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Europe supports universities without borders

November 2018

Europe supports universities without borders

In a new call for proposals, the European Commission is allocating €30 million to the European universities project: a major step towards higher education without borders.

The objective is clear: cooperation between universities should know no borders. The “European universities” initiative, supported by the European Commission, is in line with this aim. Through a call for proposals under the Erasmus+ programme, it is allocating a budget of €30 million to this new type of cooperation.

Thus, six alliances of European universities, each bringing together at least three higher education institutions from three different countries, will be supported by a pilot programme from 2019. Candidates must submit their applications by 28 February for this first phase. There is expected to be a second pilot phase the following year, with the aim of creating around 20 European universities by 2024.

The European universities initiative was approved by EU leaders at the social summit in Gothenburg in November 2017, and represents a step towards the creation of a European education area by 2025.

Eucor - a European cross-border campus

The universities in the Upper Rhine (Basel, Fribourg-en-Brisgau, Haute-Alsace, Karlsruhe and Strasbourg) are with "Eucor" constructing an academic space without walls or borders. With over 115,000 students, this campus offers 10 or so joint courses leading to double or triple degrees. All of the students are able to take the courses of their choice across the five institutions without having to duplicate administrative procedures or pay additional fees. Moreover, the 15,000 lecturers-researchers on the campus collaborate on very varied cross-border projects. This campus may serve as an example for other borders. More info

Report on the cross-border activities of French universities

Universities in France are involved in many programmes and activities that extend beyond the country’s borders. The General Inspectorate of the Administration, National Education and Research (IGAENR) has drafted a report – as yet unpublished – that describes these activities, as well as the aims of, obstacles to and levers for cross-border university cooperation.
The contents of the report are available (in French) on the MOT’s website: click here


Photo: University of Fribourg-en-Brisgau, partner in the European campus Eucor
Copyright: Sandra Meyndt

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