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XII Unite! Dialogue at Aalto University: A Week of Collaboration and Connection

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Across meetings, social activities, and ceremonies, Uniters continued to strengthen the shared vision of Unite! and build sustainable collaborations.
A crowded lecture hall with people sitting on dark grey seats, some wearing lanyards.

Held on 6-9 October 2025, the XII Unite! Dialogue at Aalto brought together over 350 representatives from nine European universities. It was an inspiring week of collaboration, networking, and matchmaking. Some highlights of the event are recounted below.

An Opening to Remember

The Dialogue opened with a Finnish tango and warm welcomes from Aalto’s Key Learning Officer, Minna-Kaarina Forssén; Aalto VP of Education, Petri Suomala; Aalto President, Ilkka Niemelä; and Unite! President, Tanja Brühl. Unite! communities then showcased their latest achievements, setting an uplifting tone for the week ahead. The opening session concluded with the unveiling of Blooming Beyond Borders by Aalto student Suthasinee Naktnasukanjn. Now on permanent display in the Undergraduate Centre, the piece symbolises growth and cooperation across borders.

Leadership and Governance

A highlight of the Dialogue was the election of the new Unite! President, Vivien Quéma, President of Grenoble INP – UGA. Quéma succeeds Tanja Brühl, President of TU Darmstadt, who has served Unite! for six years. In her farewell message, she thanked her leadership team for their tireless work and reiterated that connected European universities are a powerful and crucial tool for a united Europe. 

Ilkka Niemelä also stepped down as Unite! Vice President, passing the baton to newly elected vice presidents, Anders Söderholm (KTH) and Arkadiusz Wojs (Wrocław University of Science and Technology).

Students Unite! for Representation and Empowerment (SURE!) also elected new leaders: President Marcel Sobecki (Wrocław), Vice President Matilde Godinho (Lisboa), Secretary Pau Morente (UPC), and Treasurer Laura Armando (Politecnico di Torino). 

Unite! Awards

As has become customary at each Dialogue, nine Unite! Awards were distributed. Dr Minna Söderqvist and the Unite! Doctoral Education Team, composed of Katri Eeva, Tiina Kotti, Kitta Peura, Essi Viitanen, and colleagues from Aalto Doctoral Education Services, received recognition for their sustained commitment to strengthening doctoral education and mobility within Unite!. Read more about the awards and other recipients here. 

Matchmaking Early-Career Academics 

Unite! also brought 32 early-career academics to the Dialogue. Aalto researchers hosted them. The aim was to connect researchers and encourage them to explore opportunities for joint teaching initiatives and collaborative research. As a result, some Aalto hosts reported that future collaborations and seed-fund proposals were discussed.

Looking Ahead

The next Unite! XIII Dialogue will be hosted by Politecnico di Torino from 9-12 February 2026, under the theme “From short-term E+ projects to long-term alliances: contributing to EU competitiveness.”

Dialogue highlights

All photos by Katri Heinämäki.

Two couples dance in front of a seated audience in an auditorium with wooden walls and floor.
The Dialogue officially opened with KLO Minna-Kaarina Forssén and VP of Education Petri Suomala enjoying a Finnish tango.
Four people stand in front of a large artwork featuring flowers and leaves displayed on a white brick wall.
Suthasinee (Sine) Naktnasukanjn's 'Blooming Beyond Borders' was unveiled. It hangs permanently in the Undergraduate Centre.
A person in a maroon suit is signing documents at a table, while another person in a blue blazer stands nearby.
Grenoble INP-UGA president, Vivien Quéma, was elected new Unite! President. He succeeds TU Darmstadt President, Tanja Brühl.
A person wearing a suit and graduation cap holds a card. Two musicians in vintage uniforms are in the background.
Ilkka Niemelä's term as Unite! Vice President ended. He passed the baton to Anders Söderholm (KTH) and Arkadiusz Wojs (Wrocław).
A group of people dressed in formal attire standing on a staircase indoors.
SURE!'s new board: Pres. Marcel Sobecki (Wrocław), VP Matilde Godinho (Lisboa), Secretary Pau Morente (UPC), and Treasurer Laura Armando (Politecnico di Torino).
Six people standing on stage with conference badges, under a projection screen displaying text and graphics.
At the opening ceremony, Unite! community representatives pitched their milestones, setting a positive tone for the week ahead.
Group of people standing in a line holding certificates. A projector screen is visible behind them.
Unite! Award recipients from Aalto were (pictured left) Tiina Kotti, Dr Minna Söderqvist, and the rest of the Aalto Doctoral Education Services Team.
Six people holding numbered signs at an event, standing in front of podium and screen
The Dialogue also focused on early-career researchers. At the closing ceremony, Aalto hosts shared their experiences and plans for future collaborations.
A lively group gathering, people wear vibrant hats and name tags, with some holding flowers. Party atmosphere.
Uniters enjoy themselves at the Gala Dinner.
Band members in white uniforms and red details raise their helmets while playing brass instruments.
Retuperän WBK surprised Uniters at the opening ceremony. 'Retuperän WBK has made its mission to cause disapproval among the serious-minded.'- Retuperän website.
Group of people standing in a line holding certificates. A projector screen is visible behind them.

Aalto Doctoral Education Services Receives Unite! Award

Aalto's Unite! Doctoral Education Team, led by Dr Minna Söderqvist, received an award for their long-term efforts to enhance doctoral mobility and collaboration across the Unite! Alliance. The award ceremony took place during the XII Unite! DIalogue.

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