On Friday, December 6, the Mayors Day event in Brussels brought together universities, cities and regions to address the opportunities that the Civis Alliance provides for local communities. At the event, which was held on the Usquare Interuniversity Campus, Sapienza Rector Eugenio Gaudio – as President of the Network – and Yvon Englert, Rector of the Free University of Brussels, inaugurated the Civis Office. Themis Christophidou, EU Commission Director General for Education, Youth, Sports and Culture was also present at the event. 

In the afternoon, the European Committee of the Regions hosted a roundtable for all the Rectors and Presidents of the Civis Alliance, along with the local and regional authorities, to debate the issue of university integration on the pan-European level. In particular, the focus turned to the contribution that universities in the network can provide for local economic development and the reinforcement of relations with local authorities and citizens to promote a greater cultural and social collaboration.