On 11 November 2025, the CATALISI consortium invites you to take part in the project’s Final Conference, taking place in Amsterdam at Four Elements Hotel Amsterdam. This one-day event will bring together a diverse group of experts, from policymakers and researchers to university leaders and innovation stakeholders, to reflect on the progress made and to explore what lies ahead for systemic transformation in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).
Over the past three years, the CATALISI project has supported HEIs across Europe in designing and implementing strategies for institutional transformation, through a set of targeted and innovative acceleration services. This Final Conference marks a key moment to share the results and lessons learned.
Key highlights of the event include:
- Presentation of CATALISI’s main results, the theory of change and acceleration framework for institutional transformation in HEIs.
- A dynamic workshop focused on transformations in research culture and research assessment, one of the intervention areas in which CATALISI Higher Education Institutions are pursuing institutional change.
- A “Dissemination & Networking Corner” providing opportunities for projects to exchange experiences and increase visibility through posters, roll-ups and relevant materials.
- A policy validation session focusing on policy recommendations and the future of systemic changes in academia, with sister projects (Accelerate Future HEI; and aUPaEU – A University Partnership for Acceleration of European Universities) and key stakeholders.
Whether you are a practitioner, policymaker or researcher, this conference offers a unique opportunity to engage with transformative ideas and connect with peers working to shape the future of higher education in Europe.
We look forward to welcoming you to Amsterdam!
🗓️ Date: 11 November 2025
🕘 Time: 08:30 – 16:00 CET
📍 Location: Four Elements Hotel Amsterdam | Bert Haanstrakade 1074 1087 HJ Amsterdam The Netherlands
| Start time | End Time | Item | Presenter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8:30 | 9:00 | Participants registration | |
| 09:00 | SESSION I: Welcome and Opening remarks | ||
| 9:00 | 09:10 | Acceleration services joint forces in Europe | Maria Mecenero, Policy Officer, DG Research and Innovation, European Commission Rinske van den Berg, Project Officer, European Research Executive Agency (REA) |
| 09:10 | 09:25 | Presentation of main results and acceleration framework for institutional transformation of HEIs | Laura Mentini & Stefania Laneve, Project Managers and CATALISI Coordination team, APRE – Agenzia per la Promozione della Ricerca Europea |
| 09:25 | 09:35 | Impact analysis and theory of change for HEIs transformation | University College Cork, UCC |
| 09:35 | 10:00 | Panel with sister projects: Key outcomes and synergies: Acceleration Services in support of the institutional transformation of Higher Education Institutions | Accelerate Future HEI project aUPaEU project |
| 10:00 | SESSION II: Interactive workshop | ||
| 10:00 | 11:00 | HEIs transformation in Research Culture & Research Assessment – PART 1 | Amsterdam University Medical Centre, AUMC. Featuring external experts and CATALISI partners (AUMC, UJI, UCC). Audience includes participants from NRIN Masterclass. |
| 11:00 | 11:15 | COFFEE BREAK | |
| 11:15 | 13:00 | HEIs transformation in Research Culture & Research Assessment – PART 2 | Amsterdam University Medical Centre, AUMC. Featuring external experts and CATALISI partners (AUMC, UJI, UCC). Audience includes participants from NRIN Masterclass. |
| 13:00 | 14:00 | NETWORKING LUNCH | |
| Ongoing | POSTER SESSION, DISSEMINATION & NETWORKING CORNER | ||
| 14:00 | SESSION III: Policy Validation workshop | ||
| 14:00 | 16:00 | Policy recommendations for HEIs’ institutional transformation in support of the European Research Area (ERA)
Presentation, reflection and validation of policy results with sister projects and key stakeholders. | APRE – Agenzia per la Promozione della Ricerca Europea EY – Ernst & Young
|
| 16:00 | End of conference |