This year, the international conference of educators and professionals specializing in international education (EAIE – European Association for International Education) celebrated its 35th anniversary with a record number of participants. Held from September 17 to 20 in Toulouse, France, the event featured the Tempus Public Foundation as an exhibitor with its own booth, alongside several Hungarian higher education institutions, including Obuda University.
Representing Obuda University were institutional coordinator Ágnes Székely and international education advisor Erzsébet Veres, who attended the workshops, university visits, and engaged in discussions with numerous foreign partners, exploring new collaboration opportunities during networking sessions.
The delegation was pleased to observe that despite the developments related to the Erasmus program, the university’s longstanding partners are already embracing the synergy between the Erasmus and Pannonia programs and are eager to continue collaborating with Obuda University, including faculty and student exchanges. Several new potential partners also expressed interest, including institutions from France (ESME Paris, INSA Toulouse, University of Lille), and the National University of Singapore, which indicated its willingness to host Obuda students for its summer school and to explore participation in its excellence program. Additionally, Pakistan’s Superior University (a private institution) expressed interest in sending students to Obuda University, with further discussions planned for concrete implementation. During the university visit, the delegation visited independent institutions operating under the Université Toulouse Capitole umbrella (Toulouse School of Management, Toulouse School of Economics, and Science Po Toulouse).
The conference and the parallel exhibition saw more than 7,300 participants representing 110 nations. Over four days, attendees had the opportunity to engage in more than 240 different programs (lectures, workshops, and other events), while the exhibiting institutions and organizations showcased themselves across 220 booths. For the first time, African representatives attended the exhibition, and European university alliances were also featured with dedicated booths. Keynote speakers at the conference included Élisabeth Moreno, former French Minister of Equality, and Zhang Zhang, a classical violinist and humanitarian, both of whom highlighted the transformative power of education by sharing their personal journeys and underscoring the crucial role of educators and mentors.
The EAIE conference was established 35 years ago to create a supportive community that addresses the challenges faced by professionals in internationalization. This year’s conference, titled “En route! – to a meaningful impact,” reaffirmed that internationalization remains a central theme, steadily progressing while undergoing numerous changes and anticipating many more. Mobility interest has increased post-pandemic, 64 European university alliances have been formed, and the European Commission is already working on the next generation of programs beyond 2027. Additionally, artificial intelligence and virtual reality pose significant challenges that professionals need to address. Sharing experiences, analyzing new trends, and transferring best practices are key to navigating these challenges. These opportunities will also be available at the 2025 jubilee conference in Gothenburg, whose slogan is: Go Explore. Go Collaborate. Go Create.
