Member of Advisory Board: Patrice Duboe

Position: Innovation Executive VP, CTO
Capgemini Engineering Services, CIO

Main aims and activities: Capgemini is a global leader in consulting, digital transformation, technology and engineering services. The Group is at the forefront of innovation to address the entire breadth of clients’ opportunities in the evolving world of cloud, digital and platforms.

The Group believes that digital transformation should benefit all of humanity. Capgemini intends to be a benchmark in terms of its contribution to society, not just for its own activities but for those of its customers too, fighting exclusion and acting to promote diversity, ensuring equal opportunities and the preservation of natural resources. The very heart of the Group’s purpose is to build an inclusive and sustainable future for all, enabled by technology, drawing on the energy of its talents and also the talents of its customers and partners.

Special interests in ENGAGE.EU: As a leader in digital transformation, Capgemini is also a responsible company working to ensure that technology and innovation drive sustainable and social development. Capgemini has strengthened this commitment to its employees, clients, partners, communities and planet by leveraging three fundamental pillars: Diversity and Inclusion, Digital Inclusion, and Environmental Sustainability.
These 3 pillars are also the core values of the ENGAGE.EU project.

Special interests in Advisory Board activities: As a specialist in technology and innovation, Capgemini will be able to advise the University alliance on innopreneurship and raise awareness on the needs of the private sector.

Member of Advisory Board: Klaus Schwertner

Position: Executive Director

Main aims and activities: The core mission of Caritas is to see hardship and act against it and to stand up and speak for those people who have no voice. This means respecting and protecting human life from beginning to end and helping people in need, regardless of their background, religion or gender, to live a dignified and self-determined life.

In Austria, there are more than 1,600 projects and places where Caritas supports people in need. Furthermore, Caritas coordinates approx. 50,000 volunteers, who use their courage and professionalism every day to support others on a daily basis.

Caritas Austria is an internationally operating non-profit organization under the mission of the Austrian Catholic church and pursues solely and directly charitable and benevolent objectives.

Special interests in ENGAGE.EU: 1) Supporting the development of the specific tasks in the project;
2) Fostering the communication of the project to its audience when needed;
3) Working closely with ENGAGE.EU team in Vienna on further development of the cooperation;
4) Participating in other ENGAGE.EU relevant activities.

Special interests in Advisory Board activities: Particular interest in contributing to the Work Package 4: 4.3 Organize Engage EU Labs for societal change.

Member of Advisory Board: Dr Peter Kurz

Position: Mayor of the City of Mannheim

Main aims and activities: The city of Mannheim is as diverse as the many slogans it is known for: City of Squares, with its water tower and art nouveau complex; University City, with a magnificent baroque palace; Commercial City, with one of the most important inland ports in Europe; City of Inventors and Cradle of Mobility; UNESCO City of Music, with its Pop Academy, Academy of Music and Mozart connections.

Since its founding, the chessboard-like shape of the City of Squares represents its thinkers and creative minds. In 1607, the Palatinate elector Frederick IV had it built to reflect what was then thought to be an ideal city. Since then, the City of Mannheim has stood out against the rest of the region like an island, enthroned gracefully between the rivers Rhine and Neckar.

Mannheim is located in Southwest Germany, neighboring Frankfurt. Situated in the heart of the Rhine-Neckar Metropolitan Region, it has a population of around 320.000. However, the broader region is home to 2.4 million inhabitants, nearly one million employees and around 160,000 companies, making it one of the strongest economic centers in Europe. With a high number of patents registered every year, the whole region is highly innovative and dynamic. In addition, significant inventions, such as the automobile, bicycle, tractor and rocket plane originated in Mannheim.

This spirit is still active today and global players, as well as small and medium-sized companies, constantly develop new ideas and future-oriented solutions. The City of Mannheim strongly supports the economic and research sector through highly specialized and well-networked clusters in the fields of medical technology, smart production (Industry 4.0), creative business, as well as energy, mobility and logistics.

