50 European Universities to cooperate across borders and disciplines
30 European Universities alliances have been selected under the 2023 Erasmus+ call further supporting the rollout of the European Universities initiative.
Together with the 20 alliances selected in 2022, we now have a total of 50 European Universities alliances, involving more than 430 higher education institutions. This means we are on track to reach the goal of the European strategy for universities to expand to 60 European Universities with more than 500 higher education institutions by mid-2024.
The new alliances
On 30 September 2022, the European Commission opened a new Erasmus+ European Universities call to further support the implementation of the European Universities initiative.
Today, the Commission announced the successful applicants to this call.
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With a record budget of €402.2 million under the 2021-2027 Erasmus+ programme, existing European Universities alliances will continue to receive support to consolidate and expand their cooperation with more than 50 additional higher education institutions. In addition, several new alliances will be able to start their cooperation.
The €402.2 million includes €3.2 million from the Instrument for Pre-Accession (IPA III) to further support the participation as full partners of higher education institutions from the Western Balkans countries not associated to the Erasmus+ programme.
About the alliances
Higher education institutions in the 50 alliances are spread across European capital cities and remote regions in 35 countries, including all European Union (EU) Member States, as well as Iceland, the Republic of North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, and Türkiye, and Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro.
Gathering almost 1,700 associated partners ranging from non-governmental organisations (NGOs), enterprises, cities to local and regional authorities, the European Universities alliances can be actors of change and bring innovation to Europe’s regions.
Beyond Erasmus+ programme countries
Under the 2023 Erasmus+ call, higher education institutions from the Western Balkans countries not associated to the Erasmus+ programme can become full partners. As a result, higher education institutions from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro have joined the initiative, on top of those from the Republic of North-Macedonia and Serbia.
Also, as last year, alliances can involve higher education institutions from Bologna Process countries as associated partners. Under the 2023 call, close to 30 higher education institutions from Ukraine have joined the alliances.
Next steps
In autumn 2023, the Commission will publish the next Erasmus+ call for proposals, with the aim to reach the goal of the European strategy for universities to expand to 60 European Universities by mid-2024.
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.