Session
â Included for all participants
This panel session will explore how three European university alliances are transforming cross-border collaboration to attract and strengthen STEM talent across higher education and research in Europe. Panellists will share evidence on joint doctorates, the European degree and inclusive career pathways, while addressing barriers such as recognition, mobility and funding. A European Commission representative will add a policy lens to help advance inclusive, transformative STEM internationalisation.
Executive Director of EELISA
Based at the Polytechnic University of Madrid
Sofia is a civil engineer and holds a PhD in Geotechnical and Environmental Engineering. She was nominated Woman of Industry, Research, and Development by the prestigious business and technology magazine L'Usine Nouvelle in September 2020.
Before joining EELISA as Executive Director, she served for over 10 years as Head of Innovation and Digital Transformation at SNCF (the French national railway company). During her time there, she worked as an applied researcher and later led teams in innovative and cross-functional projects, spearheading the company’s digital transformation process.
Sofia is Portuguese and is fluent in Spanish, English, and French. She is a highly experienced multicultural professional committed to making an impact in global scientific and technological contexts. Her goal is to leverage the opportunities provided by these contexts to advance science and technology while fostering personal and professional growth for all involved.
Rafael Toledo-Moreo is Deputy Secretary General of the European University of Technology (EUt+) and Full Professor at the Technical University of Cartagena (UPCT). Within EUt+, he oversees executive management, quality assurance, and inter-alliance coordination. Formerly UPCT's Vice-Rector for Internationalisation, he led the university's internationalisation strategy and its integration within the Alliance, achieving record levels of international mobility and external funding.
Alongside his leadership roles, Rafael has built an extensive research career in the STEM field, with a focus on space engineering and embedded systems. He has participated in more than 50 funded research, innovation, and education projects, many as principal investigator, and has authored over 200 Web of Science-indexed publications, which have received more than 3,000 citations. Among his most significant contributions is leading the Spanish contribution to the control unit of the infrared instrument for the European Space Agency's Euclid space mission, collaborating closely with ESA, NASA, and Airbus Defence and Space, among other international partners.
