Professional Knowledge and Creativity: The University of Sopron at Forest Europe ELM in Stockholm

Forest Europe is a pan-European, voluntary, high-level policy process for forests. Since 1990, its aim has been to develop common strategies for its 45 signatories (44 European countries and the European Union) regarding the protection and sustainable management of forests. For the 2025-2026 period, the international secretariat, the Liaison Unit, operates in Sweden. The Stockholm Expert Level Meeting, with the participation of member countries and observers, is a crucial event in the European cooperation process, aiming to ensure the long-term functioning of Forest Europe. The meeting focused on the release of the State of Europe’s Forest 2025 report, which has been detailing the condition of European forests for several decades. Participants coordinated the steps needed to prepare for the 2026 Ministerial Conference.

The University of Sopron contributed to the meeting not only as a professional but also as a creative partner: at the request of the Forest Europe Swedish communication team, a three-person staff from the institution's media studio (Ruben Ladányi, Vanessa Nagy, and Alex Crutchfield) produced the event's motion picture and photographic materials. The short films and interviews will accompany the work of the European professional forestry community throughout the autumn, thus placing the name of the University of Sopron on the continent's most important professional forestry platform.

Veronica Albert, the Head of Communications for the Swedish organizers, said she wants the forthcoming report to "come alive" through the short films and the introductions of experts from various countries. She summarized the goal of the short films as: "easy, important and impactful." The films aim to convey messages that are easily understandable, yet important, and that leave a mark on the audience.

This cooperation clearly demonstrates that the University of Sopron is actively present on multiple fronts in international forestry collaborations. Prof. Dr. Bálint Heil, the head of the Faculty of Forestry, has been leading the Silva Network since spring 2025. The network brings together more than 60 European universities and strives to develop the quality of higher education and support sustainable forest management.

Students from the University of Sopron are active members of the IFSA (International Forestry Students’ Association), an international organization that provides future foresters with opportunities for networking, gaining experience, and becoming involved in international policy processes. Sopron will host the next IFSA meeting in 2026, which is further proof of the city and the University of Sopron's central role in international forestry.

The participation in Stockholm and the creative collaboration represent a new step in the University of Sopron's journey to become an internationally active player in forestry higher education, sustainable forest management, and professional communication.