Navigating Diplomacy and Strategy: Tallinn University Hosted the 30th UNICA IRO Meeting
From December 10 to 12 Tallinn University had the honour of welcoming International Relations Officers (IROs) from universities across Europe for the 30th annual UNICA IRO Meeting. The theme of the meeting was “Strategic Internationalisation: Navigating Diplomacy, Partnerships, and Intercultural Competence in a Changing World” and it attracted participants from 17 different countries.
A core takeaway from the meeting was the recognition that the role of an IRO has fundamentally shifted. The IROs are no longer just "mobility managers" focused on credit transfers, but have become strategic diplomatic actors. This evolution is crucial for institutional growth and global reputation in an era of increasing geopolitical complexity. During the sessions, we explored how universities can leverage high-level partnerships, not just for exchange, but to bridge institutional priorities with broader national and regional goals. For Tallinn University, this is a central pillar of our internationalisation plan, particularly as we look toward wider global regions like Sub-Saharan Africa where we cooperate closely with the Estonian government as well as EU institutions as part of a broader “Team Europe” initiative.
The two-day meeting also included a training on intercultural communication by Tallinn University Baltic Film, Media and Arts’ School’s Professor Anastassia Zabrodskaja. The session focused on intercultural communication and inclusivity in professional settings.
UNICA is an institutional network of universities from European capital cities. It was founded in 1990, and it is currently made up of 56 universities from 41 European capitals, combining over 180.000 university staff and 2.000,000 students. Tallinn University has been its member since 2006.