From 28 to 29 January 2026, EUNICoast successfully delivered its Capacity Building Programme at Université Le Havre Normandie (ULHN). A dedicated Train-the-Trainer session followed on 30 January, bringing together a smaller group of participants to support long-term knowledge transfer across the alliance.
Over two main days, the event gathered nearly 100 participants, including university leaders, senior and middle managers, deans, vice-deans, heads of departments, and administrative managers from across the EUNICoast partner universities. This diverse audience reflected the programme’s ambition to strengthen institutional capacity at all levels.
The programme combined five thematic modules and one high-level round table, offering a strong balance between strategic reflection and practical learning.
Discussions on the leadership and management of transnational academic partnerships were led by Marcos Nadal, Secretary General of EUNICoast, alongside Pierre Barthelemy, Director of International Relations at Université Le Havre Normandie.
European policy frameworks and strategic positioning were addressed by Olga Wessels, Head of the ECIU Brussels Office (ForEU4ALL), providing participants with concrete insights into EU-level priorities shaping European University Alliances.
Institutional transformation was explored through contributions from Marcela Onofrio, Secretary General of SEA-EU, Fernando Perez Peña, General Director of SEA-EU, and Morgane Chevé, Vice-President for Institutional Transformation at ULHN.
Issues of cross-cultural communication and multilingual inclusion were tackled by Miran Kang, Senior Lecturer in Language Didactics at ULHN.
A highlight of the programme was the round table on Coastal and Maritime Excellence Across Missions, bringing together Julie Barenton-Guillas, Vice-President of the Normandy Region, Jean-Noël Castorio, First Vice-President for Strategic Projects and
Resources of Université Le Havre Normandie, and Florian Weyer, Deputy Director General at HAROPA Port. The discussion was moderated by Marie Van Meir, a journalist from NewsTank, ensuring a dynamic and well-structured exchange.
The final Train-the-Trainer session on 30 January, led by Petra Frent, EUNICoast Alliance Manager, marked the transition from learning to implementation.
Overall, the Capacity Building Programme was widely recognised as a strong success, praised for its collaborative atmosphere, and the many opportunities for professional exchange and networking it offered to participants.
