Welcome
Update from ELLS chair
Reports from SA and ST

Board

Building 1 Room A SA Animal Science and SA Bioeconomy
Building 21 SA Environmental Science - info Gilles Belaud 
Salle de réunion du lepse SA Wine and soft - info Anne Pellegrino
Building 9 Room 10 SA Economics and Management
Building 9 Room 106 SA Forestry
Building 11 Room 103 SA Insect Ecology
Building 9 Room 301 SA Landscape Architecture and Spatial Planning
Building 9 Room 303 SA Plant Health
Building 9 Room 304 SA Plant Molecular Breeding and Biotechnology
Building 9 Room 305 SA Safety in the Food Chain
Building 9 Room 306 SA Digitalization in the Life Sciences
Building 9 amphi 206 SA Systems Analysis and Design of Agri-food Systems in a Changing Climate

Building 11 Room 102 ST RSO.
Building 11 Room 204 ST IRO.
Building 11 Room 215 St Communication.
Building 11 Room 202 ST QA.
Building 11 Room 203 ST Learning.

Short description / objectives:
This thematic forum introduces agroecology, with particular attention to its role in transforming food systems. The session will explore how agroecological principles can be used to assess and improve the environmental, social, and economic performance of agricultural and food systems. Participants will discuss how a food systems approach broadens the analysis beyond farm-level practices to include actors, institutions, knowledge systems, markets, and policy. The objective is to create a space for critical reflection on the opportunities and challenges of agroecology in different regional and socio-political contexts.

Expected learning outcomes or key discussion points:

Explain agroecology as a multidimensional concept linking ecological principles, farming practices, and food system transformation.

Distinguish between farm-level agroecological practices and broader food systems approaches.

Discuss how agroecological performance can be assessed, including productivity, biodiversity, resilience, equity, autonomy, knowledge exchange, and social justice.

Reflect on trade-offs and tensions, such as yield vs. diversification, local adaptation versus scaling, and technical innovation versus social transformation.

Compare agroecological transitions across different European and global contexts.

Identify the role of participants, researchers, farmers, consumers, and institutions in supporting agroecological food systems.

Doc Best is 36-month Erasmus+ project (2025–2028) coordinated by l’Institut Agro and including seven other ELLS universities (Wageningen, Hohenheim, BOKU, NMBU, Lleida, WULS, and Tuscia). This strategic project aims to develop doctoral training in Europe and strengthening the links between science and society, with a focus on sustainability challenges in agricultural, food and environmental systems. The aim is to strengthen European cooperation by encouraging the development of jointly supervised PhD projects.

Expected learning outcomes or key discussion points: 
Advances in co-diplomation at doctoral level 
Key future research thematics for integrating Phd fund programs at European level

Intercultural awareness within European alliances: the example of CHARM-EU + FOREUFORALL initiatives. We will explore the topic through a play-based and collaborative approach. The workshop will be followed by a roundtable discussion, so as to get a snapshot of existing resources within the ELLS alliance.

Expected learning outcomes or key discussion points:

Launch of a Community of Practice on Intercultural awareness within ELLS 
Invitation to a Train the Trainers Intercultural Staff Week held in Montpellier (Spring 2027)

This mingled meeting aims to explore how ELLS could further strengthen its activities around sustainable food systems through the creation of a new Subject Area. The proposed Subject Area would focus on an integrative approach towards healthy, accessible and sustainable diets, combining food science and technology, food packaging, nutrition, environmental sustainability, consumer behaviour, economics, social sciences and public policy. The session will bring together members of the ELLS “food” scientific community and representatives of ELLS governance structures to discuss the role, expectations and added value of Subject Areas within ELLS. It will also provide an opportunity to identify how Subject Areas can remain open, inclusive and connected to scientific communities across partner universities.

Expected learning outcomes or key discussion points:

Short round table to present the participants

What is an ELLS Subject Area and what is expected from it?

How can this Subject Area create added value for education, research and networking?

How to strengthen a scientific community located in different countries and how to stay open and inclusive?

Which topics are already covered by existing Subject Areas, and which food-related topics remain insufficiently addressed?

How could a new Food Subject Area contribute to interdisciplinary education, student mobility, guest lectures, project-based learning, BIPs and future European research collaborations?

