Leverage Unique Strengths For Collective Power, Says Aurora President Veronika Sexl At THE Europe Universities Summit 2026
Veronika Sexl, Rector of Universität Innsbruck and Aurora President, represented Aurora at the Times Higher Education (THE) Europe Universities Summit in Milan, Italy, from 5 to 7 May 2026, contributing to key discussions on the future of European higher education.
Rector Veronika Sexl at THE Europe Universities Summit 2026. © Times Higher Education Events
The global higher education landscape is undergoing profound transformation. Universities today are no longer assessed solely on academic excellence and research output, but increasingly on their international visibility and ability to contribute to solving global challenges. Against this backdrop, the THE Europe Universities Summit 2026 in Milan brought together leading representatives from universities, research institutions and policymaking bodies across Europe to discuss the future of European higher education.
The summit focused on key questions surrounding the strategic positioning of European universities, the growing importance of international collaboration and the evolving role of higher education institutions in an increasingly interconnected yet highly competitive global environment. Throughout the discussions, one central theme emerged clearly: universities must balance international visibility with regional responsibility while remaining true to their academic mission and public value.
Aurora’s presence at the summit reflected this broader dialogue on collaboration as a driver of academic excellence and societal impact.
© Times Higher Education Events
Rethinking Reputation: Aurora In A Leadership Panel
As part of the wider programme of the summit, one of the panel discussions focused on unearthing institutional competitive edge and building global reputation. This session brought together senior university leaders from across Europe to discuss how institutions can define and strengthen their distinct position in an increasingly competitive global higher education landscape. It explored how institutional reputation is shaped through the interplay of identity, performance, and external perception, and how leadership can ensure that strategy and narrative are closely aligned.
Among the panel participants was Veronika Sexl, Rector of the Universität Innsbruck and Aurora President, who contributed to the discussion on the role of European Universities Alliances (EUAs) in strengthening the global positioning of their member institutions.
Within this context, the Rector’s contribution at the THE Europe Summit in Milan emphasises how EUAs like Aurora serve as a strategic multiplier for the global reputation of universities. She argues that these networks act as a central entry point for international partners, making collaboration opportunities more visible than individual institutional efforts could achieve alone.
As she stated during the discussion: “We must dare to be different and lead with our unique strengths. Within Aurora, this individual uniqueness becomes a collective power: our collaboration acts as a global entry point that amplifies our distinct strengths for partners worldwide.”
By leveraging the collective reputational capital of Aurora, individual members can amplify their unique institutional stories —showcasing their specific strengths and expertise — on a global stage while tackling shared challenges like climate change and digital transformation in a complementary manner.