From February 19–21, 2025, researchers and sustainability professionals from Una Europa partner universities gathered at Freie Universität Berlin for the Una Europa Biodiversity Workshop. The event fostered discussions on biodiversity strategies, monitoring activities, and collaborative outreach projects, strengthening cross-institutional cooperation in sustainability efforts.

Representatives from the following Una Europa institutions took part (highlighted):

• Freie Universität Berlin
• Università di Bologna
• University College Dublin
• University of Edinburgh
• Helsingin Yliopisto
• Universiteit Leiden
• Uniwersytet Jagielloński w Krakowie
• KU Leuven
• Universidad Complutense de Madrid
• Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne
• Universität Zürich

The workshop brought together nine international researchers alongside several FU-based researchers, fostering an interdisciplinary exchange of ideas. Two sessions were facilitated online, thus even more representatives could take part.

The workshop in Berlin combined interactive sessions, knowledge-sharing formats, and field visits, including, an excursion to the Botanical Garden, offering insights into biodiversity conservation, and a campus tour, showcasing FU Berlin’s sustainability research initiatives.

The Workshop led to the development of key initiatives aimed at strengthening biodiversity strategies across partner institutions. One major outcome was the establishment of the "Una Biodiversity" working body, which will create a shared identity through a logo competition.

The workshop also initiated small-scale biodiversity monitoring across partner universities, focusing on butterflies and plants as ecological indicators. These efforts will contribute to a more systematic approach to biodiversity observation within the Una Europa network.

Additionally, participants laid the groundwork for a joint publication that will outline a conceptual framework for biodiversity strategies, with potential funding support from the Una Europa Seed Funding (see here).

As part of a broader outreach effort, the workshop launched a collective tree-planting initiative, in which all partner institutions will plant trees simultaneously in October to raise awareness and promote environmental engagement.

These outcomes mark significant steps toward long-term collaboration, integrating biodiversity into institutional practices and fostering joint action across the alliance.