Heritage Network holds dynamic 8th General Assembly at TU Dresden

Over two days of vibrant exchange, the assembly focused on strengthening academic cooperation and shaping the future of global education in engineering sciences.

The opening session was marked by inspiring remarks from Prof. Ronald Tetzlaff, TU Dresden's Chief Officer for Technology Transfer and Internationalization; Prof. Ercan Altinsoy of TU Dresden; Prof. Teresa Zielińska, Rector Proxy for Internationalization at Warsaw University of Technology and President of the Heritage Network and Prof. Vimal Chandra Srisvastava, Vice-President of the Heritage Network.

 

A Global Outlook on Education

This year’s theme, Global Education, framed a rich program of eight conferences that explored diverse experiences in teaching, research, and innovation across the network. These insightful presentations are available to view on this page.

Beyond academic discussions, the General Assembly remains a key forum for decision-making and strategic planning within the network.

Key Decisions and Elections

Several important decisions were taken during the 2025 Assembly:

• Three new members were elected to the Steering and Executive Committee (SEC)—including one representative from India and two from Europe. See the full list of current SEC members here.
• National Institute of Technology Calicut (India) was welcomed as a new member of the Heritage Network. Explore the complete list of member institutions here.
• IIT ISM Dhanbad was chosen as the host for the 2026 General Assembly.
• A new “SEC Honorary Member” status was introduced for former SEC members who remain actively involved. While they will not have voting rights, they will continue to contribute their expertise and ideas during SEC meetings.

A Network Committed to Excellence

With 15 Indian and 13 European member institutions, the Heritage Network continues to strengthen its mission: fostering collaboration in engineering, science, design, and technology through high-level education and research. Its key objectives include:

• Facilitating academic and research exchanges between Europe and India
• Supporting the development of joint educational programs
• Organizing annual thematic workshops
• Influencing policy discussions on the internationalization of higher education
• Cultivating enduring partnerships among its members

A New Addition: The Spring Workshop

This year's General Assembly introduced an exciting new feature: the Spring Workshop on “Sustainability in Mechanical Engineering”, designed for PhD students from member institutions. Taking place alongside the main event, the workshop provided a hands-on opportunity for early-stage researchers to engage in focused discussions on sustainability.

Read more about the workshop here.

The 2025 General Assembly once again demonstrated the Heritage Network's dedication to nurturing international collaboration and excellence in engineering education. With new initiatives and growing membership, the network continues to build bridges between Europe and India, paving the way for shared progress and innovation.

For more information about the General Assembly, conferences, or the Heritage Network’s activities, please visit the relevant pages linked above.