1st European university network of excellence
The Euroleague for Life Sciences (ELLS) is a network of leading universities cooperating in the fields of: Natural Resource Management, Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Life Sciences, Animal Sciences, Food Sciences, Environmental Sciences and Rural Development, incl. Agricultural Economics or Rural Sociology.
From 21 to 23 September at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, the Institut Agro participated for the first time in the annual meeting of the ELLS (EuroLeague for Life Sciences) network as an observer member. Invited to join this network of excellence a few months ago, the Institut Agro continues to deploy its European strategy by strengthening its role within the European teaching and research area.
ELLS: Europe's leading university network of excellence in the field of Life Sciences
ELLS (EuroLeague for Life Sciences) is the first European university network in the field of life sciences. Its ambition is to promote joint teaching and learning, student and staff mobility exchanges. The network aims to create a European community of students equipped with the tools and skills to address societal and environmental challenges. Furthermore, through the sharing of expertise and resources, ELLS strengthens the national and international position and potential of all its member universities in the development and implementation of their degree programmes.
The ELLS network is composed of the presidents/rectors of the member universities who constitute the board of directors, supported by an executive board composed of representatives from each member university.
ELSA: students at the heart of the network
ELLS actions are carried out in permanent consultation with the student community represented by a parallel organisation, ELSA (Euroleague Student Association). The aim is to create an opportunity for students to form a first class European network.
- Student representatives are active in all ELLS bodies.
- Students participate in all discussion groups and ELSA is also in charge of the organisation of the annual scientific student conference, which took place this year on 23-24 September at the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague. About 250 students from the network participated in this event and discussed the theme "Interconnectedness of things, a path towards sustainable solutions".
- Students from L’Institut Agro will join the ELSA network in the coming months to start working on the next conference to be held in Hohenheim in 2023.
Including L’Institut Agro in a European and international dynamic
Alongside 3 other new members (Ghent University in Belgium, the Norwegian University of Life Sciences in Norway, the Estonian University of Life Sciences in Estonia), l’Institut Agro will benefit from an observer status in the ELLS network for 1 year. Eleven disciplinary subjects currently constitute the core of the fields addressed: animal science, bioeconomy, economics and management, environmental science, forestry, insect ecology, landscape architecture and spatial planning, organic agriculture, plant health, plant molecular breeding and biotechnology, safety in the food chain.
The themes are proposed by the teaching groups of the ELLS network members and after validation, they can be the subject of actions such as joint training programmes, shared training modules at master or doctorate level.
With the integration of these new members, the ELLS network starts a new stage of its development, after more than 20 years of existence.
L’Institut Agro Rennes Angers will host the next meeting in November
After 3 years of presidency, CZU has passed the torch to WUR. The next working meeting will take place in Rennes on 3 November.
Euroleague for Life Sciences (ELLS) is a network that consists of seven European member universities and two non-European partner universities:
- BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
- SLU - Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden
- UHOH - University of Hohenheim, Germany
- WUR - Wageningen University and Research Centre, Netherlands
- UCPH - Copenhagen University, Faculty of Science, Denmark
- CZU - Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Czech Republic
- SGGW - Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Poland
- LU - Lincoln University, New Zealand
- HUJI - Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Israel
