Our Steering Committee gathered from October 29 to 31 at the Trinity College Dublin (TCD), initiating the revision phase of CLUSTER’s vision and mission for the upcoming years
Over the course of three days, the Steering Committee and Working Groups convened to discuss strategic activities and new projects. A productive workshop brought together the CLUSTER Presidency, working group leaders, and participants to start the revision phase our values, mission, and vision. Through a collaborative and engaging writing session, all participants reached a consensus on the strategic vision for the upcoming years.
The newly drafted CLUSTER’s mission emphasizes our impact on society and our role in promoting multidisciplinary educational, research, and mobility initiatives. It outlines our core values of diversity, inclusion, multiculturalism, and our commitment to the ethical and sustainable use of science and technology. The new vision focuses on being an agile and trusted community that contributes to the European Education and Research Areas, pursues excellence, and addresses the challenges of internationalization beyond European borders. Further discussions and the final approval of these choral changes will occur during the next General Assembly at Politecnico di Torino in June 2026.
“CLUSTER continues to strengthen its role as a global community of leading science and technology universities committed to education through multidisciplinary programs at all levels, high-level research, innovation, and service to society, and driven by cooperation, mutual trust, and shared responsibility. The revision of CLUSTER’s mission and vision reinforces our commitment to the values of diversity, inclusion, and multiculturalism, and reaffirms the central role of its members — a strong and cohesive family of universities — who work together through shared experiences, joint projects, and aligned strategies to enhance their collective capacity to generate knowledge, foster progress, and create lasting societal impact” said Politecnico di Torino’s Rector and CLUSTER’s President, Prof. Stefano Paolo Corgnati.
Among the most relevant developments reached and shared during the meetings, a notable one was the discussion on welcoming new members to join CLUSTER, defining shared procedures and enlarging our borders. For what concerns the working groups, here follow some highlights:
- The SINO-EU Engineering Educational Platform is currently drafting a comprehensive roadmap aimed at reinforcing a collaborative model of higher education between China and Europe. Developing from the agreement recently signed by Dalian University of Technology’s Rector Gao Xiang and Rector Corgnati, the initiative is set to culminate in the signing of the SEEEP Memorandum of Understanding, scheduled for June 2026 (see more here).
- The Working Group on European University Initiatives is conducting an in-depth analysis of existing joint degree initiatives. This effort aims to elevate the visibility of our Alliances, thus increasing their participation in essential funding opportunities and facilitating the development of new Joint Programs that can benefit our member institutions.
- The Working Group on Sub-Saharan Africa is compiling an extensive database that catalogues ongoing projects across various countries in this region. This resource is pivotal for identifying potential funding opportunities and fostering collaborative projects that can drive growth and development.
- The Working Group on Mobility will renew CLUSTER website section dedicated to students, outlining the tangible opportunities available to the student community and working in close collaboration with the Working Group on Communication, which is currently revising the entire structure and content of the CLUSTER website. Additionally, plans are underway for designing a staff week focused on student mental health, scheduled to take place at the end of 2026.
“The successful completion of CLUSTER’s vision and mission revision in Dublin is a fine example of how the relati
onship of trust developed among the network’s members over its more than 30 years of existence allows it to move forward in an agile, efficient and coordinated way even on the most complex tasks. The commitment to the three main CLUSTER pillars – European Alliances, sub-Saharan Africa and China – has been strengthened during Politecnico’s Presidency and is well supported by the horizontal work packages (communication, mobility and projects). We expect this to concretise in view of the important events scheduled next year at our University”, stated professor Roberto Zanino, Secretary General of the Network.
Informal opportunities to connect included a guided tour of the Book of Keels at TCD’s Old Library, which left participants surprised and admiring. Shared dinners provided space for conversations, connections, and the exchange of new ideas.