Active participation of the Agricultural University of Athens in the 3rd EU-CONEXUS Scientific Conference in Valencia, Spain.

The week of October 20–24, 2025, was exceptionally active for the European University Alliance EU-CONEXUS, of which the Agricultural University of Athens (AUA) is a founding member, marking a period of intense collaboration and exchange of ideas. Specifically, members of the alliance gathered in Valencia, Spain, for the Strategic Planning Workshop on the future of the alliance for the 2026–2030 period, as well as for the 3rd EU-CONEXUS Scientific Conference. The AUA participated with a large delegation of fourteen (14) members in the sessions held, actively contributing to the promotion of EU-CONEXUS’s mission for sustainable development, innovation, and inter-university collaboration.

At the heart of the week’s activities was the EU-CONEXUS Strategic Planning Workshop 2026–2030, which brought together more than fifty (50) representatives of the alliance, including Rectors, Vice Rectors, members of governing boards, and Work Package Leaders. The AUA was represented by Professor Eleni Miliou, Vice Rector for European University, Internationalization and Student Affairs, and Dr. Evanthia Chatzoglou, Researcher at the Department of Animal Science. During the discussions, participants analyzed the main challenges and mission of the alliance, identified its unique added value and shaped a shared vision for the future, setting ambitious yet realistic goals that will guide the course of EU-CONEXUS until 2030 and strengthen its role as a strong, interconnected, and sustainable European University.

From October 21 to 23, 2025, the 3rd EU-CONEXUS Scientific Conference, titled “Transformative Research for Urban Coastal Sustainability,” took place, bringing together researchers, academics, and students from the nine (9) member universities of the alliance. With an impressive attendance of over one hundred and fifty (150) participants, researchers from diverse backgrounds came together to foster collaboration within the framework of the alliance and to exchange knowledge and ideas on the sustainability of coastal regions.

The AUA was represented by two (2) invited keynote speakers in two (2) thematic round tables:

• Assistant Professor Dimitrios Sklirós from the Department of Biotechnology, who participated in the panel “Data-Driven Decision Making: Smart Cities, Environmental Data and AI”, and
• Assistant Professor Sophie Mavrikou from the Department of Biotechnology, who took part in the panel “Sustainable Health and Disease Management.”

A special highlight of the conference was the presentation of the EU-CONEXUS Student Research Hub (SRH), a program of two-month student research trainings, showcased through the research projects of student teams that excelled during the 2024–2025 academic year. Five (5) award-winning student teams from the AUA, Klaipeda University (KU), Catholic University of Valencia (UCV), and the University of Rostock (UROS) presented the results of their research initiatives, highlighting the interdisciplinary and applied nature of the program.

From the AUA, eight (8) students participated in the award-winning teams, presenting their projects in poster format on the following topics:

• Diagnosis of fish diseases in Greek aquaculture and identification of pathogens – Eleni Spanou, Vasiliki-Maria Asimogiorgou
• Protein products: a curse or a blessing for sustainability? – Athanasia-Elli Stefanaki, Panagiota Mallouchou
• Data analysis in physical oceanography: analysis of the Gulf of Lions – Georgios Kaltsis, Alexios Kavvouras
• Long-term effect of phosphorus management on soil fertility and soil P pools – Vasilis Kanellopoulos
• Soil phosphorus dynamics across time and depth in a long-term field study – Maria-Georgia Gkika

In addition, the AUA was represented by PhD candidate Panagiotis Karountzos from the Department of Agribusiness and Supply Chain Management, who presented a poster titled “Logistics–ESG performance, economic capacity and consumer behavior: determinants of circular economy strategies.” The university was also represented by undergraduate student Ioanna Amaslidou from the Department of Biotechnology, who presented a poster titled “Portable thylakoid-based biosensor for environmental monitoring of herbicides in water.”

These contributions showcased the ongoing research activity and active engagement of AUA in shaping the scientific dialogue within the EU-CONEXUS, during a week of crucial importance for the alliance. Remaining firmly committed to the goals of EU-CONEXUS, the AUA contributed its expertise at multiple levels, reaffirming its role as an active and integral partner in this international collaboration. Through collective efforts, the shared goal remains the creation of a sustainable future for the alliance, a future that will make a meaningful difference in the lives of students, researchers, and communities.