In early February, the SGroup Executive Committee (EC) had its first meeting of the year. It took place online via Zoom. The EC members gathered to discuss and decide on the goals and activities to be achieved, evaluate ongoing work and approve new initiatives to keep the network growing in a dynamic way.
While celebrating the achievements of 2021, the aspirations of the EC for the new year, elaborated in the Action Plan for 2022, were also discussed. The main key strategy areas of SGroup and the actions of its working groups for this year can be summed up as follows:
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Intensifying joint project activities, internally and externally, with new initiatives such as the Projects Café event format, the SGroup International staff week and the first SGroup Doctoral Education competition, or a new edition of the SGroup Intercultural Summer School, and facilitating the creation of new externally funded projects among members;
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Extending the development of joint expertise by further promoting the transfer of knowledge and exchange of good practices between members in working groups and the Think Tank Academy, which is now expanding its portfolio to five chapters: Latin America, China, Africa, Doctoral Education and the new Social Mission of Universities.
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Optimizing communication within and outside the network by furthering the work developed in this area, such as the SGroup Video Communication Activity, stimulating effective internal channels for the exchange of information, and improving external communication, for example through the new website to be launched soon.
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Enhancing global impact and awareness of SGroup i.e. extending partnerships and collaborations, delivering presentations at the most relevant global and European conferences, promoting SGroup external visibility and international impact.
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Administration and governance, ensuring an efficient and fully transparent administrative and financial management of SGroup and applying continuous tools for improvement
Four other EC meetings are planned this year to ensure due monitoring and progress of the goals and activities established.