New partners welcomed (University of São Paulo and the Technical University of Moldova) and next steps outlined during EELISA Board of Directors meeting in Istanbul on November 17-19.
PISA, november 26, 2025. Last week, the members of the EELISA Governing Board gathered to take stock of the Alliance’s achievements during its first two years of the roll-out phase of the alliance and to chart the next steps for its expansion, consolidation, and long-term sustainability. Building on discussions held during their previous meeting in Paris, board members revisited progress, examined alignment with evolving European policy priorities, and advanced key strategic decisions essential to EELISA’s future.
Over the course of an intensive two-day program, the Governing Board tackled a substantial agenda. They reviewed the overall state of progress of the Alliance, assessed the Report and Recommendations from the 2nd Evaluation Committee, and outlined the roadmap toward establishing an EELISA Legal Entity and the Alliance’s sustainability plan beyond 2027. Discussions also included a dedicated session on EELISA Innovation and the endorsement of new recommendations aimed at strengthening institutionalisation, staff engagement, and recognition across member universities.
WELCOMING NEW ASSOCIATED PARTNERS
The major highlight of this meeting was the welcoming of the two new EELISA’s associated partners—the University of São Paulo and the Technical University of Moldova.
The University of São Paulo (USP), founded in 1934, stands out as a world-class institution with more than 5,300 professors, nearly 80,000 students, 12,000 staff members, and over 580 academic programs across all fields of knowledge; consistently ranked among the world’s top 200 universities, it produces about 20% of Brazil’s total scientific output and is supported by a vibrant network of cultural and public outreach initiatives. “This collaboration will provide our students with greater opportunities to engage in the initiatives promoted by the Alliance, fostering increased bilateral exchange of students and researchers, as well as the development of joint projects between our institutions. We are confident that this initiative will consolidate and elevate USP’s internationalization efforts to new levels of excellence and global relevance”, says Carlos Gilberto Carlotti Jr, President of the USP.
The Technical University of Moldova (UTM) is the leading higher education institution in engineering, technology, and innovation in the Republic of Moldova. With over 12,500 students across 11 faculties, it offers study programs in Romanian, English and French, covering a broad spectrum of fields - from mechanical and electrical engineering to information technology, design, food technology, veterinary medicine, agricultural, fostering innovation, sustainability, and academic excellence through global partnerships and research initiatives. In the words of Viorel Bostan, its Rector: “We are confident that the partnership with EELISA will strengthen UTM’s capacity to train and educate globally competitive specialists through the exchange of best practices, joint projects and interdisciplinary educational initiatives. At the same time, involvement in this prestigious Alliance will contribute to creating an open academic space in which science and engineering become tools for sustainable development and progress”
For Hasan Mandal, Istanbul Technical University’s Rector and the new EELISA Governing Board Chairman, “The University of São Paulo and the Technical University of Moldova expand EELISA’s scientific capacity and geographic reach, reinforcing our ambition to advance transnational education, joint research, and societal impact.” Anthony Briant, outgoing co-chairman and Director of École nationale des ponts et chaussées (ENPC), added that this impact is also strategically significant at the institutional and European level: “Our new associated partners not only validate this premise but also complement and amplify our educational, societal, and ecological impact”. Echoing this vision, El Mouhoub Mouhoud, President of Université PSL and outgoing co-chairman, emphasized, “This partnership marks a promising step toward impactful and sustainable progress and the beginning of a broader international opening for EELISA.”
RELEASE OF THE EELISA JOINT STATEMENT ON ENLARGEMENT
The EELISA–USP and EELISA–UTM accession agreements arrive at a moment when the Alliance has officially presented its new enlargement strategy, becoming an important milestone further underscored by the signing of the EELISA Joint Statement, Expanding Horizons: EELISA’s Commitment to Global Collaboration.
Hosted by ITU Rector Hasan Mandal, the signatories stepped forward one by one, taking their seats at the long table with smiles on their faces and pens in hand, placing their signatures beneath the golden emblems bearing the university’s name, the bee symbol of the institution, and the “250” marking its recent anniversary. A Turkish flag, another displaying the ITU emblem, and two EELISA roll-ups flanking the table completed the ceremonial setting.
At this pivotal moment—two years into the implementation of EELISA’s roll-out phase (2023-2027)—Rectors, Presidents, and Directors of the alliance’s member institutions reaffirmed their shared vision and collective commitment to advancing higher education in Europe and beyond. Thus, this statement emphasized EELISA’s dedication to openness, dialogue, and academic solidarity, extending its mission beyond the European Union to promote multilateralism, mutual respect, and the free exchange of knowledge. It represents a concrete step toward building a more connected, cooperative, and resilient global academic community in a world increasingly marked by polarization.
READ THE REACTIONS OF THE HEADS OF EELISA MEMBER UNIVERSITIES.
“This expansion fosters diversity, openness, and cooperation — shaping an international alliance that connects ideas, people, and institutions to drive meaning change worldwide”. Alessandro Schiesaro, Director of Scuola Normale Superiore of Pisa (SNS).
"EELISA brings together strong partners within and beyond Europe. With the University of São Paulo and the Technical University of Moldova, we are expanding our shared sphere of impact – advancing education and research that combine global responsibility with local relevance". Regula Jöhl, Rector of Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW).
“FAU warmly welcomes the two new associated partners joining EELISA, whose participation brings significant added value to the alliance. We look forward to deepening the longstanding collaboration with the University of São Paulo (USP), a trusted FAU partner since 2008 across multiple fields. At the same time, the new partnership with the Technical University of Moldova (UTM) opens promising avenues for cooperation and marks an important milestone in expanding international engagement in Eastern Europe”. Kathrin Möslein, Vice President Outreach of Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU).
“Opening up beyond Europe is not only an academic question, but a demonstration of trust in the power of international scientific collaboration. In this new global phase, the EELISA alliance reaffirms its commitment to uniting diverse expertise and disciplines to generate knowledge and foster dialogue, with the aim of translating these efforts into concrete solutions addressing global challenges that require collective responses”. Nicola Vitiello, Rector of the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna of Pisa (SSSA).
“The incorporation of the University of São Paulo and the Technical University of Moldova strengthens the international dimension of EELISA. For UPM, having a long-standing and natural partner in Latin America, as well as a strategic technological university in Eastern Europe, expands our opportunities for collaboration and consolidates an alliance with a truly global outlook”. Óscar García, Rector of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM)
“There is great value in expanding the EELISA alliance. At POLITEHNICA Bucharest, we know that we can achieve much more in both education and science by committing to global collaboration. The integration of the University of São Paulo and the Technical University of Moldova expands our community and brings opportunities for both enhanced quality of projects and greater impact, as the alliance now reaches beyond one continent. We welcome the new members to our extended family”. Mihnea Custoiu, Rector of University Politehnica of Bucharest
“The enlargement of the EELISA alliance with our new partners reinforces international cooperation, broadens research networks, and creates new educational opportunities. The diverse technological and social backgrounds they bring enrich innovation, support sustainability and equal opportunity, and enhance the global impact of European engineering education”. Hassan Charaf, Rector of the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME)
The Full Statement on “Expandig Horizons – EELISA’s Commitment to Global Collaboraiton”