Moreover, Mannheim is one of the first cities in Europe that actively engages in shaping a sustainable future. With its strategic “Mannheim 2030” mission statement, Mannheim has committed itself to achieving the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals locally and has already received several awards for this commitment. The Mannheim Message describes how a sustainable Europe is being implemented in cities. The Local Green Deal (LGD) is Mannheim’s answer as an urban society to the challenges in times of climate change and socio-ecological transformation. As a new approach for sustainable, climate-neutral and integrative urban development, it concretizes the goals of the “Mannheim 2030” mission statement. The LGD is being developed together with citizens, political leaders, administrators, businesses and researchers. It creates new opportunities to work together with local partners and civil society.

Special interests in ENGAGE.EU: The cooperation within ENGAGE.EU generates valuable synergies. Both Mannheim and the transnational alliance benefit from this cooperation as follows:

The social, ecological and economic transformation process initiated by the LGD in Mannheim is intended to ensure that no one is left behind. A successful implementation of this process needs to address the citizens’ fear of the transformation. Their active involvement must play a central role in the process in order to make decisions comprehensible and to prevent possible resistance in the long term. The LGD is to be understood as a positive and inspiring path that leads to a noticeably better quality of life and work in the city. It is developed together with citizens, political leaders, administration, business and research. It is a joint agreement and an ongoing, dynamic action program. This creates new opportunities for new types of collaboration among stakeholders.

As ENGAGE.EU will provide European citizens the set of skills and competences needed to tackle major societal challenges and will involve the civil society in the discussion and development of solutions, both sides can learn a great deal from each other and benefit from cross-pollination of ideas.

Mannheim has the task, but also the opportunity to be a pioneer for a social, ecological and economic transformation process and to set an example by translating global and European agendas for overcoming global challenges locally and adapting them to local needs. Mannheim is also particularly interested in the establishment of a think tank within the ENGAGE.EU work, which will address social challenges in Mannheim and beyond.

Special interests in Advisory Board activities: As the ENGAGE.EU Advisory Board consists of representatives from cities and regions, business, education and society with an advisory function, the ENGAGE.EU process can actively be supported and further developed through recommendations and ideas as well as critical impulses.

Member of Advisory Board: Andreas Treichl

Position: Chairman of the Supervisory Board

Main aims and activities: ERSTE Foundation protects the shareholder structure of Erste Group and guarantees that its assets remain relevant to its funding principles. They empower initiatives for change, contribute to civil society development and regional progression.

As the main shareholder of Erste Group, ERSTE Foundation secures the independent future of one of the largest financial services providers in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe. As a private Austrian savings bank foundation, the foundation is committed to serve the common good. It invests parts of the dividends in the region in which Erste Group operates.
It focuses on four strategic goals: Empowering those who care, Financial health for all, Preserving a democratic Europe, Protecting contemporary culture.

Special interests in ENGAGE.EU: 1) Supporting the development of the specific task in the project;
2) Fostering the communication of the project to its audience when needed;
3) Working closely with ENGAGE.EU team in Vienna on further development of the cooperation;
4) Participating in other ENGAGE.EU relevant activities.

Special interests in Advisory Board activities: Participating in ENGAGE.EU, with particular interest in contributing to the Work Packages 3 and 4:

3.4 Create the ENGAGE.EU Think Tank
4.5 Define an ENGAGE.EU Innopreneurial mindset
4.9 Organize ENGAGE.EU Dual learning programmes

Member of Advisory Board: Annalisa Galardi

Position: Board Member Fondazione Adriano Olivetti

Main aims and activities: Fondazione Adriano Olivetti was established in 1962 by Adriano Olivetti’s relatives, friends, and collaborators, with the aim of mobilizing and developing the civil, social, and political engagement that distinguished his work. Among its statutory aim is “the promotion, encouragement, and organization of studies directed at deepening the knowledge of the conditions upon which social progress depend”. In line with this mandate, the Foundation carries out research and sponsors cultural and scientific projects following an interdisciplinary approach.

