentation also explored approaches to aligning with European standards for higher education, thereby supporting high-quality and globally competitive degree programmes. The Faculty of Social Sciences at Charles University has extensive experience in developing joint study programmes and serves as a respected example of good practice in this area.

We extend our sincere thanks to all speakers and participants for their exemplary representation of Charles University and look forward to similarly strong engagement in the next CEEDUCON, to be held on 1–2 December 2026!

TEXT: Jelizaveta Getta

PHOTO: Czech National Agency for International Education and Research