Nurturing Strategic International Partnerships and Alliances

During the 2026 Annual Conference in Amsterdam, EURASHE is partnering up with the European Association for International Education (EAIE) to deliver this customised training on partnership building and alliances.

Registration is reserved for participants in the 2026 Annual Conference. As capacity is limited, interested participants will be selected on a first-come-first-served basis. It is not possible to attend this training without taking part in the Annual Conference.

Strategic partnerships are essential to advancing institutional goals, but they demand more than good intentions. They require clear strategy, effective management and measurable outcomes. This EAIE Academy Classroom course offers a focused, hands-on approach to building and sustaining partnerships that deliver real value. Alongside structured learning, you will also build community with fellow professionals, sharing insights and experiences that strengthen your network.

What you will learn

This course will help you develop an understanding of the nature of strategic international partnerships and their role in the context of an institution’s overall partnership portfolio, including how to plan and implement them successfully. You will learn to ask the crucial questions necessary to match your own institution’s strategy and goals with suitable cooperation schemes and secure the right partners. The course will also address issues such as allocating resources, setting policies and evaluating outcomes.

This course will help you:

• Learn practical ways and approaches to engage stakeholders;
• Familiarise yourself with tools and methods to evaluate and measure progress across different stages of the partnership life cycle;
• Learn how other institutions manage strategic partnerships and alliances;
• Apply what you have learned to define critical success factors in managing strategic and alliance partnerships within your institution.

Who is it for

The training is designed for international higher education professionals who already manage partnerships and alliances but want to elevate their strategic approach. Whether you’re tasked with creating new collaborations or enhancing existing ones, this training helps you move beyond operational management to master the strategic dimension of partnership building, turning knowledge into measurable impact.

Meet the trainers

Shane Lordan

University College Dublin, Ireland

Shane Lordan is the Global Networks and Projects Manager in UCD Global, and the local operative lead for UCD’s European Universities Alliance Una Europa. Shane manages UCD’s membership of several global university consortia, drives engagement with several major European funding streams and strategic partnerships, and contributes to the university’s global engagement strategy.

Anna Stina Sinisalo

University of Helsinki, Finland

Anna Stina Sinisalo works as the Head of Development in international affairs and as the operative lead of the University of Helsinki in the European University Alliance Una Europa. In addition to this role, she is the deputy unit leader of the UH International Affairs team responsible for the strategic internationalisation of the university and the management of the university strategic partnerships and other networks.