NUSCT appoints third president at Rectors’ Annual Meeting

Rector Matias Waller- Åland University of Applied Sciences

At the 8th Rectors’ Annual Meeting of the Network of Universities of Small Countries and Territories (NUSCT), hosted by the University of Montenegro in Podgorica, Montenegro, on 8th of May 2026, members unanimously elected Matias Waller, rector of the Åland University of Applied Sciences, as the third president of NUSCT for a statutory three-year term.

Rector Matias Waller takes over from the outgoing president, Áslaug Ásgeirsdóttir, rector of the University of Akureyri, who served as the second president of the network following the May 2023 election.

During the presidency of the University of Akureyri, both rector Eyjólfur Guðmundsson and rector Áslaug Ásgeirsdóttir oversaw the continued development of the network, strengthening collaboration among member institutions and advancing NUSCT’s mission to promote cooperation between universities in small states and territories.

With the appointment of the new president, the NUSCT Secretariat will transfer from the University of Akureyri to Åland University of Applied Sciences. The Secretariat will be managed by Carina Söderlund, who will coordinate the network’s activities and support its strategic objectives.

The transition marks a new chapter in the development of the NUSCT network, as it continues to expand its global engagement and reinforce partnerships among its members.

New Rector Appointed at the University of Malta

The Network of Universities of Small Countries and Territories (NUSCT) extends its congratulations to one of its member institutions, the University of Malta, on the appointment of its new Rector.

At an extraordinary meeting of the University Council held on 26 March 2026, Professor Frank Bezzina was unanimously elected as the 82nd Rector of the University of Malta. [um.edu.mt]

Professor Bezzina will officially assume office on 1 July 2026, succeeding Professor Alfred J. Vella, who has served in the role since 2016. [um.edu.mt]

In his address to the Council, Professor Bezzina outlined a vision for the University as a strategic national institution that actively contributes to shaping Malta’s future. His priorities include strengthening research and teaching quality, fostering innovation, and enhancing collaboration with communities, industry, and public and private stakeholders. [um.edu.mt]

The Network looks forward to continued cooperation with the University of Malta under Professor Bezzina’s leadership and to further advancing collaboration among universities in small countries and territories.

The 8th NUSCT Rectors’ Annual Meeting hosted in Montenegro

The Network of Universities of Small Countries and Territories (NUSCT) held its 8th Rectors’ Annual Meeting on 8 May 2026 at the University of Montenegro, bringing together rectors and senior representatives from member universities across Europe and beyond.

Hosted by the University of Montenegro, the meeting provided a strategic forum for university leaders from small higher education systems to reflect on shared challenges, exchange best practices, and define common priorities for the future development of NUSCT. The meeting was formally opened by Prof. Vladimir Božović, PhD, Rector of the University of Montenegro, who emphasized the importance of international academic cooperation for universities operating in small countries and territories. Welcome remarks were also delivered by Prof. Savo Marković, PhD, Rector of the University “Mediterranean” Podgorica.

In her address, NUSCT President Áslaug Ásgeirsdóttir, Rector of the University of Akureyri, highlighted the continued relevance of NUSCT as a trusted platform for dialogue and collaboration. She underlined the network’s successes in student and staff mobility, institutional cooperation, and joint initiatives, while stressing the need to further strengthen collaboration in research, innovation, and policy development.

Key themes and outcomes

During the meeting, rectors engaged in in-depth discussions on a range of strategic issues of common concern, including:

• University governance, autonomy, and funding, particularly in small states where higher education institutions are often strongly influenced by political and economic frameworks.

• Teaching and learning innovation, with a focus on English-taught programmes, virtual and blended mobility, shared online courses, and the development of micro-credentials to address demographic change and evolving student needs.

• Research cooperation and capacity building, including plans to establish a NUSCT working group on joint research, postdoctoral and visiting scholar schemes, and enhanced cooperation in doctoral education.

• Artificial intelligence, digital systems, and cybersecurity, recognizing both the opportunities and challenges posed by AI in higher education and the importance of aligning institutional policies with the NUSCT Policy on Higher Education and Artificial Intelligence.

• Visibility and outreach, including coordinated communication, shared data on mobility and funding, and joint press releases to strengthen the collective voice of NUSCT members.

The rectors reaffirmed the strategic importance of NUSCT as a network that enables universities in small countries and territories to cooperate rather than compete, to increase their international visibility, and to jointly address structural challenges that individual institutions cannot tackle alone.

Future activities

The meeting also reviewed the success of the first NUSCT academic conference, held in the Faroe Islands, and expressed strong support for continuing the conference tradition. Rectors endorsed plans for a co-organised NUSCT conference in 2027, to be hosted jointly by the University of Andorra and the Åland Islands University of Applied Sciences, with an interdisciplinary focus and openness to external partners.

It was further confirmed that the 9th NUSCT Rectors’ Annual Meeting will be hosted by the Åland Islands University of Applied Sciences in May 2027.

Role of the host

NUSCT extends its sincere thanks to the University of Montenegro for hosting the 8th Rectors’ Annual Meeting and for its commitment to fostering dialogue and cooperation among universities from small countries and territories. The meeting in Podgorica underscored the host institution’s active role in international academic engagement and regional development.

Rectors and representatives of NUSCT members. In the front to the left is Matias Waller, the rector of Åland Island University of Applied Sciences and the new NUSCT president, shaking hands with the past president of NUSCT and rector of the University of Akureyri, Áslaug Ásgeirsdóttir