Course description

Recognition & Reward Webinar Series

The Young Universities for the Future of Europe (YUFE) is a dynamic European University Alliance with the mission of becoming a successful, socially responsible European university. It brings together 10 academic institutions from across Europe.

Leadership is increasingly recognised as a key factor in institutional performance, with recognition and rewards serving as an important mechanism to support and strengthen successful university operations. Within the YUFE cooperation, we are working together to discuss and further develop recognition and reward systems for both academic and professional service staff. To share insights and foster discussion, we are launching a series of four webinars dedicated to this important topic. 

1. Open, Transparent and Merit-based Recruitment – from Policy to Practice (24 October 2025, 9:00–10:30 CET)
2. Recognizing and Rewarding Societal Engagement and Impact (21 November 2025, 10:00–11:30 CET)
3. Universities’ Career Models for Recognition and Rewards (12 December 2025, 9:00–11:00 CET)
4. Work Well-Being in Academia (23 January 2026, 10:00–12:00 CET)

The experienced speakers, drawn primarily from YUFE institutions, will share their expertise by highlighting best practices and effective approaches from their own universities.

Webinar no 4: Work Well-Being in Academia (23 January 2026, 10:00–12:00 CET)

Join us for Work Well-Being in Academia, a YUFE Recognition and Rewards webinar exploring how universities foster supportive and healthy work environments. Presentations will cover building psychologically safe university cultures, initiatives to support staff well-being in response to incidents of hate speech, and how European university alliances are supporting early-career researchers. The webinar offers insights into initiatives that aim to promote staff well-being and inclusive academic workplaces.

Speakers:

1. Jouni Kekäle: Introduction
2. Karla Tersago, the University of Antwerp: European University Alliances Supporting Early-Career Researchers: the Case of YUFE
3. Tuija Saresma, the University of Eastern Finland: Supporting Staff Well-Being: The Case of Hate Speech
4. Ritta Husted, the University of Essex: Building Psychologically Safe University Cultures

Registered participants will receive the link to the webinar one day before the webinar via e-mail.

Admission criteria

There are no admission critertia. This webinar might be especially interesting for university staff in HR positions, leadership roles, and those involved in evaluation processes.

Intended learning outcomes

• Identify common challenges to well-being in academia and strategies to address them effectively.
• Explore institutional approaches and initiatives that promote healthy, supportive, and sustainable working environments.

Apply here!