RUN-EU has joined forces with 40 other European University Alliances to welcome the new EU Commissioner, Iliana Ivanova, and advocate for a clear and sustainable investment pathway, in a significant move towards shaping the future of higher education in Europe.

The initiative seeks to ensure a financially secure and holistic future for the collaborative educational networks and their long-term transformational process:

‘All 41 alliances call on the Member States to urgently support the establishment of holistic and sustainable long-term funding to deepen transnational cooperation of European University alliances across all their missions in a coherent way. This will enable the European Universities Initiative to go beyond a short-term project approach and deliver on their long-term, innovative and ambitious vision of futureproof European universities. This funding must (1) integrate all university’s missions (education, research, innovation, transfer to society) and (2) combine resources (Erasmus+, Horizon Europe, Digital Europe, Interregional Innovation Investments, member state funding, etc.) reflecting not only the knowledge square approach, but also the infrastructural and other supports needed to drive the development of globally competitive European University Alliances. Finally, it is important that support is (3) sustainable, a long-term funding instrument is needed to build sustainable European Universities that can deliver on their vision. The upcoming midterm review of the current European Programmes is an excellent momentum to test and design such a holistic funding instrument.’

Joint FOREU statement