Urban Heat Islands – How can we cool our cities?
On 5 October 2026, a PIONEER online workshop on Urban Heat Islands – organized by Work Package 6 “Ecosystem co-creation” – brought together participants and speakers from 10 countries to explore how cities can respond to rising temperatures and more frequent heatwaves. Experts from France, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain and Switzerland shared real-world approaches, from […]
Hands-on Project Work and International Exchange for Early Career Researchers
28 researchers from nine partner universities took part in the PIONEER Early Career Researchers Training School in ’s-Hertogenbosch. Among them were Lisa Reissner and Munam Farooqui from TH Köln’s :metabolon Institute. In this interview, the two research associates share their experiences from the practical project work and the enriching international exchange. You both work as […]
Strong Regions, Strong Europe: From Brussels to Local Communities with PIONEER
The European Week of Regions and Cities 2026 brought European leaders, policymakers and local representatives together in Brussels to discuss the future of Europe’s regions. The conversation continues with Close to You events, three of which organized by members of the PIONEER Alliance. A stronger Europe starts with its regions The week opened at the […]
What happens when early career researchers tackle a real-world urban challenge?
A former industrial waterfront site. Historic factory buildings alongside new housing developments. Cultural initiatives, entrepreneurs, residents and policymakers, all playing a role in the same area redevelopment project. For participants of the PIONEER Early Career Researchers Training School, the Tramkade district in ’s-Hertogenbosch serves this week as the starting point for a broader question: how […]
What kind of leaders do we need in times of change?
What if leadership is not about having all the answers? What if complex societal challenges require people who can bring together different perspectives, engage in difficult conversations, and create space for shared responsibility? These were the questions explored this week by professionals from our partner institutions during the Human-Centered Leadership 2026 programme in Breda. At […]
PIONEER Alliance Governance Week Brings European Higher Education Institutions Together at Laurea
The PIONEER Alliance Governance Week brought together Governing Board and Steering Committee members, coordinators, and work package leaders from ten European higher education institutions at Laurea University of Applied Sciences’ Leppävaara Campus in Espoo, Finland. As the Alliance Chair institution for 2026, Laurea hosted the event, which focused on the strategic development of the Alliance, […]
PIONEER at EAIE 2026: Building Visibility, Sharing Experience, Connecting Europe
Glasgow, Scotland — 11 September 2026 — The PIONEER Alliance joined the EAIE Conference and Exhibition 2026 in Glasgow from 8 to 11 September, connecting with the international higher education community at one of Europe’s leading events dedicated to the internationalisation of education. The four-day conference brought together a record-breaking 7,300+ professionals from around the […]
Climate of the Future Summer School in Breda
Students collaborate on a climate-resilient Europe From 28 June to 3 July 2026, the international Climate of the Future / Climate Resilience Summer School took place in Breda. Students from various partner institutions worked together intensively for a week in a challenge-based programme built around one central question: how can European regions better prepare for […]
Iscte PIONEER Festival focused on Addressing Urban Societal Challenges
The second Iscte PIONEER Festival was held on July 8th, as part of the International Staff-Week dedicated to the Designing the Future of Urban Living – Well-being, Sustainability and Urban Challenges. Helena Carreiras, Rector of Iscte, addressed the audience with some opening remarks stressing the importance of opening university to the society followed by the […]
Zlín Hosted PIONEER Alliance Meeting Focused on International Education and Joint Degree Programmes
Tomas Bata University in Zlín hosted a working meeting of representatives of the WP4 working group within the European university alliance PIONEER Alliance from 16 to 18 June 2026. The event brought together representatives from ten partner institutions to discuss the further development of international educational activities in the field of Challenge-Based Education (CBE), innovative […]
