First SDU employee attends an EPICUR event!

EPICUR organises several EPICamps, which are online, interactive research events where researchers across EPICUR universities meet to exchange ideas, collaborate and network. Dorte was Chair of the discussion "Margins, borders, exile: what about identities?".

After a positive experience at the EPICamp, Dorte now has first-hand experience of what EPICUR can bring to SDU: learned more about what EPICUR is:

For me, what's exciting about EPICUR is that the project paves the way for exchanges in university teaching, in a practical and approachable way, and it's not as large-scale as most EU initiatives in education. At European Studies in Sønderborg, we have longed for the possibility of educational cooperation and exchange based on relationships that can be spontaneous, short-term and informal - that is, network relationships rather than the more rigid, institutionally-based exchanges, such as ERASMUS+ and ERASMUS Mundus. The way I see it, EPICUR could be a way for lecturers to exchange parts of their teaching, such as syllabuses, and that individual modules could be taught jointly across universities, including online attendance from other places. Students will thus be able to follow courses at other European universities without necessarily being enrolled or having to move abroad for an extended period.

Another positive aspect for me is the pan-European context. One thing is internationalisation, a phenomenon that has long been and continues to be dictated by the academia of the English-speaking world. Another is the pan-European aspect, which has the potential to create more diversity in the education and teaching landscape. In this context, a single language and a single culture of education are not enough. Creating a more solid foundation for pan-European exchange within education is therefore the way forward among a contemporary student population that is globally minded and, it seems to me, has more difficulty tolerating unilateral cultural hegemony than previous generations.

To celebrate SDU's first official participation in an EPICUR event, Rector Jens Ringsmose surprised Dorte with a bouquet of flowers and a chat about EPICUR.

Participation in EPICUR is an incredibly exciting process for us to be involved in. It's an alliance that benefits the whole of SDU - and I'm

looking forward to seeing more small initiatives spring up around SDU. The alliance will bring value to students, lecturers and administrative staff alike, as a whole new world of collaboration and opportunity opens up for them. SDU is a world-class university that educates and researches in major global societal challenges. It is therefore vital that we create strong international collaborations that can give us new perspectives on our research and teaching. I am sure that Dorte is the first in a long line of SDU employees who, together with talented colleagues from our alliance partners, will help shape the European research and education landscape of the future.

What is EPICUR?

At the end of 2021, SDU became part of EPICUR European University, which consists of 9 leading European universities.

The European University works strategically to create a common superstructure that involves joint educational and research activities.

The 9 partner universities have developed a joint long-term strategy for developing closer and more institutionalised cooperation in education, research and community engagement.

Thus, in the period 2022-26, a series of innovative structures and academic activities will be rolled out to provide a common European campus - not as a separate physical institution, but as a networked community who shares a common digital education platform, with activities happening both online and physically in all partner universities' current locations.