3rd Transatlantic High-Level Roundtable: ‘Strengthening Transatlantic Relations through University Cooperation’
27 June 2025
The event was organised by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the Institute of International Education (IIE) in cooperation with the Luso-American Development Foundation (FLAD) and took place following the General Assembly of the DAAD umbrella organisation Academic Cooperation Association (ACA).
Following successful editions in Brussels (2023) and Washington, D.C. (2024), the transatlantic dialogue continued in Lisbon with the aim of further highlighting the role of higher education cooperation in strengthening transatlantic relations. The focus was on the changing geopolitical landscape and the strategic importance of international partnerships in higher education for promoting shared values and sustainable cooperation.
After introductory welcoming remarks (Cristina Perdigão from the National Erasmus+ Agency in Portugal, Michael Hörig from the DAAD in Brussels and Kari Kuja from the IIE), the programme began with a keynote speech by Paulo Zagalo-Melo (AIEA), a reflection on 40 years of academic relations between the USA and Portugal by Michael Baum (FLAD) and the presentation of the initial findings of the report ‘Transatlantic Mobility in Higher Education and Research 2025’ (Leah Mason, IIE, and Christian Strowa, DAAD). The full report will be published in September 2025.
The roundtable format also offered a wide range of opportunities for in-depth, interactive exchange between participants and provided new impetus for transatlantic cooperation in the fields of higher education and research.