After an introduction to the new ELLS governance structure, it will be discussed with Support teams how they can be best integrated in the ELLS processes.

This virtual visit introduces participants to the design and evaluation of agroecological systems through long-term systems experiments and Living Labs. Taking the example on the Domaine du Chapitre and recent projects of the speakers, the session will present how researchers, farmers, and other stakeholders collaboratively develop innovative agricultural systems that address environmental, economic, and social challenges. Then, participants will explore examples of co-designed agroecological systems and discover how experimental platforms and Living Labs support innovation and adaptation.

Expected learning outcomes or key discussion points:

Understand the principles and objectives of agroecological system design and assessment.

Explore the role of long-term systems experiments in evaluating agroecological innovations from both agronomical and ecological perspectives.

Discover how Living Labs facilitate co-innovation among researchers, farmers, advisors, and other stakeholders.

Examine examples of participatory approaches used to support agroecological transitions.

Discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with designing resilient and sustainable agricultural systems.

Short description

This Exchange Workshop aims to explore near future options to collaborate on integration EDI and Intersectional Gender perspectives within ELLS and its activities.

It is open and useful as exchange with the Board, various Task Forces, Subject Areas, Support Teams and ELSA students.
We start with a short introduction on what the ELLS-EDI Working Group understands as EDI-work and a sketch of what types of EDI work the partners are working on.

We then present briefly what has been done so far and explain the EDI work promised in the granted ELLS-EUI proposal on organisational matters, the work of Support Teams, and Subject Areas.

In the workshop we like to hear and together explore the opportunities for support and collaboration to be further elaborated on afterwards.

Expected key points / outcomes

·        ELLS actors get to know:

what the ELLS EDI Working Group stands for and what is has done so far

what is considered relevant for ELLS and which EDI activities are promised in the granted interuniversity ELLS-EUI proposal

what working options the ELLS EDI Working Group sees to support and collaborate

·        ELLS actors share in small groups how EDI can be relevant for ELLS work according to them and especially their own activities

·        ELLS actors explore in small groups what opportunities they see to collaborate on EDI activities and accordingly list what to elaborate on

·        ELLS EDI Working Group will share the main points afterwards and follow up on them

Key Points of the Session:

Discover the principles of Challenge-Based Learning

Explore feedback from Erasmus+ collaborative projects

Embrasse the role of tutor instead of teacher

Identify ways to integrate CBL into higher education courses

Active Learning, Student Engagement,  Interdisciplinary Learning, Transversal Skills, Creativity and  Innovation, Experiential Learning, Experience Sharing, International Collaboration, Higher Education Innovation

The objectives could perhaps be to, through a panel discussion, 1) explore how the role of Subject Areas have evolved over time – opportunities and challenges as viewed by new and more experienced SA participants, 2) share examples of how Subject Areas operate in relation to education and research, 3) discuss the format of the SAs and what could be benefits/risks if one were to open each of them up to more participants from the ELLS universities.

Key Points of the Session:

The workshop will present the results of SustainMind project, a student‑centred initiative aimed at raising awareness of sustainability challenges in agri‑food systems. Participants will learn how international student teams created short educational videos to engage diverse audiences and promote open education. The session will also highlight cross‑institutional activity, namely the Green Plate Forum 4.0. The workshop will emphasize the project’s role in strengthening systems thinking, science communication, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Expected learning outcomes or key discussion points :

Participants will learn about international teamwork approaches across the three ELLS universities, explore effective strategies for engaging students in collaborative activities, and discuss the benefits and challenges of cross‑university cooperation within the SustainMind project.

Key Points of the Session:

Agrifood systems face unprecedented challenges, including climate change, biodiversity loss, resource scarcity, geopolitical instability, and persistent inequalities. These challenges are highly interconnected and often characterised by feedback loops, trade-offs, and unintended consequences. As a result, there is growing recognition that reductionist approaches alone are insufficient to understand and address these complex sustainability challenges.

Systems science offers a complementary approach by focusing on interactions, feedbacks, cross-scale dynamics, and emergent properties such as resilience and sustainability. Systems approaches can help identify leverage points for change, anticipate unintended consequences, and support more integrated and adaptive forms of governance and management.

