The Staff Training Week titled “Summer schools as a tool for implementing European BAUHAUS courses”, organised in cooperation with the Bauhaus Summer School, took place from 8 to 12 December 2025 at Bauhaus-Universität Weimar (Germany).

The Staff Week brought together approximately 30 members of academic and administrative staff from all ten universities of the Consortium, as well as participants from the associated Ukrainian partner institutions: Kharkiv National University of Economics, Kharkiv School of Architecture, and Lviv National Academy of Arts.

Throughout the week, participants worked collaboratively to explore and develop inter-university partnerships aimed at designing challenge-based courses. These courses will focus on at least one of the core thematic pillars -sustainability, inclusivity, resilience and beauty- and will address regional challenges from the perspective of each participating university. The programme featured workshops, brainstorming sessions, and discussion forums centred on shared challenges, objectives, and opportunities for cooperation.

Participants on behalf of the University of Macedonia were Professor Eftychios Sartzetakis, Dean of the School of Economic and Regional Studies; Dr. Sofia Panagiotidou, Head of the Student Support Unit and Ms Maria Chanioti, administrative staff member of the Office for International Students and Mobility.

Looking ahead, the initiative is expected to lead to the development of educational programmes such as Blended Intensive Programmes (BIPs), Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) initiatives, and joint summer schools. These actions will enable participants to work in interdisciplinary and intercultural environments, enhancing mobility, international experience, and the active engagement of students in learning activities that connect academic knowledge with real-world social and regional challenges, in line with the values of the European Bauhaus.