Connecting currents at EAIE Rotterdam 2023

In 2023, EAIE members will meet in a city known for innovation, creativity and, above all, resilience. Connect with your global community at the 33rd Annual EAIE Conference and Exhibition in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, where supported by our local partners we will host a dynamic and inspiring four-day event.

Much like the vibrant city of Rotterdam itself, the EAIE Conference offers a fertile breeding ground for cultivating fresh ideas, of which we need plenty these days. As we reorient ourselves and look toward what the future holds for the international education sector, the EAIE conference gives our community the energising space it needs to reconnect and spark innovation and action.

Resourceful and resilient Rotterdam

Sitting on land reclaimed from the Rotte and Maas Rivers, Rotterdam has been the major port city of the Netherlands for centuries. The Nieuwe Waterweg (‘new waterway’) canal connecting the city to the North Sea was constructed 150 years ago, symbolising the long history of big and innovative thinking in the city. Built back from the rubble after the Second World War, Rotterdam continues to be known for its can-do attitude, a city that is constantly growing, building and rebuilding. The city and its people have gone through various transformations from post-war recovery to modern urbanisation, and present-day Rotterdam is always on the move, innovating and striving to improve the city’s infrastructure and technology, as well as expand its cultural footprint. Various ongoing city-wide projects focus on many of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, an apt backdrop for the EAIE conference.

In April 2022, Rotterdam was selected as one of 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities, part of a EU-funded project in which selected cities act as experimentation and innovation hubs to enable all European cities to become emissions-free by 2050. Meanwhile, the city of Rotterdam is also mobilising its citizens to take action and contribute to the Rotterdam Resilience project that sets out seven objectives to fight for a sustainable, safe, inclusive and healthy future. These objectives weave together themes of sustainability, infrastructure for the 21st century and advanced technology for the Port of Rotterdam. They also mirror some of the key challenges and opportunities currently facing the international education sector, as well. How we can foster vibrant community engagement, ensure meaningful inclusion of all voices and perspectives, leverage technology for learning and skill development and care for our planet through the work of international education will be the focus of many conference sessions and much informal discussion and debate.

Connecting currents

The 2023 EAIE Conference theme ‘Connecting currents’ celebrates the maritime history of Rotterdam and embodies the importance of water to the city, providing economic opportunities as well as existential threats. Rotterdam is the gateway to Europe, a place where river meets sea, ships reach the shore and people from all walks of life come together. In similar ways, our work in international education actively connects ‘currents’ of thought, areas of expertise, disciplines and cultures. In our many roles – professional, academic, political, entrepreneurial, strategic and more – our work intersects directly with all manner of developments shaping the future of our institutions and our societies. From virtual learning to climate action, multilingualism to geopolitics, the currents we navigate as international educators are fast-moving and unpredictable, exciting and important. ‘Connecting currents’ is about making sense of the complex world around us and drawing energy and insight from our diverse and vibrant community.

Save the date

The call for session proposals will open later this year. We hope you will join us in Rotterdam for the 2023 EAIE Conference and Exhibition, taking place 26–29 September 2023. The conference will be held at Rotterdam Ahoy, one of the largest event venues in the Netherlands. We want to thank our 2023 local partners for their generous support and we look forward to meeting you in this dynamic and innovative city.

We are also happy to share that after postponing the Conference in 2021, we will be returning to Gothenburg, Sweden for the 35th EAIE Conference and Exhibition in 2025. Special thanks to our Gothenburg partners, who have been working closely with us and are eager to welcome the EAIE community to their city. The location and details of the 2024 EAIE Conference will be published next year.