24 new European Universities reinforce the European Education Area

European Universities are “a key building block for the European Education Area”.

 

The European Universities are transnational alliances of higher education institutions from across the European Union (EU) that come together to equip their students, staff and researchers with the skills they need to navigate the twin green and digital transition of our society.

What is the European Universities Initiative?

The education landscape across Europe is changing. At the 2017 Gothenburg Summit, EU leaders outlined a vision for education and culture. In its December 2017 Conclusions, the European Council called on Member States, the Council and the Commission to take forward a number of initiatives.

Co-developed by higher education institutions, student organisations, Member States and the Commission, the European Universities Initiative responds to this call. Today, it is one of the flagship initiatives of the EU’s ambitions to build a European Education Area.

New alliances

Selected from 62 applications, the 24 new European Universities alliances involve 165 higher education institutions from 26 EU Member States and other countries participating in the Erasmus+ programme.

Commissioner Gabriel expressed her enthusiasm with the results:

I am very pleased to see that a diverse range of higher education institutions from all Member States and beyond are now involved in the 41 European Universities. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that deeper cooperation across borders, disciplines and cultures is the only way to recover from the crisis and to build resilience

European Education Area

These newly-selected alliances will join the first 17 European Universities announced in 2019 to work towards the European Education Area by enhancing the quality, inclusiveness, digitalisation and attractiveness of European higher education with financial support from the Erasmus+ and Horizon 2020 programmes.

With 41 European Universities, involving more than 280 institutions from all parts of Europe supported by €287 million from the EU budget, the European Education Area is becoming an ever-tangible reality for many.

By working closer together, the European Universities are able to leverage their strengths and help to empower their students to tackle together the current challenges that Europe and the world are facing.

More information

Education and Training – European Commission