European Universities

¿De qué trata esta convocatoria?

The call funds transnational alliances of higher education institutions with existing deep cooperation, helping them implement long-term joint strategies as European Universities. Support covers joint inter-university campuses, mobility, joint educational offers and integrated governance over a grant period of normally 24 months.

¿Qué financia esta convocatoria?

Scope

The call supports alliances of higher education institutions that can show an existing deep institutional transnational cooperation, including, but not limited to, the European Universities alliances funded under the 2023 Erasmus+ call. The aim is to take this cooperation to the next level and put the alliances' long-term strategies into practice. The term "universities" covers all types of higher education institutions. Each proposal has to include a joint long-term mission statement, endorsed by the decision-making bodies of every member institution, setting out the alliance's joint strategy beyond the EU funding period.

Specific objectives

• Progress the development of European inter-university campuses: seamless and inclusive physical, virtual and blended mobility with automatic recognition of credits, working towards at least 50% of students in the alliance benefiting from mobility.
• Upscale and mainstream joint, high-quality and innovative educational activities and embed them in partner curricula, including alignment with the joint European degree label where possible.
• Upscale flexible and inclusive learning opportunities and alternative learning pathways, including micro-credentials and lifelong learning, and strengthen links with industry, innovation ecosystems and civil society.
• Deepen institutional transnational cooperation and consolidate joint governance structures, including democratic student involvement and work towards a common legal status for alliances.

Alliances are expected to prioritise their areas of activity based on past cooperation and to justify this focus within the grant period.

Activities that can be funded

Following a bottom-up approach, each alliance shapes its own joint work plan, supported by existing common management and governance structures and a clear methodology. Activities should build on past achievements, upscale and expand successful practices across partner institutions, and involve associated academic and non-academic partners. Financial support to third parties is not allowed.

Expected impact

Expected impacts include stronger synergies between the European Education Area, the European Research Area and the European Higher Education Area; greater attractiveness and competitiveness of European higher education; deeper long-term institutional transformation; better skills and employability for students, staff and researchers; wider lifelong learning; and contributions to regional development and local communities.

Form of funding

Grants take the form of lump sums, set on the basis of the estimated project budget (detailed budget table) and a funding rate of 80%. Prefinancing is normally 80% of the maximum grant amount, with no interim payments.

¿Cuándo termina el plazo?

4 de marzo de 2027 (119 días)

4 March 2027, 17:00 CET (Brussels time)