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UZH has welcomed 300 delegates to Zurich for the three-day Una Europa General Assembly. Centered on the theme “One Earth, One Future”, this gathering highlighted a commitment to interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary collaboration among universities and other partners. Una Europa is an alliance of 11 European research-intensive universities, including UZH.
Hosting its first General Assembly since joining the alliance in 2022, UZH showcased its commitment to Una Europa's vision of building a University of the Future. The General Assembly’s guiding theme, “One Earth, One Future”, emphasized the shared responsibility for a common living space on Earth. Taking a holistic approach is particularly relevant to the concept of “One Health”, where interdisciplinary research offers innovative solutions when seeking sustainable solutions for zoonotic diseases, antibiotic resistance, and other health-related environmental impacts.
During the General Assembly, UZH President Michael Schaepman stated: “In today's interconnected world, the concept of One Health – recognizing the interdependence of human, animal, and environmental health – has never been more important. This is why the General Assembly carries the theme ‘One Earth, One Future’, and why UZH established a dedicated One Health Institute in 2023.” The One Health Institute (OHI) at UZH stands as a prime example of interdisciplinary cooperation, as it is a joint initiative of the Vetsuisse Faculty, the Faculty of Medicine, and the Faculty of Science. Furthermore, there are plans to involve other UZH faculties to integrate ethical, socio-cultural, legal, and political dimensions into the curriculum.
The General Assembly brought together delegates – from students to board members – to various meetings, workshops, and social exchanges. One of the highlights was the “Una Europa Talk: Building Resilience through One Health”, a public event bringing together experts from Una Europa members and other key stakeholders to foster a meaningful dialogue. Panelists explored the essential ingredients of successful One Health projects and discussed challenges and solutions related to interdisciplinary and cross-institutional research. They also discussed how scientists could work together with policymakers and other stakeholders to turn scientific findings into policy.
Regarding transdisciplinary collaboration, which is focused on working together across sectors and partners, Elisabeth Stark, VP Research and Member of the Una Europa Board of Directors, proposed that “one of the key challenges is still fragmentation”. Academic institutions were still emphasizing credit points, budgets, or institutes, but: “that does not help”. In order for One Health to be resilient, it was furthermore important to speak with one voice: “As we are now a complete alliance, having one voice means we are being much better heard”, said Bruno Gonzalez Zorn, Head of the Antimicrobial Resistance Unit of the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, bringing in his personal experience as Head of the Self-Steering Committee on One Health.
Anne Nuria Boekhout
