What books bring us together? European book club U!READ launches on October 29

The U!REKA community is launching U!READ, the book club of our European university alliance, with a session dedicated to the values that guide our work: inclusion, co-creation and boldness.

The first meeting will take place online on Thursday, October 29, at 5 p.m. (Lisbon time) – see also on U!REKA’s events page.

For this moment, participants are invited to bring a book they associate with one of those three values.

The choice is entirely open: it can be a book about that value, a book that has shaped an experience related to it, or one that, in some way, prompts reflection on its meaning.

During the session, each participant will have the opportunity to introduce their chosen book and share how they connect it to the idea that inspired their choice.

U!READ first session
October 29, 5 p.m.-6 p.m. (Lisbon time)
Link to the session here
Theme: “Bring a book! Inspired by U!REKA values”

U!READ aims to create a space for cultural exchange, expanding perspectives and reflecting on and appreciating the unique ways in which each person connects with books and makes sense of the world.

The session is open to the entire U!REKA community, lasts one hour and will be conducted primarily in English.

Join us to discover new books and perspectives while connecting with fellow readers from across Europe.

U!READ: Building community through shared reading

U!READ is a collaborative initiative that offers monthly online shared-reading sessions for the U!REKA community. Through books, it seeks to give voice to participants’ experiences and foster intercultural dialogue.

Each session focuses on a book or a theme, providing a space for exchanging experiences and ideas from an interdisciplinary perspective.

The initiative aims to develop critical reading skills; encourage reflection and debate on contemporary issues; strengthen the sense of belonging to the U!REKA community; foster inclusive environments for intercultural dialogue; and create regular opportunities for informal interaction among participants.

The sessions last one hour and take place monthly, on the last Thursday of each month. Organisation rotates among the Alliance’s partners.

The project was initially proposed by UPL (ESCS, ESELx and ESSL) and embraced by U!REKA partners during a workshop held as part of U!REKA Connects 2026.