Starting from December 2012, Fondazione Adriano Olivetti and Edizioni di Comunità started a communal publishing program, with the aim, among others, of bringing back to bookshops the most interesting and important writings of Adriano Olivetti and his time. Founded by Adriano Olivetti in 1946, Edizioni di Comunità is widely regarded as the first and most important Italian publishing house which strongly supported the creation of a common culture in architecture, city planning and both environmental and social sustainability. The publishing house reopened in 2012, in partnership with Fondazione Adriano Olivetti, and presently focuses on texts about Olivetti’s legacy, as well as Adriano Olivetti’s own works (speeches, essays, letters). It also reintroduces texts from its historical catalogue and attracts and publishes researches and project results, reports about innovation and sustainability.

The Adriano Olivetti Foundation has also been a member of the European Foundation Center (EFC) since 1998. In late nineties, Fondazione Adriano Olivetti represented the European Foundations at the International Committee of the Council on Foundations in Washington.

Special interests in ENGAGE.EU: ENGAGE.EU rrepresents a great opportunity to improve cooperation among European universities for a common space. ENGAGE.EU is an alliance of leading European universities in business, economics, and social sciences, which aims at providing the new generation of European citizens with the set of skills and competences needed to tackle these major societal challenges. ENGAGE.EU will become an education and research referent, an innovation and outreach platform and a societal change incubator. Given the identity of the Fondazione Adriano Olivetti, it is crucial to be part of this process and to contribute its heritage and legacy.

Special interests in Advisory Board activities: It will be a great added value to bring our civil society point of view as a philanthropic actor.

Member of Advisory Board: Fabrizio Sammarco

Position: CEO

Main aims and activities: Italiacamp is an impact organisation that combines profit and non-profit to promote social impact projects and develop impact assessments with numerous private and public partners.

Since its creation, Italiacamp has aimed at generating new social value and scouting for innovation for citizens, territories and communities, working in partnership with companies, institutions, universities and the third sector.

Special interests in ENGAGE.EU: Engaged in Society; Mapping structures, cultures and processes on society engagement; Identify differences and commonalities (good practices) and organise ENGAGE.EU Labs for societal change; Contribute to define inno-preneurial mindset, inno-preneurial spaces/places; Foster inno-preneurial start-ups and business development and run inno-preneurial incubators also for schools.

Special interests in Advisory Board activities: Contribute to the activities of the Work Package 4 (Society).

Member of Advisory Board: Nadia Pellefigue

Position: Vice president for higher education research, Europe and international relations

Main aims and activities: La Region Occitanie is the authority responsible for economic development. It continues to manage high schools, apprenticeship and vocational training policies, coordinates guidance services and participates in the public employment service. La Region shares with the other local authorities the competence on culture, sport, promotion of regional languages, popular education, higher education, and tourism. It should be noted that since 2014, la Region also manages the vast majority of European regional development funds for employment and agriculture.

Special interests in ENGAGE.EU: La Region Occitanie has been involved from the beginning of the ENGAGE.EU project, notably by writing a letter of support during the call for tender. Very much involved in research, innovation and sustainable development throughout the region, it is only natural that it should be interested in the ENGAGE.EU project.

Special interests in Advisory Board activities: As a member of the University administrative board, La Region is deeply involved in professional learning, and innovation in continuing education. It also ensures a large contribution of local communities in the development of innopreneurship and research spaces.

Member of Advisory Board: Yovko Atanasov

Position: Country GM Lenovo Bulgaria and North Macedonia

Main aims and activities: Lenovo is a Chinese multinational technology company specializing in designing, manufacturing and marketing consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services.

Lenovo’s story has always been about shaping computing intelligence to create a better world. With the world’s widest portfolio of technology products, Lenovo delivers its vision of Smarter Technology for all through products, solutions, software and services that individuals, communities, businesses, and entire populations need to fulfil their potential.

Special interests in ENGAGE.EU: To connect industries with best academic solutions and create opportunities for feasible, working models to support companies and our society.

Special interests in Advisory Board activities: To exchange knowledge, experience and best practises with other Advisory board members about the current digital and life transformation and environmental changes in our societies.

