Today is an important milestone and an exciting day as our Regional University Network – European University (RUN-EU) stands among the 30 alliances that received positive news.

The new Erasmus+ grant funding is provided for 4 years, from 2024 until 2027, allowing RUN-EU and all its members to take their long-term strategic collaboration further. After an evaluation in 2027, it will be possible to receive funding for another two years. This means that RUN-EU, including the three years pilot phase, will have an operational framework of at least nine years.

‘The approval of this new funding period of RUN-EU is undoubtedly a great success, which will allow all partner institutions to consolidate their added value in the development of European regions. We can now look into the future of our European University as very promising, and I am certain that the impact will be enormous at all institutional levels and in the regional ecosystems. Particularly for IPL, this represents a unique opportunity to strengthen the European dimension of our institution and its regional partners.’
Carlos Rabadão, President of the Polytechnic of Leiria, Portugal, and RUN-EU Coordinator.

‘This is a hugely significant achievement for the regions of Europe and a vote of confidence in the potential of our regions to lead and prosper. The expansion of RUN-EU is ultimately a reflection of this potential and a demonstration of regional strengths. I look forward to working with all the RUN-EU partners to realise the new possibilities that this next phase presents to us. Of course for TUS, a regionally-focussed university located at Europe’s Western Edge, this is a singular moment.’
Vincent Cunnane, President of the Technological University of the Shannon, Ireland – and RUN-EU’s Coordinator for the new cycle.

In the new cycle, RUN-EU will welcome two new members, the University of Burgos (Spain) and the Howest University of Applied Sciences (Belgium), operating in the future as an alliance of nine like-minded higher institutions drawn from all regions of Europe with a strong focus on regional development.

We are delighted to be invited to the contract negotiations for RUN-EU Cycle 2 so that we can continue the RUN-EU mission in the coming years and further deepen, intensify and expand the effectiveness of our cooperation within our European University.

Together, we will keep working towards securing the sustainable economic, social, cultural, and environmental progress of our regions and stakeholders by providing our students, researchers, and academics with green, digital, and inclusive skills that will help them increase the competitiveness of their regions and reduce existing regional development disparities in the EU.