Role of the Task Force
The UN Task Force Responsible Internationalization and Global Engagement (RIGE) was established in 2022 to promote university internationalization, global engagement and science diplomacy practices that are consistent with and actively support the protection and promotion of core academic values, especially academic freedom and academic responsibility across the Utrecht Network, European University Networks, and beyond.
This includes support for at-risk students, scholars, and institutions in Europe and around the world.
The current situation in which universities find themselves is characterized by global societal challenges coupled with increasing geopolitical tensions, multiple crises, rapidly evolving nationalism, populism and autocratization (also in Europe).
This is accompanied by threats to academic freedom, institutional autonomy and the human rights of students and scholars. As a result, the internationalization and global engagement of universities is becoming increasingly important – if not indispensable – but also more complex, challenging and risky.
As a European network with an international outlook dedicated to the internationalization of higher education, the Utrecht Network (UN) is in a unique position and has a special role to play in responding to these challenges in a responsible way and in supporting and engaging its member institutions accordingly.
Members
- Iris Vernekohl, Ruhr University Bochum, Chair
- Monika Sprung, Ruhr University Bochum, Co-Chair
- Dr. Claire Dorrity, University College Cork
- Prof. Beata Kowalska, Jagiellonian University Krakow
- Prof. Mathieu Schneider, University of Strasbourg
- Prof. Alexandros Triantafyllidis, Aristotle University Thessaloniki
- Prof. Marco Borraccetti, University of Bologna
Affiliate Members
- Prof. Markus Koller, Ruhr University Bochum
- Prof. Ioannis Papageorgiou, Aristotle University Thessaloniki
- Kristina Mantasasvili, Aristotle University Thessaloniki
- Konstantina Tolia, Aristotle University Thessaloniki
For enquiries about the Task Force please contact: [email protected]
Activities
We do this through the exchange of best practices and peer learning, a RIGE repository, international staff trainings, academic programs, awareness raising, and global networking.