Expected learning outcomes and key discussion points:

By the end of the session, participants should be able to:

·         Explain the basic principles and key elements of systems science.

·         Recognise the value, strengths and weaknesses of systems approaches for understanding complex agrifood challenges.

·         Identify priorities for future research and teaching in systems science for sustainable agrifood systems

·         Form new connections to operationalize the priorities.

Objectives

How can we jointly develop a research and academic agenda for addressing the challenges of Agri-Food Systems in Africa? What are the drivers? What are the barriers? Which form of partnership in Research, Education and Innovation for a sustainable development?

Program

·  Setting the scene : challenges and recent trends in partnerships and funding in Research for Development in Africa : challenges and opportunities for Education, Research and Innovation institutions (speaker Christian Fusillier (President of the Steering Committee of the Center for Tropical and Mediterranean Studies of l’Institut Agro and former director of Division  on Agriculture, Rural Development and Biodiversity of the french Agency for Development AFD) (20 min.)

·   Mapping current collaborations in research and education of ELLS Universities with African NARES and regional networks (based on a survey within ELLS Universities conducted before the conference (Alice François) (10 min.).

·  Challenges and opportunities for the ELLS Universities Alliance in a strengthened partnership between Europe and Africa on Agri-food systems. Panel discussion with : ELLS Board Chair (UHOH rector), RUFORUM[1] (Patrick Okori, executive secretary, tbc), Agrinatura[2] (Ioannis Dimitriou, pres.), CGIAR[3] (Charles Klienerman, director of the Capacity Sharing Accelerator), ELSA (a student from Africa, tbc) (30 min.). 

Will be followed by a working group on Friday 6 November (10h45-12h15) to further discuss modalities and opportunities of collaboration between ELLS, EU, Research Institutes (including CGIAR) and African Universities (in particular on doctoral education).

During this workshop, we will introduce Work Package 5.2 of our European University Initiative which foresees our universities creating flexible and thematic pathways for students between our universities. We will look at what has been done at other universities and alliances and discuss how ST IRO, Subject Areas and TF-Education will work together to make it happen in ELLS.

By Invitation Only.

Only for Chairs/Vice Chairs of SCE, SCR and LH

This workshop will be dedicated to brainstorming the first action plan of the newly emerging ELLS Food Subject Area. Building on the discussions from the previous day, participants will work collectively to identify short-, medium- and long-term priorities for education, student engagement, research collaboration and networking. Particular attention will be given to activities that can rapidly create value for students and partner universities, such as sharing existing courses, guest lectures, international student projects, student challenges and PhD mobilities. The session will also explore longer-term ambitions, including thematic BIPs, joint European research projects, capacity-building initiatives and the possible development of an Erasmus Mundus Master’s degree.

Expected learning outcomes or key discussion points:

Define the first priorities and governance principles of the Food Subject Area

Identify existing courses, expertise and initiatives that could be shared within ELLS

Propose concrete short-term actions for the next 1–2 years: guest lectures, student projects, student challenges and PhD mobility

Discuss medium-term actions: new joint courses, thematic BIPs, student symposium, EU project preparation and capacity-building programs

Explore long-term ambitions, including the possible creation of an Erasmus Mundus Master’s degree

Clarify the role of the Subject Area in connecting education, research, innovation and societal challenges related to food systems

Identify potential partner universities and scientific communities willing to contribute actively

This working group continues the work carried out the previous day (comparing teaching practices related to this theme), this time with the aim of organizing a LASP seminar on the topic.

Expected learning outcomes or key discussion points :
Problematize the call for proposals for this seminar

This session will provide an opportunity for ELLS researchers, academic staff, Subject Area members and other interested participants to meet and exchange directly with the ELLS Research Support Officers (RSO) group.

Participants will be able to discuss their research interests, project ideas and funding needs with RSO members and receive guidance on relevant European and international funding programmes. The session will also provide a space to explore potential partnerships within the ELLS network, identify complementary expertise across member universities and facilitate connections between researchers, Subject Areas and research support teams.

The objective is to create an informal space for dialogue advice and networking, helping participants identify funding and collaboration opportunities within and beyond ELLS.

Moderators : ST RSO