From 22 to 25 October 2024, students, teachers, and researchers from the eight RUN-EU member universities met at the School of Tourism and Maritime Technology (ESTM) of the Polytechnic University of Leiria (IPLeiria), in Peniche, Portugal, for the third RUN-EU European Programmes Academy Exploratory Mission (EPA-Mission). The EPA-Mission at the ESTM was organised and hosted by Paula Cardoso.

Under the theme ‘Climate Change – Circular Economy and Decarbonisation’, this EPA-Mission generated ideas for several RUN-EU joint learning opportunities. In this process, the participants received valuable input from main speakers João Correia, Agostinho Silva and Ricardo Pereira, from local stakeholders as well as from site visits to Geoparque Oeste and Thai Union factory.

The EPA-Mission concept was developed under the RUN-EU strand ‘EPA-Missions and Joint Programmes (Degrees)’, led by Frauke Dobers and Lisa Wagner, both RUN-EU Managers at the Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences (FHV), and implemented with the support of other RUN-EU and FHV colleagues.

Until autumn 2025, RUN-EU students, teachers, and researchers will have the opportunity to participate in further EPA-Missions at RUN-EU member universities.