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Wednesday, 22 October, 2025 - 10:33

On 22 September 2025, ESN took part in the ENGAGE.EU High-Level Innovation Dialogue Shaping Europe’s Future: Connecting Higher Education, Industry, and Policy for a Competitive Workforce.

As Europe faces the dual challenge of deeper integration and the urgent need to enhance skillsets for a more competitive and resilient society, the dialogue brought together experts and stakeholders from academia, industry, and policy. The event featured panel discussions with leading scholars and policymakers, interactive exchanges, and networking opportunities.

Centred around the guiding question “How does social innovation drive Europe’s competitiveness and performance in its digital, green, and resilience transitions?”, the panels explored key discussions about the European Economic Transformation, Value-Driven Innovation, and Future Workforce Development.

The opening remarks by Prof. Dr. Wim van de Donk (Rector of Tilburg University), Prof. Dr. Josep M. Garrell (President of the European University Association), and Jurgen Rienks (Director of Neth-ER) highlighted the crucial role of European alliances in strengthening competitiveness, fostering innovation, and connecting students with the labour market.

The panel experts provided insights into three central themes:

  • Fairness and Social Choice: Prof. Dr. Bertil Tungodden (Norwegian School of Economics, NHH) reflected on the importance of integrating European values of social justice and equitable development when designing competitiveness strategies.
  • Technology and Labour Market Transitions: Prof. Dr. Anna Salomons (Tilburg University) examined how technological change and artificial intelligence are reshaping the labour market, creating new opportunities while raising questions about the balance between competitiveness and social standards.
  • Economic Policy and Institutional Analysis: Prof. Dr. Frédéric Cherbonnier (Toulouse School of Economics) discussed the role of effective public funding in leveraging private investment and assessed how instruments such as the Competitiveness Compass can guide European policy.

The Dialogue also incorporated perspectives from both students and EU institutions. Maarten Kas, Vice-Chair of the ENGAGE.EU Board of Learners shared the student view on the challenges ahead, while Andrea Glorioso, from the Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL), outlined the European Commission’s strategies to strengthen competitiveness and employability.

The Erasmus Student Network (ESN) strongly supports the European Universities Initiative, recognising it as central to shaping Europe’s future by fostering stronger links between higher education, industry, and policy. ENGAGE.EU’s High-Level Innovation Dialogue exemplified this by sharing best practices, key insights, and forward-looking strategies to prepare for the challenges of tomorrow.

Find more information about the event here. 
Discover more about ENGAGE.EU and its opportunities!