Dr Don O’Neill spotlights French language through EU-CONEXUS

Earlier this year, Dr Don O’Neill from South East Technological University was invited by Professor Alexandreu Aldea, President of the Senate Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest (UTCB), to present at a francophone conference on the theme of sustainability in higher education. The event brought together francophone academic colleagues from the EU-CONEXUS alliance interested in organising future activities and conferences through the medium of French, promoting languages other than English as a way for consortium members to connect and collaborate.

For Dr O’Neill, working through the medium of French at an international conference was a new approach to presenting his research and collaborating with colleagues. The aim of the event was to connect with francophone colleagues and present to francophone researchers and students, promoting French as a minority language in a global research environment dominated by the use of English. Dr O’Neill also organised meetings with colleagues at UTCB and plans to remain in contact with a view to forming a group for francophone academics within the EU-CONEXUS network to organise future events and collaborations.

Showcasing SETU and Sustainability of the Arts Festival

Dr O’Neill presented at the event at UTCB and focused on the development and success of the Sustainability of the Arts Festival at SETU. Speaking to over one hundred academics and students, he noted considerable interest in the idea of organising a student-led festival to promote practical approaches to sustainability relevant to students’ everyday academic practices. He also connected with academic staff who are now keen to bring the idea of a student-led festival to their universities.

Connecting through EU-CONEXUS

Dr O’Neill comments on how EU-CONEXUS provides an opportunity to meet like-minded students and staff interested in sustainability across Europe in order to exchange ideas and practices with a view to creating valuable new opportunities for collaboration and exchange. He believes it is highly beneficial for students and staff to engage with EU-CONEXUS. The network is particularly valuable as it enables connections to be built across disciplines, languages and cultures, generating dynamic and original ideas for impactful sustainability that transcend borders.