Central Office
The EUTOPIA Central Office is the management home of the core central secretariat of the alliance. The main responsibilities of the Central Office Secretariat include:
- coordinating governance processes, providing support and policy advice to the alliance, through the Board of Directors,
- overseeing the progress of the alliance's activities, working closely with Institutional Coordinators, ensuring synergies between projects and initiatives,
- monitoring European developments in Education and Research policy, providing policy expertise and advice to the alliance,
- engaging with stakeholders and policymakers at European level, promoting EUTOPIA's vision, strategy, and policies.
The Central Office Secretariat works closely with the Impact and Dissemination Unit based at CY Cergy Paris University.
Members of the Central Office Secretariat:
Mattia Bellotti
Secretary-General
Mattia holds Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Politecnico di Milano, Italy, and a PhD from KU Leuven, Belgium. Mattia began his career as a researcher at KU Leuven, conducting research in the field of Manufacturing Processes and Digital Technologies. He later joined EIT Digital, one of the Knowledge and Innovation Communities of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). At EIT Digital, Mattia coordinated the operations of the EIT Digital Entrepreneurial Academy and its participation in EU projects, and contributed to several pan-European higher education programmes, such as the HEI Initiative, EIT Digital Doctoral School and EIT Digital Master School. Mattia leads the EUTOPIA Central Office, coordinating the implementation of the strategy of the alliance, delivering on governance processes and promoting EUTOPIA's vision.
Maëlle Gibbons-Patourel
Interim Deputy Secretary-General
Ilenia Sutto
Office, Events, and Partnerships Coordinator
Ilenia holds a Master’s Degree in Languages and Economic and Legal Institutions of Asia and Mediterranean Africa from Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. Ilenia's expertise lies in planning and coordination, developing partnerships, and managing Erasmus+ projects. Before joining the EUTOPIA Central Office, Ilenia has worked as the International Relations and Partnerships Coordinator at the International University of Rabat, Morocco. As Office, Events, and Partnerships Coordinator, Ilenia coordinates the events and activities organised at the EUTOPIA Central Office in Brussels and supports the Secretary-General in coordinating the strategic partnerships of the Alliance, in particular global partnerships with higher education institutions outside of Europe.
Iris Kimizoglu
Policy Officer
Barbara Misuriello
Finance and Operations Officer
Barbara holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistic Mediation and a Master’s Degree in Foreign Languages for International Communication from the University of Turin. Her academic background is complemented by professional experience in operational coordination and administrative support in international working environments. Before joining the EUTOPIA Central Office, Barbara worked in Barcelona, supporting operational processes and internal coordination in a fast-paced international environment. As Finance and Operations Officer at the EUTOPIA Central Office, Barbara supports the financial and operational management of the office, including expense monitoring, administrative coordination, and liaison with external service providers. She also collaborates closely with the Business Intelligence Unit to facilitate data collection and analysis across the alliance.
Currently on maternity leave:
Melinda Szabó
Deputy Secretary-General
Melinda has previously served as Deputy Director at EQAR (The European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education) and as a consultant for several international organisations. Her career encompasses roles at the European Parliament and the European Students’ Union. Earlier, Melinda worked for the Bologna Follow-Up Group Secretariat under the aegis of the Romanian Ministry of Education. She holds a master’s in Educational Management from Babeș-Bolyai University, Romania. Melinda advises and supports the Secretary-General in harmonising the alliance’s multiple projects and contributing to ensuring connections, synergies and coherence of initiatives across projects.
