University of Primorska at the NEB Festival in Brussels
On Tuesday, 9 June 2026, the New European Bauhaus (NEB) Festival opened in Brussels. The opening ceremony was attended by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the President of the European Council, António Costa, who visited a selection of exhibition stands. Among their first stops was the stand of the New European Bauhaus Academy (NEBA Alliance) project, where they met with Dr. Andreja Kutnar, the project coordinator and head of the UP IAM InnoRenew CoE department.
During the visit, they discussed the progress of the project, which is led by the University of Primorska, and presented its vision for developing the knowledge and skills needed to support the transition envisioned by the New European Bauhaus, particularly with regard to the future of the built environment. At the festival, the project is being highlighted as an important contributor to strengthening competencies aligned with the goals of the New European Bauhaus initiative.
The University of Primorska is also represented at the festival through the WoodStock project. Its exhibition stand was visited by Ekaterina Zaharieva, the European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation. During her visit, she also viewed the WoodStock rulers, which were made from wood sourced from the Servite Monastery, a historic building currently being renovated by the University of Primorska.
The NEB Festival brings together a wide range of innovative initiatives that help shape a sustainable and inclusive future for Europe. It showcases projects that combine design, sustainability, and new approaches to the built environment. The festival offers a rich program and serves as a unique platform for networking, building new partnerships, and exchanging best practices. The University of Primorska is participating in the NEB Festival with several projects; in addition to NEBA Alliance and WoodStock, Life BE-Wooden, BIOARCH, and other initiatives were also presented.
Photo: European Commission