European Commission Launches Fourth Erasmus+ European Universities Call

Funding to support alliances of higher education institutions to achieve their vision of becoming a fully fledged European University.

The 2023 Erasmus+ European Universities call aims to build on the success of the previous calls launched in 2019, 2020 and 2022. These currently support 44 alliances gathering 340 higher education institutions from all over Europe. It aims to bring the initiative closer to the objective set in the European strategy for universities, to support 60 alliances by mid-2024, gathering over 500 higher education institutions across Europe.

The scope of the 2023 call is to support alliances of higher education institutions in gradually achieving their long-term ambitious vision towards becoming a fully fledged European University. The call has a total estimated budget of €384 million and is structured around two topics:

  • Topic 1: Intensification of Prior Deep Institutional Transnational Cooperation (Budget: €345.6 million)
  • Topic 2: Development of New Deep Institutional Transnational Cooperation (Budget: €38.4 million)

Applicants (potential beneficiaries and their affiliated entities if any) must be:

  • Higher education institutions holding a valid Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE) and entities affiliated to them, including:
    • Higher education institutions already involved in deep institutional transnational cooperation, such as those being part of European Universities selected under the 2020 Erasmus+ call. They can be joined on a voluntary basis by other higher education institutions – holding a valid Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE) and entities affiliated to them – wishing to participate in such existing alliances.
    • Higher education institutions wishing to establish new deep institutional transnational cooperation in a new alliance.
  • Any other organisation consisting of the above referred higher education institutions – specifically set up with the purpose of implementing deep institutional transnational cooperation, including joint educational activities.

The 2023 call is scheduled to open on 4 October 2022 and is open until 31 January 2023 (17:00 CET).

The Commission is holding an open information session on 15 November 2022 for potential applicants to ask questions on the 2023 call.

(This report was the subject of a RESEARCHconnect Newsflash.)