Hosted by Kiel University, which held the alliance’s presidency for the first half of the year, the Governing Week brought together rectors, vice-rectors, project leaders, students, and external stakeholders for a series of high-level meetings, workshops, and cultural exchanges. The event underscored SEA-EU’s commitment to fostering deep collaboration across Europe’s coastal universities.
The University of Malta’s delegation was led by Rector, Prof. Alfred J. Vella, accompanied by Prof. Valerie Sollars, Pro-Rector for Strategic Planning & Sustainability, Prof. Alan Deidun, Rector’s Delegate for SEA‑EU, and Dr Jacqueline Vanhear, who participated as the representative for the Quality and Ethics Committee. The SEA-EU Office was represented by Ms Maria Grima Calleja (Senior Manager), Ms Fernanda Giraldo Guzman (Project Manager), and Ms Emily Gambino (Project Officer). Representing the student body, Ms Jan Proschek (KSU Student and International Affairs Officer) joined the discussions as part of the SEA-EU Students’ Council.
A major highlight was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a legal entity for SEA-EU, ensuring the alliance’s continuity beyond the current EU funding phase. Additional cooperation agreements were signed for joint programmes, including STORM, SeaBluE, and MIPMAL.
The event also marked the beginning of the SEA‑EU 3.0 planning phase, opening discussions on the alliance’s strategic priorities, including the expansion of mobility opportunities (with a focus on virtual formats), the development of microcredentials, and the strengthening of the Joint Research Office.
The week concluded with the formal handover of the alliance’s presidency to the University of Naples Parthenope, which will host the next Governing Week in November 2025.
The University of Malta remains a key contributor to the alliance’s strategic development, strengthening its role in shaping a forward-looking, integrated European higher education landscape.
