On July 2, 2026, the EULiST Festival took place in the historic Königlicher Pferdestall in Hanover, bringing together students, staff, and partners of the EULiST alliance. Organized by Leibniz Universität Hannover, the event focused on diversity in STEM and sustainability, offering a series of expert lectures, panel discussions, workshops, and opportunities for international networking.
The Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava was represented by students Yelizaveta Siomchanka (FEI STU), Jana Vozarová (Institute of Management, STU), and Ian Spika (Faculty of Civil Engineering, STU).
A highlight of the program was a presentation by Petra Kotuliaková, founder of the “Aj Ty v IT” initiative, who delivered a keynote address titled “Technology Has No Gender: Aj Ty v IT’s Mission to Empower Women in Tech.” In her talk, she focused on supporting women in technology fields and the importance of creating an inclusive environment. She also participated in the panel discussion “Celebrating Diversity and Women’s Impact in STEM, Start-ups, and Sustainability” and led the workshop “Supporting Diversity in STEM: The Role of Male Allies”, which focused on the role of male allies in promoting diversity.
„I was very pleased to see how much interest the participants had in the topic of male allies in promoting diversity. I believe that they took away from the workshop not only new insights but also the motivation to apply these principles in their academic or professional environments,“ said Petra Kotuliaková.
In the area of sustainability, STU was represented by Terézia Hubáčková, the Erasmus+ ICM coordinator at STU, who presented the EULiST Student Sustainability Initiatives. The afternoon program also provided a platform for students from six partner universities to present their sustainability-focused projects through short presentations and a poster session.
„I particularly appreciate the active involvement of students from partner universities and the fact that the festival created a space for joint discussion among both students and faculty,“ said Terézia Hubáčková.
The EULiST Festival reaffirmed the importance of international cooperation in finding solutions to current societal challenges. The participation of STU students and staff contributed to the exchange of experiences among partner universities and, at the same time, strengthened STU’s active role in advancing the themes of diversity, inclusion, and sustainability within the EULiST alliance.
