GO-create in Gothenburg 2025!

In 2025, colleagues from across the international higher education sector will come together for the 35th Annual EAIE Conference and Exhibition. This time, we are challenging you to think about practices of collaboration, cooperation and co-creation. We will come together to GO-create in the famed hub of innovation and creativity that is Gothenburg, Sweden. 

Gothenburg’s commitment to navigating a path of sustainability, inclusion and innovation is world leading. Therefore, it is the perfect destination for the EAIE community to gather and plot the future of internationalisation in higher education, conceptualise pioneering approaches to the key issues of the day and create a shared vision of the future.  

Gothenburg: Pioneering sustainable innovation 

Founded in the 1600s, Gothenburg has a long history of collaboration. Originally stewarded by a council of Swedish, Dutch, German and Scottish merchants, the city soon flourished into a booming harbour connecting Sweden with worldwide trade, industry and migration. A hub of innovation, Gothenburg’s unique ecosystem of established global brands and pioneering startups has resulted in an exciting, dynamic nexus of new ideas. Home to two universities and 65,000 students, Gothenburg boasts a lively academic culture. There is a commitment to collaboration, with many educational institutions in the region having direct links with local industries and initiatives.  

As the saying goes, ‘cool place – warm people’; this spirit of co-creation is seemingly wired into the city’s DNA. Gothenburg has consistently been at the forefront of innovation and collaboration in pursuit of sustainability. Since 2016, the city has been ranked first place in The Global Destination Sustainability Index, marking Gothenburg as the world’s most sustainable destination. Integral to co-creation is the ability to work with others. Gothenburg has been named by the European Commission as a European Capital of Inclusion and Diversity and has received the European Access City Award for its commitment to accessibility and openness. It is hard to think of somewhere that is as innately suited for thinking about internationalisation through co-creation as Gothenburg. 

GO collaborate, GO innovate, GO-create Gothenburg!  

A play on words from the term ‘co-create’, take this theme as inspiration to be creative together in pursuing the future of international higher education. It is a call to action that encompasses all types of creative activities in the way we work with students and other key stakeholders, enrich international and intercultural learning experiences, strengthen partnerships and more. This theme also feeds directly into our approach towards the conference programme development, from innovative sessions to collaborative projects to inspirational keynotes. What is the momentum that is driving international education professionals forward? What new approaches are you testing out to improve your practice, and excite and engage those you work with and for? In what ways, and with which kinds of surprising new partners, are you co-creating the responses to the big and small challenges (and opportunities) you face? The GO-create programme will tackle these questions and more!  GO-create also connects with the heart of Gothenburg itself, not only because of the portmanteau of Gothenburg and co-create, but due to Gothenburg’s reputation for thinking differently and creating ground-breaking sustainable designs. Participants will be inspired to look at key topics through a new lens and GO-create revelational solutions.  

Save the date and get involved

The call for session and workshop proposals will open in September 2024 and we look forward to welcoming you to the 35th Annual EAIE Conference and Exhibition between 09–12 September 2025. Our community will come together in the state-of-the-art conference centre Svenska Massan. 

We would like to thank our local partners: the University of Gothenburg, Jönköping University, the University of Skövde, the University of Borås, Halmstad University, Chalmers University of Technology and The Nordic Council. This conference has been long in the making. You may remember that we intended to meet in Gothenburg for the EAIE Conference in 2021, but this had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, we are delighted to see this rewarding collaboration with our local partners finally come to fruition. What's more, we are excited to GO-create in Gothenburg!