From 8 to 11 September 2026, Glasgow, Scotland, became a hub for the global higher education community as it hosted the 36th annual conference and exhibition of the European Association for International Education (EAIE). The event is Europe’s leading gathering dedicated to the internationalisation of higher education, bringing together academic leaders, researchers and international education professionals from around the world. The EAIE Conference and Exhibition provides a unique platform for building strategic partnerships, sharing innovative approaches and strengthening international networks. This year’s event was held under the theme “The Rhythm of Revolution,” which reflected through the whole program. Slovakia was represented by delegates from 14 Slovak higher education institutions, together with representatives of the Ministry of Education.
More than 7,300 higher education professionals from 107 countries attended the event. The Bratislava University of Economics and Business (EUBA) was represented by Boris Mattoš, Vice-Rector for International Relations, Natália Zagoršeková, Vice-Dean for International Relations at the Faculty of International Relations and Diana Mydliarová from the International Office at the EUBA.
One of the key priorities for EUBA at the conference was to further develop cooperation with leading international universities. As the only university in Slovakia to hold the prestigious AACSB accreditation, EUBA took part in a number of meetings aimed at establishing new partnerships and strengthening existing cooperation with other AACSB-accredited institutions, both in Europe and beyond. Following the United Kingdom’s return to the Erasmus+ programme, EUBA representatives also explored new opportunities for cooperation with University of St Andrews Business School and the University of Stirling. The University of Stirling and EUBA are both members of the HERMES network, which focuses primarily on developing cooperation in the area of double-degree programmes.
Double-degree programmes and innovative forms of joint education were among the other important topics discussed at the conference. Talks with the University of Latvia focused on expanding the existing Erasmus+ mobility cooperation to include a double-degree programme and a Blended Intensive Programme (BIP). Opportunities for cooperation on BIPs were also discussed with the University of Warsaw and Corvinus University of Budapest. A meeting with representatives of Rennes School of Business, a triple-accredited institution, focused on the further development of previously discussed cooperation on a double-degree programme with the EUBA Faculty of International Relations.
“EAIE gives us a unique opportunity to meet partners from around the world, develop existing partnerships and explore new opportunities for cooperation. At the same time, we can follow the direction in which international higher education is moving and draw inspiration from the experiences of other universities. Such meetings help us turn internationalisation into specific opportunities for our students and staff,” said Boris Mattoš, Vice-Rector for International Relations.
The conference also provided an opportunity to explore new partnerships. EUBA representatives met with Universiti Putra Malaysia to discuss potential areas of cooperation. A joint meeting involving EUBA, SGH Warsaw School of Economics and Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU) focused on the further development of the joint Central Europe Connect programme. Discussions with representatives of the London School of Economics and Political Science focused on potential opportunities for cooperation in the area of study programmes. EUBA representatives also met with representatives of National Taipei University to discuss further cooperation in student mobility and the possibility of deepening the existing partnership.
EUBA's participation in the EAIE 2026 conference was made possible through the project "Supporting Internationalization in the Academic Environment", which received financial support from the Recovery and Resilience Plan of the Slovak Republic. This project has been included among the successful initiatives aimed at strengthening internationalization at our university.
