NEWS
RUN-EU launches new programme to help students tackle real community challenges
15 December 2025
RUN-EU (Regional University Network – European University) has introduced a new initiative, the Ready to Service Programme (RETOS), which brings students closer to real issues faced by people in their regions. Instead of learning only from textbooks, students will now have more chances to work directly with community partners and contribute to meaningful projects.
RETOS is a programme built on shared principles, yet flexible enough to adapt to the unique context of each of the ten RUN-EU universities. At its core, students learn by helping others in their communities and engaging with real matters that affect people around them.
A central part of the programme is the Service-Learning component, where students collaborate, often internationally, to address similar social challenges. Because these challenges take different forms across Europe, bringing together students from various regions makes it possible to explore multiple ways of approaching and addressing them. RUN-EU students of the RETOS programme engage in joint learning experiences such as COILs (Collaborative Online International Learning), where they follow a shared programme of learning and work collectively. Through these activities, students exchange ideas, compare local realities, and develop creative solutions together.
RETOS also includes a Volunteering Programme. Students will form mixed teams from different RUN-EU universities and volunteer in various locations — sometimes in small rural communities. Their projects may involve sustainability, digital skills, STEM outreach, or other local needs. Besides supporting communities, the experience will help students understand European values and see how international cooperation can make a difference on the ground.
Additionally, the programme offers training for both staff and students, including Short Advanced Programmes (SAPs), to help them learn how to use the Service-Learning approach effectively while volunteering.
A Portal of Opportunities will support organisations of the RUN-EU regions. The portal will act as a meeting point between partner universities and community partners. Organisations from different regions will be able to post topics on which they would like assistance. Lecturers and students can then choose to work on these topics as part of their courses, final projects or dissertations.
Overall, the RETOS Programme shows RUN-EU’s commitment to connecting education with real societal needs. It brings universities and regions closer together and gives students the chance to grow, learn, and make a positive impact at the same time.