Top European politician Federica Mogherini to speak at VUB academic opening

The European Parliament is a very appropriate venue for VUB to usher in the new academic year in the spirit of the EUTOPIA university network on 29 September. Leading politician Federica Mogherini is a guest speaker befitting this centre of European political power.

Mogherini was the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and vice-president of the European Commission from 2014 to 2019. She is currently rector of the College of Europe and brings an extra dimension to VUB’s academic opening session.

She will give a guest speech at the session, which will be devoted to Europe and EUTOPIA. EUTOPIA is the network of 10 European universities of which VUB is a founding member. Also speaking at the opening will be the president of EUTOPIA, Tiziana Lippiello, the rector of Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, and EUTOPIA student representatives. VUB rector Jan Danckaert will make the case for a new era of hope in his opening speech: Europe, EUTOPIA, and the need for a new Renaissance.