Four New Alliances Join European Universities Initiative

European Commission selects four new cross border European university alliances.

The European Commission has announced that following the 2022 European Universities call, 16 existing European Universities will continue to receive support, and four new alliances will be able to start their cooperation.

The new alliances are:

  • European Dual Studies University (EU4DUAL)
  • European University alliance for sustainability: responsible GRowth, inclusive Education and ENvironment (EU GREEN)
  • INGENIUM – European University
  • The Green European University (UNIgreen)

European Universities are alliances of higher education institutions from across Europe that cooperate on education, research and innovation for the benefit of students, educators and society. Over time, European Universities alliances will connect more and more faculties, departments, staff and students, offering more innovative pedagogies based on challenge-based and transdisciplinary approaches, implementing more joint programmes, being even more inclusive and engaging more with their communities.

Together with the 24 alliances selected in 2020, a total of 44 European Universities now involve 340 higher education institutions in capital cities and remote regions of 31 countries, including all EU Member States and Iceland, Norway, Serbia, and Turkey.

Each alliance receives a budget of up to €14.4 million from the Erasmus+ programme for four years. This represents an increase compared to the maximum of €5 million for three years under previous Erasmus+ calls. The Commission is scheduled to launch the next Erasmus+ call for proposals later this year, offering funding for existing alliances and to create new ones.

Vice-President Margaritis Schinas said: “If you look at Europe’s higher education institutions individually, you will see that each one of them is a centre of knowledge and innovation in its own right. By linking them and creating transnational alliances, we allow them to become European Champions of knowledge; to grow even further through cooperation on education, research and innovation. I am convinced that together, the European Universities will bring higher education in Europe to a new level. I warmly congratulate all successful applicants.”

Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth said: “Today brings us closer to achieving our vision for the higher education sector in Europe: campuses that span between universities and cross borders and disciplines, where students, staff and researchers from all parts of Europe can enjoy seamless mobility, and create new knowledge together. I am proud that we are able to provide higher and more long-term funding for the alliances with the Erasmus+ programme, and also that we have ensured an inclusive approach, giving opportunities to higher education institutions to join existing alliances or to form new ones.”

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