Amsterdam, 18 June 2026 – 230 higher education leaders, policymakers, researchers, students and practitioners from across Europe and the world gathered in Amsterdam for the 35th EURASHE Annual Conference, hosted by Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. Under the theme “Impact, Industry, Society: Demand-driven research and innovation for a competitive Europe,” participants explored how universities of applied sciences (UAS) contribute to innovation, skills development and regional prosperity.
This is the first EURASHE conference in The Netherlands—first of many, I am sure. This year we have record participation and high-level keynote speakers and panel discussions, more than ever before, which shows just how relevant the theme is at the moment for the applied sciences.
Over two days, the conference addressed key issues shaping Europe’s future, including competitiveness, city-university cooperation, excellence in applied higher education and the growing role of European University Alliances. Through plenary sessions, workshops and community exchanges, participants examined how applied research can deliver tangible benefits for citizens, businesses and regions.
Opening the conference, European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva underlined the distinctive contribution of the sector:
Europe will not compete by knowledge alone, but by what we do with it. This is where you lead: UAS are bridge-builders connecting academia, industry, and society. Keep building bridges.
The conference highlighted the importance of stronger links between research, education and innovation ecosystems, as well as closer cooperation between European, national and regional actors. Participants stressed that universities of applied sciences are uniquely positioned to translate knowledge into practical solutions and to address Europe’s long-term skills and competitiveness challenges.
Throughout the conference, speakers repeatedly emphasised that cooperation, differentiation and place-based innovation are essential to Europe’s resilience and competitiveness. Discussions also underlined the importance of ensuring that excellence in higher education is recognised not only through scientific publications, but also through societal impact and engagement with communities, industry and public authorities.
Concluding the event, Simon Pickard, Network Director at Science|Business, recognised EURASHE’s contribution to strengthening the sector’s voice in Europe:
[EURASHE has] done an excellent job in uniting what was previously quite a fragmented ecosystem around a common sense of purpose and mission, and in cohering [the sector’s] messages to people who make decisions about research, innovation and education policy.
Hosted in the year of Amsterdam’s 750th anniversary, the conference showcased the Dutch approach to applied higher education and offered a platform for participants to exchange experiences and strengthen partnerships across Europe. As Europe seeks to enhance its innovation capacity and address pressing societal challenges, the discussions in Amsterdam reaffirmed the crucial role of universities of applied sciences as connectors between education, research, industry and society.
To all those who joined us: thank you! Relive the key moments from the event by browsing the photo album. We now turn our heads to next year’s Conference, hosted by the Conference of Directors of Lithuanian Higher Education Institutions in Vilnius, Lithuania on 12-13 May 2027. We hope to see you there!