Circle of Excellence
Success factors and strategies of excellent Universities from US, EU, and CN
from left to right in front of the "Circle of Excellence" Logo: UNESCO Chair Michael Shamiyeh, J. Haindl-Grutsch, E. Manhal, T. Gegenhuber, M. Amatullo, L. Yongqi, G. Silberhumer
What makes a university an international pioneer?
At the Circle of Excellence 2025, presidents and leaders of top world-class universities from the USA, Europe and China met in Linz to discuss new perspectives for excellence in academic education together with (Upper) Austrian representatives from science, business and politics.
Organized by UNESCO Chair Michael Shamiyeh, the focus was on the international positioning of Upper Austria as an innovative university location. Thought leaders, Mariana Amatullo (National Dean of Architecture, Art and Design at Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico), Lou Yonqi (President of the Shanghai University of Engineering Science, China), and Yrjö Sotamaa (Grounding father of the Aalto University, Finland) shared their valuable expertise.
The event was powered by the Government of Upper Austria, the Upper Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, the Federation of Upper Austrian Industry, and the City of Linz.
To thrive in today's volatile and interconnected world, designers must embrace lifelong learning and develop the capacity to adapt to unforeseen opportunities and challenges.
As a result, our educational institutions must evolve beyond merely teaching craft skills and disciplinary knowledge. They must transform into porous, dynamic ecosystems that foster cross-sector and global collaboration. These environments should cultivate curiosity, resilience, and critical thinking—while grounding students in ethical responsibility—so they are prepared to navigate and shape an ever-changing world.
Mariana Amatullo
National Dean of Architecture, Art and Design at Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico
Aalto University was created to have an positive impact on the future success of Finland. It fosters radical creativity and entrepreneurial mindset in search of the solutions which will shape a sustainable future for all.
Acknowledging that we are in the middle of holistic systemic geopolitical, societal, economic and technological transition, our fundamental values and ways of working are responsibility, courage, and collaboration. Universities have an increasingly essential role in creating a vision of the future.
Yrjö Sotamaa
Founding father & Prof. em. of Aalto University, Finland
1st President of Cumulus Association
International dialog is the key to innovation. The combination of design, technology and social responsibility is essential to enable innovation with impact - both locally and globally. Problem-based learning is a central lever here: it promotes independent thinking, interdisciplinary collaboration and real solutions. Universities should be actively involved in social change processes and shape the future, not just react to it.
Lou Yongqi
President at Shanghai University of Engineering Science, PR China
