CHARM-EU annual conference: when culture brings us together

[Article] - Published on November 26, 2024 in CHARM-EU European University

On November 5th, the annual Charm-EU conference conference was held at Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) in Budapest, Hungary. An opportunity for the nine partners of the the alliance of European universitiesincluding the UM, to take an in-depth look at the many facets of interculturality and highlight its crucial role in strengthening transnational collaboration in higher education.

CHARM-EU is more than just an acronym for an innovative project. Certainly, it ischallenged-driven,accessible,research-based and particularly mobile within the European Union(EU). It is also, and above all, about cooperation between different European universities, cultures and languages. Eleven languages, to be precise. As many ways of seeing the world as challenges to be met.

" Our difficulties have more often than not been caused by the differences between our cultures," said university rector Eötvös Loránden at the opening of the Charm-EU 2024 annual conference. Hence the importance of "bridging culture, embracing diversity ", the inspiring motto of Charm-EU Days 2024.

Guardians of knowledge

This desire to share was the common thread running through the speeches of the nine official representatives of the alliance's partner universities, who spoke in their mother tongue, repeatedly stressing the urgent need for Europe to remain united. Starting with François Pierrot, vice-president for international relations at the UM: "Thanks to the expertise and enthusiasm of everyone involved, the University of Montpellier has been able to benefit from all your know-how. More importantly, European university alliances are now real tools for cohesion in a world that is becoming increasingly divided.

As universities, " we are the guardians of knowledge ", said Jan Butí, President of the Charm-EU Student Council, before affirming the need to " build together a future where all voices are heard and valued ". Throughout the day, the notion of interculturality was addressed in all its diversity on the theme of intercultural learning in European university alliances.

The spirit of collaboration

Among the round table discussions attended by participants at the annual Charm-EU conference, one featured a global South perspective on higher education. Umesh Bawa, clinical psychologist at the University of the Western Cape in South Africa, gave us this perspective. We absolutely must reverse the gaze and look not from North to South, but from South to North," he asserted. Taking better account of the global South's frameworks of understanding is crucial if we are to make a difference."

The round tables were followed by numerous workshops on challenge-based learning, exchange students, the links between AI and multilingualism, the alliance's joint virtual offices... Or a workshop led by Céline Fabre (Institut Agro Montpellier) on developing intercultural skills through the "Story Circles" theorized by American researcher Darla Deardorff.

Building confidence

In his closing address, Jan Haarhuis, Director of Charm-EU at Utrecht University (Netherlands), soon to retire after having been one of the pioneers of the European project, made a strong case for interculturality: "The bonds of trust and reliability that bind all partners lie at the very heart of our collaboration. Consolidating this trust is a crucial challenge we have to overcome, requiring constant care and attention. Connecting cultures and celebrating diversity are essential to the future of our alliance. This, I have no doubt, applies to all European university alliances."

On the same day, at the launch of the first edition of the Charm-EU Cultural Festival, Meritxell Chaves, Secretary General of the alliance, praised the " spirit of collaboration " shared by all partner universities. And confessed: " Working together makes us so much stronger! These words were immediately echoed by the Eötvös Loránda University choir, who brilliantly sang the European anthem in each of the 11 Charm-EU languages.

Key words : Charm-eu, International