The end of the year 2023 is approaching. This also brings us closer to the end of two consecutive mandates as Co-Chairs of UnILiON. It was challenging, but rewarding to be in the lead of this informal network for and by members, supporting them to grow, gain visibility and professionalise. We took the motto ‘as flexible as possible and as structured as necessary’ as our guiding principle. Bringing the sharing of intelligence to the next level, enhancing the visibility of the network externally, streamlining activities and creating more transparent internal processes is what we focussed on. We tried to bring change along these lines not only by developing cooperation with other networks and reserving sufficient time in the UnILiON CORE meetings to the round table, but also by integrating in the UnILiON guidelines the spirit of the network and supporting the hosts of the UnILiON Open Talks to open these up for colleagues in the “Brussels’ bubble”.
For those who are interested in more detail, please look at the UnILiON 2023 review presented by co chairs. It was a privilege to watch the intelligence sharing processes taking place in UnILiON meetings from a helicopter view: colleagues putting pieces of the puzzle together, trying to understand where they fitted in the European research, education and innovation policy developments. Or simply figuring out how to understand them. UnILiON provides opportunities and chances to learn from each other’s backgrounds and experiences and make incredibly rich connections in intelligence sharing processes.
We experienced co-chairing definitively as something positive for ourselves, being able to rely on someone giving us faith and bring joy, but more important for the network, bringing in more expertise and hands to get the job done. It felt like natural to form a professional team and having fun together while getting the job done.
As Co-Chairs, we would not have been able to deliver without our Secretariat team members. We are grateful that we have been able to work closely with enthusiastic and pleasant colleagues in the UnILiON Secretariat. Together, we made the network move forward. None of the network’s activities could have taken place without the energy, time and enthusiasm of UnILiON members. Seeing this steady and active involvement of so many members, we are confident that the future of the UnILiON network is assured from January onwards.
We are looking forward to continuing our cooperation, but now from the backbench. We would like to thank the UnILiON members again for having given us the trust to guide the network for two years. At a professional level, it allowed us to strengthen our personal intercultural communication, leadership and negotiation skills. It was a hard work, but rewarding and energizing adventure to put UnILiON puzzles together. After this important milestone, we are eager to create new opportunities to work together in other ways from 2024 onwards.
Wendy Sonneveld, Ghent University and Karl Stoeckel, Aix Marseille University
