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Join the ACE Alliance Launch on 17 September

The ACE – Alliance for Community Engagement in European Higher Education will officially launch on Thursday, 17 September 2026, bringing together people working across higher education, community engagement, research, policy and partnership development.

Taking place at the University of Tartu Library in Tartu, Estonia, the event will also be available online for those joining from further afield.

The launch will introduce the vision and objectives of the ACE Alliance and explore how universities and community partners can build stronger, more sustainable relationships.

What to expect

The programme will bring together academic, institutional and practical perspectives on community engagement.

The morning will open with a welcome from the University of Tartu, followed by a keynote from Dr Dorota Piotrowska of Lodz University of Technology, exploring the academic and institutional case for community engagement.

Participants will also hear practical examples of community engagement in action from ACEEU, highlighting approaches, experiences and impact stories.

A key part of the event will be the official launch of the ACE Alliance Platform and Guide to Forming University-Community Alliances. The session will introduce how the Platform and Guide support the work of the Alliance and help universities and community organisations develop effective partnerships.

The event will then bring together founding members of the ACE Alliance to share what they hope to achieve through their membership, before closing with information on how others can get involved and what comes next for the Alliance.

Key questions for discussion

Throughout the event, we will explore questions including:

  • How strongly do universities prioritise community engagement, and how visible is that commitment in practice?
  • What are the main internal barriers HEIs face in sustaining community engagement?
  • What needs to be in place for HEIs and community partners to build long-term partnerships?

Event details

Date: Thursday, 17 September 2026
Time: 10:00–12:00 EEST, with registration and coffee from 09:30
Venue: University of Tartu Library, W. Struve tn 1, Conference Centre, Room Kodavere
Format: In person and online

πŸ“‹ Full programme and event information:
https://skytte.ut.ee/en/news/ace-alliance-community-engagement-european-higher-education-be-launched-tartu

We look forward to welcoming participants from across Europe as we officially launch the ACE Alliance and continue building stronger connections between universities and the communities they serve.

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