The 3rd Governance Meeting of the PIONEER Alliance took place in Venice from 14 to 16 April 2026. This meeting, attended by, amongst others, the Rector of Iscte, Professor Helena Carreiras, and the Vice-Rector for International Affairs and Outreach, Professor Ricardo Paes Mamede, provided a forum for discussion regarding the strategic alignment and preparation for the Alliance’s next phase of development.

During this meeting, hosted by the Università Iuav di Venezia and supported by the coordination team from the Université Gustave Eiffel, strategic priorities for the Alliance’s future were discussed, with a focus on strengthening links to regional ecosystems and integrating societal challenges into the fields of education and research.

Among the main topics addressed were also the expansion of joint degrees and the development of joint pilot programmes, in line with the European Degree initiative. New learning formats were also discussed, such as Blended Intensive Programmes (BIPs) and micro-credentials, promoting more flexible pathways tailored to students.

The communication and dissemination of the alliance’s activities were also identified as priority areas, with a view to enhancing its visibility and impact.

The meeting helped to solidify cooperation between the partner institutions and to further the development of the PIONEER Alliance as a European University initiative.

The PIONEER Alliance thanked the Università Iuav di Venezia for organising and hosting the meeting, as well as the coordination team at the Université Gustave Eiffel for their support.