European Universities
Concept
In September 2017, Emmanuel Macron, President of France, gave a speech at the Paris-Sorbonne University, including the famous words:
‘I believe we should create European Universities – a network of universities across Europe with programmes that have all their students study abroad and take classes in at least two languages. These European Universities will also be drivers of educational innovation and the quest for excellence. We should set for ourselves the goal of creating at least 20 of them by 2024. However, we must begin setting up the first of these universities as early as the next academic year, with real European semesters and real European diplomas.’
According to this idea, at least 20 alliances would be formed by 2024, each of them consisting of a number of higher education institutions, bound by a lively and durable relationship, focused on implementing a jointly chosen goal.
We did not have to wait too long for the European higher education sector to respond. Intensive work on putting the idea into practice, including the preparation to announce the first European Commission call for proposals entitled “European Universities”, began soon afterwards. The universities willing to participate initiated talks about the rules and goal of international cooperation. They drew on their long-term experience related to implementation of European and global programmes. The initiative enjoyed great interest, which has been proven by the number of alliances selected in two editions of the call for proposals.
Listen to Emmanuel Macron’s speech at the Paris-Sorbonne University.
Read the article by Prof. Tomasz Szapiro on the origin and concept of European Universities.
#dicscoverTransform4Europe
The University of Silesia in Katowice, together with six foreign universities, has formed a prestigious European University as part of Transform4Europe alliance. What makes our consortium stand out from the others? It is definitely the idea, our common goal, challenges, as well as the slogan Transform4Europe, which we have probably already got familiar with.
To bring the concept of European Universities and our alliance closer, we have prepared a series of infographics and articles.
MISSION
educating new generations of highly skilled European knowledge entrepreneurs
ACTIONS
European Commission |
„European Universities” call for proposals
The call for applications entitled “European Universities” was organised by the European Commission to strengthen academic exchange, modern education and research potential, and consequently the international competitiveness of European universities. The initiative funded under ERASMUS+ and Horizon 2020 programmes is to support the alliances formed between higher education institutions from at least three EU Member States or other countries involved in the programme.
41 European Universities were selected in the previous two editions of the call for proposals. The prestigious group of consortia included the following 11 Polish universities: University of Silesia in Katowice, Jagiellonian University, University of Warsaw, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, University of Gdańsk, University of Opole, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Poznań University of Technology, Warsaw University of Technology, AGH University of Science and Technology in Kraków and Silesian University of Technology.
Our University, as part of Transform4Europe transnational alliance, joined the group of competition beneficiaries in July 2020.
Read more about the European Commission’s call for proposals entitled „European Universities”.
Goals and tasks of European Universities
The European Universities are particularly intended to promote common European values and strengthen the European identity, as well as seek to strengthen the attractiveness and international competitiveness of European institutions of higher education.
In accordance with the idea behind the call for proposals, these goals can be met thanks to intensive, lively cooperation between partners of alliances formed at all levels of university operation. Together they should ensure high quality of education and scientific research, and intensify cooperation with the social-economic environment. The joint curricula should be based on an increased mobility of employees, students and doctoral students. It will also be crucial to gain new competencies and improve the existing ones, as well as to shape civic attitudes among the academic community members.
The concept assumes establishing a joint European “campus” of higher education, where students, doctoral students and employees of universities will be able to study, conduct research and be trained in partner institutions. This also means the development of new, flexible and interdisciplinary curricula for undergraduate studies, Master’s degree studies and doctoral studies, as well as creation of innovative teaching methods. Students and doctoral students will reflect the diversity of population in the social, cultural and economic aspects. Moreover, European Universities will facilitate the formation of teams consisting of students, academics, as well as representatives of social-economic environment.
Transform4Europe consortium is one of such networks with the University of Silesia in Katowice as one of its members.