Member of Advisory Board: Maxim Behar

Position: CEO

Main aims and activities: M3 Communications Group, Inc. is a Bulgarian leader in the field of public relations in Eastern Europe and a partner of Hill+Knowlton Strategies – the largest Public Relations & Public Affairs company in the world.

The company creates and executes innovative, award-winning campaigns for its clients in various industries, such as finance, real estate, technology, energy, pharmaceuticals, government, luxury retail and more. Its areas of expertise include consultancy, web services, digital/social media, PR, event management, crisis management, media monitoring and media relations.

Special interests in ENGAGE.EU: 1) To further develop The European University ENGAGE.EU and support it in Societal Change engagement;
2) To contribute to data and knowledge sharing and make it accessible to communities.

Special interests in Advisory Board activities: 1) To contribute to finding innovative methods of learning and doing research;
2) Networking benefits;
3) To meet potential partners to cooperate for joint projects.

Member of Advisory Board: Dr. Hartmut Lang

Position: Head Labour Market, Education and Health

Main aims and activities: Metropolregion Rhein-Neckar GmbH is based in Mannheim and was founded in 2006.

The founders of the regional development consortium are the association Zukunft Metropolregion Rhein-Neckar, Verband Region Rhein-Neckar and the Chambers of Commerce & Industry for Rhine-Neckar, Palatinate and Darmstadt.

At its annual general meeting, Metropolregion Rhein-Neckar GmbH was given the task of promoting further economic, social and ecological development in the region through close cooperation with regional stakeholders. It was also charged with positioning the region positively and raising its profile. To do this, the company forges alliances, supports regional networks and initiatives and offers a platform on which regional players can join forces and advance joint projects. The regional development consortium stimulates new ideas, develops regional strategies in dialogue with the relevant committees and drives projects forward.

Special interests in ENGAGE.EU: To help making ENGAGE.EU sustainably successful!

Special interests in Advisory Board activities: Identify opportunities for local input to transnational programs.

Member of Advisory Board: Bas Kapitein

Position: Managing Director

Main aims and activities: Dream it. Do it. Make it. Midpoint Brabant is a regional economic cooperation program in Mid Brabant, one of the four sub regions of the province of Brabant.

Midpoint Brabant acts as a link between companies, governments, educational institutions and civil society organizations. It helps to develop new ideas and bring them to the market at an accelerated pace. The innovations of Midpoint Brabant make the regional economy smart and strong and contribute to a future-proof society. Midpoint Brabant focuses on contribution to the spearheads of its regional economic development program: the societal tasks digitization, sustainability and human capital; and the sectors Smart Industry, Smart Logistics, Smart Leisure and Smart Services. The company positions Mid Brabant as a region with a high knowledge level in human behaviour.

Special interests in ENGAGE.EU: Midpoint Brabant welcomed the invitation to become an associated partner of the ambitious European University Engaged in Societal Change, with Tilburg University as one of its members. ENGAGE.EU will provide an academic perspective on our programs. The involvement of academics and students brings in new ideas. The interaction and co-creation strengthen the quality in terms of innovation and contribution to the circular economy. This will have a positive effect on employment and the development of talent.

Special interests in Advisory Board activities: An opportunity to reflect, share and learn on how to optimize university – industry – government – public collaboration to further strengthen our regional economic development program with high impact on society.

Member of Advisory Board: Theo Weterings

Position: Mayor

Main aims and activities: Tilburg is the second-largest city in North Brabant with 217.000 inhabitants. It is the seventh biggest city in the Netherlands. Our municipality is known for its strong social profile.

Like every city nowadays, Tilburg faces societal challenges. In the Administrative Agreement of Tilburg, special attention is given to inclusiveness, sustainability and vitality. The Council of Mayor and Aldermen work together with the population of Tilburg to make progress in these areas.

Special interests in ENGAGE.EU: The municipality of Tilburg is gratefully accepting the invitation to become an associated partner of the ambitious European University Engaged in Societal Change, with Tilburg University as one of its members.

The municipality of Tilburg fully supports the Alliance in its transformation process to become an incubator for driving societal change based on academic excellence and working with society.

