Internationalisation of European Universities Alliances: The New Frontiers

Internationalisation is key to the European higher education strategy, with European University Alliances (EUAs) enhancing the European Education Area's appeal. From fostering innovation to offering joint degrees, these alliances address current challenges while positioning Europe as a leader in higher education. A key focus is cooperation with Ukrainian institutions, supporting Ukraine’s integration into the European education space, alongside partnerships with African institutions, addressing regional challenges and supporting sustainable development.

These topics were central to the discussions at the "Internationalisation of European Universities Alliances: The New Frontiers" event held on 17 September as a satellite activity of the EAIE conference in Toulouse and hosted by the Université de Toulouse and Région Occitanie. Opened by Ludovic Thilly (EC2U) and Olga Wessels (ECIU), the event provided a platform for high-level representatives from various alliances and partner countries outside the EU to engage with the European Commission and other key stakeholders on these topics.

Group picture of the participants in the event

Driving Innovation and Filling Skill Gaps

During the first session, the discussion explored why alliances pursue internationalisation beyond their members and how they contribute to the broader European education area. Vanessa Debiais-Sainton, head of unit at DG EAC, emphasised the need for alliances to address skills gaps in AI, aerospace, and green technologies. She highlighted the launch of the new Union of Skills, covering higher education, vocational training, and lifelong learning, and the blueprint for a European Degree. Debiais-Sainton used the metaphor of Olympic medals, noting that while individual EU countries may fall behind global competitors, collectively, European universities can surpass them by sharing resources, equipment, and data. Her message was clear: only by coming together can we compete on the world’s stage.

Forging Global Partnerships with Purpose and shared values

Carle Bonafous-Murat of France Universités highlighted the strategic importance of these partnerships, questioning whether alliances should focus on specific issues or remain flexible to tackle broader trends. His examples of collaborations with institutions in Colombia and Argentina show how alliances can drive impactful solutions while staying nimble enough to meet emerging needs.

Flexibility is crucial when building global partnerships, as highlighted by John Gardiner (Ulysseus). His experience with the Compass Project, which connects European universities with non-Erasmus countries like Vietnam and Canada, revealed that fresh perspectives from outside the traditional framework enrich the European educational landscape but also require creative problem-solving to navigate different legal and regulatory systems.

This was made particularly evident when the strengthening of ties with Ukraine was discussed. Kseniia Smyrnova from EUniWell shared how Ukrainian universities have moved from being recipients of aid to active partners in joint research on topics such as digitalisation and migration. Despite ongoing challenges, this transition marks a significant shift toward long-term collaboration, showing how European alliances are evolving to meet both immediate needs and future opportunities. One striking example of partnerships in action is CIVICA’s "CIVICA for Ukraine" initiative, which demonstrates how alliances go beyond academics. In times of political crisis, they serve as vehicles for diplomacy and solidarity, supporting countries in need while fostering deeper connections between institutions.

By building global partnerships with purpose and grounded in shared values, European Universities Alliances are not only addressing pressing issues but also setting the stage for a more connected and resilient global education system.

Several EUGLOH staff members attended the EAIE as well as the side event. Here is what they had to say about their experience:

Catarina Tavares, Administrative and financial officer for the EUGLOH Alliance

I participated in the side event of EAIE dedicated to the European Alliances called: “Internationalisation of European Universities Alliances”: the new frontiers”. This event was in the form of a conference featuring presentations from several alliances. It lasted the whole morning of the 17 September, before the EAIE started.

For me, this was an opportunity to meet in person with other members of the Alliances, especially the Project Managers, and we had the chance to have lunch and dinner together. I am the chair of the PM FOR-EU group and had never had the opportunity to meet with them in person, so doing so was one of my priorities.

The sessions on partnership with Ukraine in particular were very moving. Even if what was done was so little – just managing to have some students travelling or offering some courses online – it represented so much for these students and universities

Being there made me feel like I was part of this big wave of change which is the European Alliances Initiative and gave me a broader view of what the other Alliances are pursuing. With so many best practices one can only feel inspired.

Anita Kéri, Assistant Professor and EUGLOH Communication Officer at the University of Szeged (USZ)

I had the opportunity to attend the EAIE 2024 conference and exhibition this year. It was my greatest pleasure to have a session with Vangelis Tsiligkiris on the importance of the individual culture of international students, followed by another one with Adriana Perez-Encinas and Giorgio Marinoni on the importance of marketing in higher education. Many of the sessions this year revolved around the topic of higher education marketing. This was especially interesting for me, as the main message of my academic career is that higher education marketing is so much more than admissions.

This article was adapted from a text by Dr. Marina Cino Pagliarello, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Research Fellow, School of Transnational Governance, EUI. Please find her whole article here.

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