The National Erasmus+ Agency and FLAD hosted the 3rd Transatlantic High-Level Roundtable in Lisbon.

On June 20, 2025, the National Erasmus+ Education and Training Agency and the Luso-American Development Foundation (FLAD) jointly hosted the 3rd edition of the Transatlantic High-Level Roundtable, held at the FLAD auditorium in Lisbon. The initiative was organized by the Academic Cooperation Association (ACA), in partnership with the DAAD – German Academic Exchange Service and the Institute of International Education (IIE).

Under the theme “Strengthening Transatlantic Bonds through Cooperation in Higher Education”, the event brought together representatives from national internationalization agencies, higher education institutions from Europe and the United States, government entities, and strategic networks such as EAIE and AIEA.

A milestone moment for transatlantic cooperation

In a context of growing global challenges, this high-level roundtable aimed to deepen collaboration between Europe and the United States in academic mobility, scientific research, and interpersonal exchange—reinforcing higher education as a key driver for strengthening transatlantic relations.

The opening session featured remarks from:

• Cristina Perdigão, Director of the National Erasmus+ Education and Training Agency
• Michael Hörig, Director of the DAAD Brussels Office
• Kari Kuja, Senior Director for European Affairs at IIE

The keynote speech was delivered by Paulo Zagalo-Melo, President of the Association of International Education Administrators (AIEA), who addressed the challenges and opportunities for more collaborative and strategic global academic leadership.

Programme highlights

The agenda included several moments of reflection and debate, notably:

• A special session, “The Ties that Bind: 40 Years of Trans-Atlantic Ties between Portugal and the USA”, presented by Michael Baum, Board Member at FLAD and professor at the Portuguese Catholic University
• Presentation of the preliminary results of the report “Transatlantic Mobility in Higher Education and Research: A Cornerstone of Transatlantic Relations”, led by Leah Mason (IIE) and Christian Strowa (DAAD North America)
• A roundtable dedicated to the role of national agencies and international networks in promoting a more cohesive and resilient transatlantic agenda
• Interactive sessions encouraging dialogue and the sharing of best practices among participants

Lisbon as a stage for strategic cooperation

The choice of Lisbon to host this year’s Transatlantic High-Level Roundtable underscored Portugal’s active role as a meeting point and platform for dialogue between continents—at a time when strengthening international cooperation in higher education is more crucial than ever. The co-organization by the National Erasmus+ Agency and FLAD highlighted Portugal’s capacity to deliver events of political and academic significance on a global scale.