The municipality of Tilburg believes ENGAGE.EU will support the efforts by addressing the major societal challenges into its learning, research & innovation and societal outreach. It provides an opportunity for the city of Tilburg to further expand the existing collaboration with Tilburg University and become connected to other regions in Europe.

Special interests in Advisory Board activities: Exchange of practices on regional anchoring of a university.

Member of Advisory Board: Lars-Henrik Paarup Michelsen

Position: Director

Main aims and activities: The Norwegian Climate Foundation is an independent, green think tank. The foundation’s non-profit purpose is to contribute to initiatives – public and private – that contribute to rapid reduction and elimination of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. The foundation aims to realize its purpose through research and analyses, publications, seminars, public meetings and participation in public debates. The Norwegian Climate Foundation’s formal network includes most of the universities, colleges and research institutions in Norway.

We address a broad range of issues related to climate change and the energy transition. But two topics we have worked on a lot in recent years are financial climate risk and decarbonisation of the transport sector in general and shipping sector in particular.

Special interests in ENGAGE.EU: 1) Access to knowledge through research and networks;
2) Participation in activities of ENGAGE.EU and benefit from education offers.

Special interests in Advisory Board activities: Opportunity to engage in dialogue with key educational institutions and influence the education of future generations.

Position: Independent higher education strategy advisor

Main aims and activities: Main aim represents more inclusive and effective higher education. Main activities are advising public authorities, non-governmental organisations, companies, media outlets, university- and professional networks, as well as sparring, moderating, conceptualising, editing, publishing and giving inspirational speeches.

Peter van der Hijden is an advisor to eight winning alliances so far. He recognises Micro-credentials as a certified way to acknowledge competences and a new and flexible learning option for all. Peter van der Hijden is also an advisor to EC and organisations worldwide.

Special interests in ENGAGE.EU: A strong example of a research university alliance with societal impact ambition.

Special interests in Advisory Board activities: EU affairs; Overall positioning; Staff and city commitment.

Member of Advisory Board: Dr. Susanne Agterbosch

Position: Deputy Managing Director

Main aims and activities: Het PON & Telos is part of the PON foundation. PON foundation, as a social enterprise, is deeply embedded in the local and regional society and networks.

We are a renowned public knowledge organisation acting on the edge of science and society. Our multidisciplinary and creative team consists of approximately 30 consultant-researchers, mainly working for local and regional governments in the Netherlands, but also for corporations, banks, care and welfare institutions, funds and social organizations. We provide initiators, policymakers and administrators with applied knowledge and advice on a wide range of societal issues that can be identified as wicked policy problems. Topics we work on relate among others to the (regional) governance of sustainability transitions, climate impact, social resilience, participation and labour market issues. Het PON & Telos works closely with civil society organizations and other knowledge institutions and is an official partner of Tilburg University.

Special interests in ENGAGE.EU: ENGAGE.EU provides an excellent opportunity for Het PON &Telos to become connected to other regions in Europe. We fully support the Alliance in its transformation process to become an incubator for driving societal chance based on academic excellence and working with society.

Special interests in Advisory Board activities: By participating in the Advisory Board we seek to support the efforts of Tilburg University by addressing the major societal challenges into its learning, research & innovation and societal outreach.

Member of Advisory Board: Luka Mucic (substitute: Dr.-Ing. Katharina Schäfer)

Position: Chief Financial Officer and Member of the Executive Board of SAP SE
(substitute: Global Head of University Alliances)

Main aims and activities: SAP is committed to supporting every customer to become a best run business. Together, we help the world run better and improve people’s lives. Best run businesses are intelligent enterprises applying advanced technologies and best practices within agile, integrated business processes to become more resilient, profitable and sustainable.

As a market leader in enterprise application software, SAP helps companies of all sizes and in all industries run at their best: 77% of the world’s transaction revenue touches an SAP system. Services from SAP drive digital transformations, deliver training, enablement and strategic premium engagement. At SAP, more than 103,800 employees from 150+ countries flourish in an environment that encourages open, free expression of ideas.

