[Staff Week] Join Us for the University of Rennes International Staff Week 2025!

From 19 to 23 May 2025, the University of Rennes is organising its Staff Week. On this occasion, invited staff will be able to discuss three key professional areas: international relations, finance and documentation services.

We are delighted to invite our esteemed partners to the International Staff Week 2025 at the University of Rennes, co-organised in partnership with INSA Rennes (Engineering School) and Sciences Po Rennes (IEP Rennes). This event, taking place from 19 to 23 May 2025, will provide a platform for administrative professionals to exchange knowledge, build strong networks, and explore best practices across three key professional areas: International Relations, Finance, and Library Services.

Over the course of the five days, participants will have the opportunity to attend workshops and share their expertise in their professional field, but also to develop cross-disciplinary skills through activities shared by all participants. The week will also be enriched by cultural activities and social events.

International Relations: “How to Boost Internationalisation in the Era of Sustainability”

This track will explore how to adapt internationalisation activities to align with sustainability challenges while maintaining the attractiveness and impact of international activities. 

Key topics include:

• Sustaining Student Mobility: strategies to support sustainable student mobility while remaining attractive to international students.
• Enhancing Campus Life: initiatives to improve incoming student well-being and support services with sustainable development values.
• Hybrid and Online Programmes: developing hybrid programmes that combine physical and virtual cooperation while strengthening strategic partnerships.
• Internationalisation at Home: promoting global learning opportunities and cross-cultural interactions without physical mobility.

Finance: “Sustainable Financial Management”

The Finance track will cover key financial management topics relevant to higher education institutions. Participants will discuss:

• Financial Risk Management: approaches to establish effective risk management frameworks within universities.
• Responsible Financial Operations: strategies for sustainable financial operations and effective resource allocation.
• Funding Strategies: insights into securing national and European project funding, as well as private sponsorship opportunities.
• Real Estate Strategy: an overview of the real estate strategy of the University of Rennes, focusing on financing challenges, energy renovation projects, and long-term investment planning.

Library Services: “Libraries and Open Science”

This Staff Training Week will be an opportunity for librarians to discuss the critical role libraries can play in implementing open science standards within the scientific community. Topics such as data collection, the preservation of research source codes, and the development of open archives are essential in this new paradigm.  Librarians possess valuable expertise that can significantly enhance these areas, and there is great potential for universities to further recognise and leverage their contributions.

The main topics we will explore in the mornings are:

• Institutional Repositories for Publications and Source Code: covering aspects such as open archives, preprints, Green Open Access, Gold Open Access publishing, and partnerships with initiatives such as Software Heritage.
• Institutional Repositories for Datasets: addressing FAIR principles, storage challenges, GDPR and Intellectual Property considerations, as well as the management of lab books.
• Training, Support, and Awareness Raising for Open Access: discussing strategies for training PhD students, engaging with researchers, developing Open Science policies, and effective communication strategies.

Participants will be encouraged to share their best practices and experiences related to any of these topics. In the afternoons, attendees will have the opportunity to join guided tours of campus libraries and exchange views on current practices in librarianship.

How to Participate

All applications will be reviewed and sent by the University of Rennes to the applicants’ sending institutions for consideration. Only participants formally nominated by their sending institutions will be considered for final selection by the University of Rennes.

Disclaimer: this Staff Week is specifically addressed to members of the Erasmus+ ICM KA-171 Georgia Consortium, coordinated by the University of Rennes, to member universities of the EDUC Alliance, and identified strategic partners.

Registration costs: no participation fee. 

Please note that European staff members attending will be registered as participants in the "Blended Intensive Program (BIP)." Further details will be provided once the nominations are finalised.

For more information, please contact us at: internationalstaffweek@univ-rennes.fr

We look forward to welcoming you to the University of Rennes for an unforgettable Staff Week experience!