Durham signs up to the ‘Poitiers Declaration’

(16 April 2021)

This week, we played host to a virtual event that brought together colleagues from 41 European universities as well as signing a historic partnership agreement.

The Coimbra Group workshop on ‘Employability in the Curriculum’ included presentations from the Universities of UC Louvain, Trinity College Dublin, Edinburgh, Durham and Barcelona covering topics such as competency assessments and methods to support student employability.

A highlight of the event was Vice Chancellor Professor Stuart Corbridge and the Chairman of Durham County Council and the Mayor of Durham, participating in a virtual signing of the Poitiers Declaration – a Coimbra Group initiative which signals the importance of universities working hand in hand with their local municipality, and vice versa to support one another’s development.

Helping our graduates excel

Coordinated by Professor Tony Fawcett, Deputy Provost for Education and Shelagh Green at the University of Edinburgh, with support from the International Office, the ‘Employability in the Curriculum’ event explored approaches to including, and recognising, employability in formal modules and in co-curricular activities.

Educators and colleagues working in student employability set the scene for round table discussions on topics raised throughout the day to inform future developments in participating Universities.

Five years of Coimbra

An international network founded in 1985, the Coimbra Group is committed to creating special academic and cultural ties across universities who believe in promoting internationalisation, academic collaboration, excellence in learning and research, and service to society.

As members of the Coimbra Group since 2016, we actively participate in several of the network’s thematic working groups including student mobility and research operations.

Durham’s membership of the Coimbra Network aligns closely with the aims of our global strategy, which include enhancing our profile in Europe, increasing opportunities for European research collaboration as well as staff and student exchanges and influence over European policy-making.

Through the signing of the Poitiers Declaration, we are delighted to have had the opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to our local community and partner organisations.

Find out more

• Find out more about the Coimbra Group and our involvement
• Learn more about the Poitiers Declaration and its wider impact
• Visit our Careers & Enterprise Centre