In line with the EUGLOH Alliance’s commitment to innovative and collaborative teaching, members of the Alliance, co-created an advanced training course on synthetic receptors that was designed for PhD students in the field of chemistry from EUGLOH partner universities.
The course, accredited with 3 ECTS, was structured in two parts: a virtual component focusing on the theoretical foundations of synthetic receptors, and an intensive in-person module that took place at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto (FCUP) from the 3rd to the 4th of July.
Led by the University of Porto and co-created with Lund University (Sweden), Université Paris-Saclay (France) and the University of Alcalá (Spain), the course brought together 11 PhD students from six EUGLOH partner institutions – University of Porto, Lund University, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, University of Szeged, Université Paris-Saclay and University of Alcalá.
The on-site module featured laboratory-based activities, interactive scientific discussions and oral presentations with feedback from faculty members, fostering a dynamic and practice-oriented learning environment. According to Manuel Azenha, Assistant Professor at FCUP and coordinator of the course, the virtual component “helped establish a common ground between students and teachers from different European universities, promoting early collaboration and complementarity.” He added that the in-person sessions truly reflected “the spirit of EUGLOH”, combining scientific relevance with a motivating international atmosphere.
The first day concluded with a symbolic welcome reception, attended by FCUP’s Dean, Ana Cristina Freire, and the Director of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Pedro Alexandrino Fernandes, reinforcing the institutional commitment to international education and collaborative initiatives within the Alliance.
Beyond the academic programme, students also explored Porto’s cultural heritage through a visit to the Soares dos Reis National Museum, as part of EUGLOH’s Cultural Corridor initiative .
Manuel Azenha highlighted the importance of informal networking opportunities, noting that they were “essential to strengthen human and cultural bonds among participants, demonstrating the transformative potential of initiatives that promote not only knowledge, but also empathy, cooperation and European citizenship”.
The course was one of the projects selected at the end of 2024 through a competitive call for training activities aligned with the European approach to micro-credentials and the EUGLOH Alliance’s work on transnational teaching and learning.
The synthetic receptors course stands as a concrete example of EUGLOH’s commitment to innovative, collaborative pedagogical practices. It contributes to building a European campus while supporting the internationalisation of education and reinforcing the shared vision of excellence within the Alliance.