ASSOCIATION FOR EUROPEAN LIFE SCIENCE UNIVERSITIES

ICA President's Winter Greeting 2025

Dear ICA Members,

As we turn the page to a new year, we have much to reflect upon, celebrate, and look forward to as Europe’s largest united community of life science universities.

In 2024, ICA drove important discussions on sustainability, innovation and the future of life sciences education. We had a special opportunity to clarify and communicate our role as life science universities through EU's high level ”Strategic Dialogue on the Future of European Agriculture and Forestry”.  Looking ahead to ICA's activities in 2025, I am excited by the opportunities for life science universities to address the pressing challenges of our time.

ICA Rectors and Deans Forum 2025 will be held on 16 and 17 October at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU.  The theme: Navigating Complexity: ICA Leading the Circular Bioeconomy Transformation.  Full details to follow.

The ICA General Assembly 2025 will be held online on Wednesday 18 June from 13.00 to 15.00.

READ MORE to see the full list of all ICA, ICA Board Committees, ICA Standing Committees and ICA Partner events to be held in 2025 - the list will be updated as events are announced

In January 2024 ICA together with 10 other partners initiated the start of this 3 year Horizon Europe funded project.

The project will set the basis of networking and collaboration with a view to promoting transdisciplinary dialogue and further embedding and unfolding NBS concepts and approaches within universities and vocational schools.  See full details on the the website

European Life Sciences Universities regarding the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of Agriculture in Europe

The Rectors, Deans and Senior Management of the Association for European Life Science Universities (ICA) at our annual Rectors and Deans Forum, held at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb on 24 and 25 October 2024, addressed The Future of Agriculture and Forestry in Europe: implications for Life Science Universities.

See the programme of the Rectors and Deans Forum and view the presentations here  

This communique is the outcome of the discussions and is issued by our President on behalf of ICA's members.

 The attendees at the Forum. 

ICA is collaborating with the BioRural Project Consortium.  The Project has organised a "European Bioeconomy Challenge" and ICA ecourages all its members to participate.

The challenge is organised into four geographic regions in Europe: Northeast Call, Northwest Call, Southeast Call and Southwest Call, each with its own Call for applications, closing in unison on July 28, 2024. However, appliactions for the North East Region Call has been extended to August 18

By 31 January join the 2024 Biodiversity Challenge for ICA members organised by Wageningen University and Research (WUR).  Watch the video from last year’s Challenge here  The idea of the Biodiversity Challenge is to organise simultaneous monitoring of biodiversity (a BioBlitz) at all ICA member campuses between 2^nd May and 28^th June.

See the map of the 19 participating ICA member univetrsities

Year 2024. A new year and a first for me as the new president of ICA. We are living in times of rapid change and there are many challenges, both current and future, to address.

The good news is that life science universities and faculties are needed more than ever. Being in the locus of it all, we can, should and will be key actors in providing new knowledge and innovations that will contribute to a future sustainable society and bioeconomy. Together, in continued partnership and cooperation, we will make a difference. I look forward to working together. I hope you will continue taking part in meetings, webinars and sharing knowledge as well as discussing how ICA can continue to be of use and relevant for all of us.

On Friday 2 February, I welcomed the ICA board at my university, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, for our first board meeting. I would like to share with you some of the things we had on the table.

The Board of the Association for European Life Science Universities (ICA) wishes to recognise individuals who have achieved excellence in furthering the values and mission of ICA.

Call for nominations is now closed.  The Award Winners will be announced on 14 October at the ICA Rectors and Deans Forum.  Read more for the full details of the call.

Life Sciences Universities connecting the One Health Challenge with Carbon Neutrality and Biodiversity

The Rectors, Deans and Senior Management of the Association for European Life Science Universities (ICA) at our annual Forum, held in Lille, France on 19 and 20 October 2023, addressed the challenges for academia to contribute effectively in achieving healthy people and healthy animals in a healthy shared environment.  This communique is the outcome of the discussions and is issued by our Presindent on behalf of ICA's members