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DRAFT REPORT (2025/2036(INI))

On a new vision for the European Universities alliances

CULT-PR-770272

Committee on Culture and Education · Rapporteur: Laurence Farreng

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Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.

This draft report on a new vision for the European Universities alliances acknowledges their success and sets out recommendations for their future, focusing on sustainable funding, research and innovation, internationalisation, and long-term cooperation.

Committee position. The rapporteur proposes a resolution that acknowledges the success of the European Universities initiative and sets out recommendations for its future, focusing on sustainable funding, research and innovation, internationalisation, and long-term cooperation.

Key points

  1. Acknowledges the success of the European Universities initiative, noting that 65 alliances now exist, encompassing more than 570 universities and over 2 200 external partners.
  2. Welcomes the diversity of alliances and their inclusive participation, including universities from medium-sized cities, rural areas and outermost regions, and stresses that a 'one-size-fits-all' approach is not appropriate.
  3. Welcomes the integration of students in alliances' governance structures and pilot projects for a European degree or legal status, but stresses that alliances should not be the sole instrument for innovation.
  4. Notes that the objective of seamless mobility for 50 % of students in alliances has not yet been reached, and expresses concern about threats to academic and scientific freedom.
  5. Welcomes the Union of Skills initiative and the upcoming proposal on a legal status for alliances, and welcomes the creation of FOREU4ALL as a community of practice.
  6. Underlines that funding must cover education, research and innovation, and stresses the need for sustainable and predictable funding, asking the Commission to consider reserving future calls for current successful alliances.
  7. Asks the Commission to present a comprehensive investment strategy for alliances, encompassing funding from EU programmes such as Horizon Europe, Digital Europe, InvestEU, the European Social Fund Plus and the European Regional Development Fund.
  8. Stresses that support for alliances should also come from national, local and private sources, and asks for a shift from 'project-based logic' to long-term, transformative cooperation.
  9. Asks the Commission and alliances to ensure compliance with European values in partnerships with non-EU countries, and to consider adding criteria related to strategic autonomy and competitiveness in future calls.
  10. Emphasises the need to consolidate interoperability of computer systems for virtual European inter-campuses and stresses the need for alliances to support technology transfer and scaling up in research.

Who is affected

  • European Universities alliances and their member universities, students, and academic and administrative staff.
  • The European Commission, which is asked to adjust funding and calls.
  • Member States, which are asked to contribute national funding.

Figures and deadlines

  • 65 alliances, more than 570 universities, over 2 200 external partners
  • 50 % of students in participating alliances