INVEST PARTICIPATES IN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE “NO LANGUAGE, NO ALLIANCE” ON MULTILINGUALISM IN EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY ALLIANCES

Javier Ávila López, Director General for Alliances at the University of Córdoba, represented the INVEST European University Alliance at the international conference No Language, No Alliance, held on 29 and 30 June 2026 in Düsseldorf, Germany.

Organised by Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf within the UNIVERSEH Space Academy, the conference brought together nearly 100 participants from 19 European University Alliances, universities, language centres, funding bodies and organisations such as FOREU4ALL and the British Council.

The event explored the role of multilingualism in research, teaching, university management and international cooperation, as well as the balance between English as a shared working language and the promotion of Europe’s wider linguistic diversity.

Javier Ávila contributed to a presentation on multilingualism as a mechanism for inclusion in European University Alliances. His intervention highlighted how language influences not only communication, but also confidence, a sense of belonging and the ability to participate actively in international projects.

The presentation underlined that genuine inclusion requires students and university staff to feel linguistically and culturally empowered to contribute, share knowledge and take part in European cooperation.

INVEST’s participation in the conference reflects the Alliance’s commitment to a more inclusive, sustainable and interculturally aware model of university cooperation, in which multilingualism helps reduce barriers, broaden participation and strengthen engagement with Europe’s diverse communities.