On Thursday, 4 December, Alice Joy Cox, Consul at the Italian Consulate in Dortmund, visited Paderborn University. Prof. Dr. Matthias Bauer, President of Paderborn University, welcomed her and emphasised: "International cooperation offers both students and researchers a good basis for intercultural exchange and access to a global network." The focus of the meeting was on Paderborn University's cooperation with Italy, particularly within the framework of the Erasmus programmes and the European University Alliance COLOURS. There was also a look at the cooperation with the Institute of Art History in Florence. There were also presentations by representatives of the International Office and academics from the Faculty of Arts and Humanities and the Faculty of Business Administration and Economics. Prof. Dr. J?rn Steigerwald from Comparative Literature coordinated the visit and led the programme.

Cox took up her post as Consul in Dortmund in March 2025, so this was her first visit to Paderborn University. Most recently, she was deputy head of the consular section of the Italian embassy in Vienna. During the exchange at Paderborn University, she was particularly interested in what additional support is needed to further strengthen cooperation.

The European University Alliance COLOURS has brought together nine international universities in France, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Poland, Croatia, Latvia, North Macedonia and Germany since the beginning of 2024. Paderborn University coordinates the alliance. The aim is to strengthen cooperation in the long term, increase international visibility and promote the mobility of students and sponsors within Europe. Within this framework, the Faculty of Business Administration and Economics at Paderborn University and the University of Ferrera, Italy, have been offering two double Master's programmes since the winter semester 2024/25.

This text was translated automatically.