Ahead of the formal launch of UNIDICE – Unity, Diversity and Identity in Central Europe, colleagues from the Hungarian, Czech and Polish partner teams came together for two online preparatory meetings to establish the academic and organisational foundations of the new cooperation.
The meetings built directly on the experience of the previous RECALL project, which had already created a strong network of cooperation between colleagues and students from the participating Central European institutions. The preparatory discussions provided an opportunity to reflect on this shared experience and to consider how its working methods, international perspective and established professional relationships could be developed further within UNIDICE.
From RECALL to UNIDICE
The first online preparatory meeting, held on 2nd April 2026, served as an initial working consultation between representatives of the Hungarian, Czech and Polish teams.
Participants discussed the basic framework of the new project, its main objectives and the practical steps required for its successful launch. Particular attention was devoted to the intellectual and organisational continuity between RECALL and UNIDICE and to the ways in which the existing cooperation could provide a strong basis for the new initiative.
The meeting also offered a first opportunity to discuss the preliminary distribution of responsibilities and to identify areas requiring close coordination from the beginning of the project. Regular communication, clearly defined responsibilities and a shared understanding of the conceptual foundations of UNIDICE emerged as key principles for the cooperation ahead.
Participants:
Péter Kovács (Hungary)
István Kovács (Hungary)
Jiří Němec (Czechia)
Jakub Węglorz (Poland)
Preparing the Budapest Kick-off
The second online preparatory meeting, held on 7th April 2026, expanded the discussion to a wider group of colleagues and focused primarily on preparations for the first in-person UNIDICE meeting in Budapest.
The participants discussed the proposed structure and agenda of the Budapest kick-off, the principal questions to be addressed there and the preparatory work required from the participating institutions. Particular emphasis was placed on ensuring that all partner teams would arrive at the meeting with a common understanding of the project's objectives, work packages and expected contributions.
The partners also discussed the value of bilateral and smaller-group consultations preceding the Budapest meeting. These preparatory exchanges were intended to clarify individual responsibilities and allow more detailed academic and organisational questions to be developed before the entire consortium met in person.
Communication and dissemination formed another important part of the discussion. Participants began to consider how the UNIDICE website and communication platforms should present the project's aims, partners, activities and academic outputs to both specialist and wider audiences.
Participants:
Péter Kovács (Hungary)
Dániel Bagi (Hungary)
Bálint Mezei (Hungary)
Andor Mészáros (Hungary)
Jiří Němec (Czechia)
Jakub Węglorz (Poland)
Jakub Tyszkiewicz (Poland)
Establishing a Shared Framework
Together, the two preparatory meetings marked an important transition from the successful cooperation developed during RECALL towards the broader academic and educational ambitions of UNIDICE.
They helped establish the project's initial operational framework, strengthened communication between the partner teams and prepared the ground for the Budapest kick-off meeting. Most importantly, the discussions confirmed a shared commitment to developing UNIDICE as a genuinely collaborative Central European initiative in which academic research, international dialogue, education and student participation are closely connected.
The meetings were therefore not only practical preparations for the formal launch of the project, but also the first steps in shaping the common intellectual and organisational framework that will guide UNIDICE throughout the coming years.