The visit was a defining experience for our institution in becoming the eighth university and city to join the European Campus of City-Universities (EC²U).

In Salamanca, Raúl Sánchez Prieto (the Vice-Rector for International Relations in Salamanca), the local coordinators, and the city administration warmly welcomed the Linz delegation led by Univ. Prof. Lana Ivanjek and accompanied by local coordinators Andrea Steiner-Cardell and Adriana Estrada.

Exploring the Partnership in Quality Education and the Innovation Center
The visit focused on exploring partnerships as part of the Quality Education work package. The discussions revolved around the JKU's future integration into this work package, while also emphasizing the importance of innovative educational approaches.

The delegation also expanded on discussions as part of the Innovation Hub work package, exploring strategies to promote the advancement of virtual institutes that will serve as platforms for researchers to work together and build a network of experts. These initiatives aim to encourage excellence in research and support growth opportunities within the Alliance.

Adriana Estrada, the local JKU coordinator, remarked: "This visit not only strengthens our commitment to academic collaboration and innovation, it is also a step forward as part of the EC²U Alliance's mission to redefine education in Europe and create vibrant communities to learn from and share information."

A Commitment to Research in AI at the AIR Institute
During their visit, the JKU Linz delegation also had the privilege of visiting the Artificial Intelligence Research Institute (AIR) in Salamanca. The visit was not only an invaluable opportunity to share ideas with experts and researchers in the field of Artificial Intelligence, it was also a chance to take part in brainstorming sessions focusing on issues such as AI, cybersecurity, simulation, blockchain technology, and more. These discussions underscored the potential to support collaborative research efforts and share expertise in these cutting-edge areas.

Student Involvement and Collaboration
The JKU delegates also met with student representatives from the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) and learned more about their activities in the Alliance and their contributions to key topics that were discussed during the annual forum. The ESN representatives are actively involved in influencing to direction of various topics and discussions, thereby guaranteeing the EC²U addresses diverse and inclusive dialog.

Strengthening Ties Throughout Europe
The EC²U Alliance shares a strong international vision among the network of eight renowned universities and their cities. In addition to the University of Salamanca, the alliance includes renowned institutions such as the University of Coimbra (Portugal), Alexandru Ioan Cuza University Iași (Romania), Friedrich Schiller University Jena (Germany), the University of Poitiers (France), the University of Pavia (Italy), and the University of Turku (Finland).

Exploring the Future of Education in Europe
As the JKU moves forward in advancing its educational pursuits, we look forward to continuing our partnership and collaboration within the EC²U Alliance. We are committed to working together and building the future of European education by focusing on excellence, innovation, and inclusivity at our universities and in our cities.

We will naturally keep you updated on the latest developments relating to the EC²U!