ELLS network celebrates 25 years of university cooperation

Hosted by L’Institut Agro, France’s largest higher education institution specialising in agriculture, food and the environment, the event brought together university leaders, researchers, academic and support staff, and students from partner universities. The Estonian University of Life Sciences has been involved in ELLS activities since 2023. The anniversary meeting highlighted the partnerships developed over the past 25 years and the opportunities they have created, including joint degree programmes, international summer schools, research collaboration and student scientific conferences.

Cooperation with universities that share a similar academic profile makes it possible to combine knowledge and experience from different fields, broaden learning opportunities for students and find partners for developing education and research. Both academic and support staff from the Estonian University of Life Sciences participate in the network's activities, while our students are also involved in the ELLS student organisation, ELSA.

At the opening session of the General Assembly, an updated Memorandum of Understanding was signed, setting out the principles for continuing and developing cooperation among member universities, as well as the network's governance arrangements. The memorandum covers, among other areas, joint learning opportunities, research collaboration, student and staff mobility, and the sharing of research infrastructure.

Discussions in the working groups placed particular emphasis on developing cooperation within the framework of the European Universities initiative. Earlier this year, the European Commission decided to award ELLS approximately €7.2 million in funding over two years under the initiative. The funding will enable partner universities to deepen their cooperation, develop joint degree programmes and innovative teaching and learning approaches, and strengthen the links between education, research and innovation. In Montpellier, participants discussed how to implement the planned activities together.

The topics addressed in the General Assembly forums and workshops ranged from agroecology and sustainable agricultural and food systems to educational development and international research collaboration. Discussions also covered student involvement in solving real-world problems, opportunities for cooperation in doctoral education, and partnerships between European and African universities.

Students from the Estonian University of Life Sciences also presented their research at the Student Scientific Conference held on 6–7 November. The conference's oral and poster presentations covered agriculture, forestry, animal sciences, biology, food science, landscape architecture, and research into natural resources, soil and water. Tarmo Niine and Diana Rimm, academic staff members at the Estonian University of Life Sciences, participated in evaluating the student presentations.

Estonian University of Life Sciences student Arina Polujanenkova received the award for the best oral presentation in the Animal Sciences category. Her presentation examined the effects of water-saturated, far-infrared-emitting bioceramic bandages on thermoregulation in horses' legs. The study evaluated the use of these bandages to cool horses' legs after physical exercise.