Special interests in ENGAGE.EU: SAP is committed to equipping tomorrow’s workforce to succeed and to be prepared with both the hard and soft skills needed to capitalize on opportunities and thrive in a digital world. Furthermore SAP is convinced that social and inclusive entrepreneurship is the fabric of economic growth and the engine of humanitarian and environmental impact, and supports the development to social business with different initiatives.

Therefore, SAP has a strong interest to support the ENGAGE.EU alliance’s ambition to enable its learners to act as socially engaged European citizens and to have impact on society at large.

Special interests in Advisory Board activities: 1) To bring in industry perspective (future skills needed by IT sector, future research topics);
2) To support ENGAGE.EU activities with existing academic offerings & programs from SAP if needed;
3) Community engagement;
4) Exchange and learning about the future of education;
5) Networking.

Member of Advisory Board: Thomas Madreiter

Position: Planning director of the City of Vienna, Director Of Competence Centre Smart City Vienna

Main aims and activities: The Smart City Vienna Framework Strategy sets out guidelines for the medium- to long-term transformation of the city. Today, new challenges and trends are requiring intelligent cities to step up and take action at comparatively short intervals. The threat of climate crisis, for instance, appears increasingly imminent and calls for ambitious responses and the capacity to adapt.

Smart City Vienna was launched in 2011 with the aim of transforming Vienna into a more sustainable urban living environment.

Smart City Vienna is reflected in numerous projects and initiatives by the city and its companies – for a high quality of life for all Viennese citizens with the greatest possible conservation of resources through social and technical innovations.

Special interests in ENGAGE.EU: 1) Supporting the development of the specific task in the project;
2) Fostering the communication of the project to its audience when needed;
3) Working closely with ENGAGE.EU team in Vienna on further development of the cooperation;
4) Participating in other ENGAGE.EU relevant activities.

Special interests in Advisory Board activities: Participating in ENGAGE.EU with particular interest in contributing to Work Packages 2 and 3:
2.12 Create ENGAGE.EU micro-credentials
2.13 Organise ENGAGE.EU green mobility
3.4 Create the ENGAGE.EU Think Tank

Member of Advisory Board: Walter Emberger

Position: Founder, Chairman of the Board

Main aims and activities: Teach For Austria was founded in 2011 and is committed to educational equality and has the vision: by 2050 every child has the chance of a good life – regardless of how much money or education their parents have.

The fellow program is the core of Teach for Austria’s Work. The two-year leadership program brings university graduates as full-time teachers and educators to challenging schools and kindergartens. They work with children and young people from low-income, educationally disadvantaged families. They call the program participants fellows and see them as initiators who enrich everyday learning through their diverse study backgrounds and professional experience.

Teach for Austria raises awareness for the program, selects and prepares the applicants for the task, and professionally supports the participants over the two years.

Special interests in ENGAGE.EU: 1) Supporting the development of the specific task in the project;
2) Fostering the communication of the project to its audience when needed;
3) Working closely with ENGAGE.EU team in Vienna on further development of the cooperation;
4) Participating in other ENGAGE.EU relevant activities.

Special interests in Advisory Board activities: Participating in ENGAGE.EU, with particular interest in contributing to Work Package 2:
2.1 Compose ENGAGE.EU Course Catalogue
2.5  Facilitate ENGAGE.EU learners community
2.12 Create ENGAGE.EU microcredentials

Member of Advisory Board:  Jean-Luc  Moudenc

Position: Mayor of the city of Toulouse

Main aims and activities: Toulouse Metropole (municipality) gives communities the means to better control the levers of their development and to harmonize the community living space, by carrying out a common territorial project. The objective: to be among the major European metropolises and to offer residents a more efficient local service.

Special interests in ENGAGE.EU: Toulouse Metropole accompanies the creation of activities and jobs, by hosting new companies in its incubators and by supporting federative structures for the development of employment, the social and solidarity economy and services to the population. As a part of the major European and international networks Toulouse Métropole works on concrete projects, born of partnerships between the public and private sectors, which are regularly based on national or European calls for projects.

Special interests in Advisory Board activities: Toulouse Metropole opens opportunities to interact with regional actors of their network and will support the collaboration between university, industries and public sector.