From June 25 to 27, the Polytechnic Institute of Viseu (IPV) hosted the Ordinary General Assembly of CRUSOE – the Conference of Rectors of the Universities of Southwestern Europe. This international network, which brings together 29 higher education institutions from Northern and Central Portugal and Northern Spain, meets annually to define joint strategies in support of regional development, research, and innovation.
At the press conference, the President of IPV, José Costa, emphasized the importance of the meeting in the context of strengthening local territories and their institutions:
“We are here to discuss issues that are important to the regions we are part of. Higher education is at the core of this journey, with permanent working groups dedicated to research. Ultimately, we are looking for new development opportunities, involving institutions that represent around 300,000 students and thousands of faculty members. The goal is to project these territories, which are essential to the progress of their populations.”
During the meeting, the role of CRUSOE as a driving force for cross-border integration and collaboration was highlighted. CRUSOE President, Conchi Lopez, reinforced this vision by stating:
“At the European level, CRUSOE is the foundation of what will become the future university network of the Atlantic Arc. We are also advancing in the management of the working groups – there are already eight, established over the years in response to the regions’ interests and their research and development priorities. Universities are applying their knowledge to directly contribute to these regional strategies.”
CRUSOE currently has eight active working groups — including Digital Cultural Heritage, Smart Mobility and Transport, Sustainable Energy, Water and Sustainable Development, Competitive Agri-food Systems, Digital Society, Healthy Living, Ageing and Longevity, and Ecological Transition and Global Change. It was agreed, in collaboration with governments, to define the types of support to be provided to the various observatories within these groups, as well as support for applications to European projects.
In this context, new working groups are being established within CRUSOE and will begin their activities shortly. “With this, we will complete the 10 groups that will form the pillars of the structure we are building,” said Salustiano Mato de la Iglesia, Executive President of the General Technical Secretariat of CRUSOE.
The Ordinary General Assembly also included activities outside the Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, such as a reception at the City Hall, another in Lamego, and a visit to a winery.
The CRUSOE General Assembly at IPV thus stood out as a key moment for consolidating academic cooperation within the RESOE (Southwestern European Region), affirming the role of higher education institutions as active agents in the transformation of the territories they serve.
