PROGRAMME

Thursday, 24^th September 2015
*Venue: Centro de Estudos Avanzados–CEA (Parque de Vista Alegre, str. Salvadas)*
14.45 – 15.00	Registration to the XXI General Assembly
15.00 – 15.30	Official opening of the XXI General Assembly by the Rector Magnificus of the University of Santiago de Compostela, Prof. Dr Juan M. Viaño Rey, and by the President of the Compostela Group of Universities, Prof. Dr Maurits van Rooijen

GENERAL COUNCIL MEETING
15.30 – 17.00	General Council meeting – Part I 1. Reading and approval of the minutes of the previous General Council meeting (Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, Poland, 25^th-27^th September 2014) 2. Presentation of the applicant member universities 3. Groningen Declaration 4. Annual Report of the CGU activities 5. Financial report
17.00 – 17.30	Coffee break
17.30 – 18.00	General Council meeting – Part II 6. Presentation of the results of the Poznan Declaration 7. New proposals and actions 8. IV Video Contest and awarding of diplomas to the winning student’s group (Universitat Jaume I, Spain)
18.00 – 19.00	Elections for the CGU Presidency and presentation of the new President and Executive Committee of the network
19.00	Closure of the General Council


	*Venue: Pazo de Raxoi (Praza do Obradoiro)*
20.00	Official reception at the City Hall of Santiago de Compostela by the Mayor
	*Venue: San Francisco Hotel Monumento (Campillo de San Francisco, no. 3)*
	Buffet dinner and Galician wine
	‘Music on the Way to Compostela’: Performance by the group of traditional Galician music ‘Alxibeira’

Friday, 25^th September 2015

08.30	Bus service from the hotel to the venue
Venue: bldg. CINC – Cidade da Cultura de Galicia *Simultaneous translation service available during the sessions*
CONFERENCE ‘LEARNING BY WALKING THE SMART WAY’ *Meeting room no. 1*
09.00 – 09.15	Formal opening Prof. Dr Juan M. Viaño Rey, Rector Magnificus of the University of Santiago de Compostela Incoming President of the Compostela Group of Universities. H.E. Mr Román Rodríguez González, Regional Minister of the Xunta de Galicia for Culture, Education and University Development
FORUM ‘THE UNIVERSITIES IN THE 21^ST CENTURY’’ Joint activity CEA-CGU *Meeting room no. 1*
09.15 – 11.30	Plenary session Chair by Prof. Dr Fernando Cabo Aseguinolaza, Director of the Centre for Advanced Studies, USC *‘Learning by Walking the Smart Way: Towards the need to re-think higher education’* Mr. Francisco Marmolejo, Tertiary Education Coordinator at the World Bank ‘Europe and its Universities in a global world’ H.E. Ms. Martine Reicherts, Director-General for Education and Culture at the European Commission *‘Circulation of researchers: a European perspective’* Prof. Jean-Pierre Bourguignon, President of the European Research Council ‘Self- regulated evaluation and ongoing progress of the University’ Mr Miguel Ángel Escotet, President of Afundacion and General Director for RSC and Communication of ABANCA Debate
11.30 – 12.00	*Hall of meeting room no. 1* Coffee break
COMPOSTELA DIALOGUES IN HIGHER EDUCATION ‘The Way to Santiago: A Smart Learning Route’ *Meeting room no. 1*
12.00 – 14.00	‘Rising intolerance in the European Union’
	Chair by Prof. Dr Mercedes Brea López, Professor of Romanic Phylology and member of the Steering Committee of the Campus Ciudadanía of the USC
	Plenary session
	*‘The usefulness of the useless knowledge’* Prof. Nuccio Ordine, philosopher and professor at the University of Calabria
	Round table
	*‘Diversity as a strength and a weakness’* Prof. Dr Maurits van Rooijen, Former President of the Compostela Group of Universities ‘Opening minds through education’ H.E. Ms Martine Reicherts, Director-General for Education and Culture of the European Commission *‘Rising intolerance: misfortune or lethargy?’* H.E. Ms Kateřina Lukešová, Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the Czech Republic in Spain H.E. Mr Mark Anthony Micallef, Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of Malta in Spain
	Conclusions and proposals
	*Convention hall*
14.00 – 15.30	Lunch (Optional guided visit to the Cidade da Cultura de Galicia)
‘COMPOSTELA CAFÉ’ *Meeting room no. 1*
15.30 – 17.45	‘Compostela Café’: Thought provoking interventions Presided by: Mr Rafael Sánchez Bargiela, Director-Manager of S.A. de Xestión do Plan Xacobeo Chaired by: Mr Jean Pierre Roose, CGU Delegate in Brussels, and Prof. Dr Inmaculada Fortanet, CGU Vice-president *‘Erasmus+: successes, challenges and future priorities’* Ms Vanessa Debiais-Sainton, Head of ERASMUS+ Team of the European Commission *‘GaragErasmus: fly to the place where you dream of working’* Mr Francesco Cappè, Vicechairman of garagErasmus Foundation Mr Miguel Ángel Escotet, Director for Corporative Social Relations at ABANCA Thematic tables: Presentation of initiatives and proposals 1. The Way as an ‘Academic Route’ 2. Using the Way for Innovative Knowledge 3. Smart Projects on the Way

17.45 – 18.00	Coffee break

18.00 –18.30	Presentation of the venue for the XXII General Assembly Formal closure of the XXI General Assembly and awarding of the Marble Compostela Shell to the Rector Magnificus of the University of Santiago de Compostela by the President of the Compostela Group of Universities
18.30	Bus service from the venue to the hotel
Venue: Colexio de Fonseca (str. Franco, no. 3)
20.30	Presentation Ceremony of the XIX International Prize Grupo Compostela-Xunta de Galicia 2015. Performance by the choir ‘SondeNós’

Venue: Hostal dos Reis Católicos (Praza do Obradoiro)
21.45	Gala dinner and ‘Queimada’


Saturday, 26^th September 2015

10.00	Excursion: The Way of Saint James: Origins and End The last day of the General Assembly is reserved for a visit which aims to put in context the Way of Saint James, one of the seeds of the idea of Europe and the CGU’s essence. The excursion will consist on a slight pilgrimage by a stretch of the Portuguese Way passing through the village of Padrón; it is in some locations of this place where Jacobean traditions have their origin. In addition, those attendees who stay until the evening at Santiago on Saturday will have the opportunity of enjoying a guided visit to the cathedral, in order to approach the experience that each year thousands of pilgrims live by walking the Way from all over the world.