Cross-border collaboration is one of the main strenghts and benefits of European University Alliances. Recently, the E³UDRES² Alliance, aiming to make use of much untapped potential, launched several open calls, encouraging its community to come up with ideas for collaboration across institutions. Looking for innovative Co-Teaching Activities, concepts for Joint Degrees, and proposals for Research Centres of Excellence, the interest of the alliance members was overwhelming: More than 90 proposals were submitted across the institutions, marking the initiation of various promising joint activities.
Connected to the four main focus areas of E³UDRES², the open calls successfully aided academic professionals from the E³UDRES² institutions to find matching partners for their ideas across institutions, fostering a dynamic exchange of ideas and perspectives. In the realm of Joint Degrees, where the focus is on creating interdisciplinary programs, the alliance received over 15 proposals envisioning unique educational pathways. This collaborative effort seeks to provide students with comprehensive and well-rounded academic experiences that prepare them for the challenges of a rapidly evolving global landscape, and bring together experts from various countries to share their knowledge. The call for proposals for Research Centres of Excellence, intended to establish hubs of cutting-edge research, received 19 proposals.
Cross-country collaboration
The possibility of hosting co-teaching activities garnered significant interest, with over 55 submissions. Through guest lectures, students can benefit from a wider range of experts, viewpoints and insights from various countries and institutions. As the alliance eagerly looks forward to the months ahead, the focus will shift to the development and implementation of these innovative proposals. The diversity of ideas and the enthusiasm displayed by the community promises an array of activities that will greatly benefit the institutions, as well as its students and staff.
The success of this initiative can be attributed, in part, to the supporting activities provided to academic staff members throughout the process: With various informative sessions and matchmaking opportunities, participants had the possibility to find interesting collaborators for their ideas. These sessions not only facilitated the exchange of ideas but also provided a platform for academic staff members to establish new connections and draw inspiration from their peers.
As the proposals move from concept to reality, the E³UDRES² alliance remains commited to fostering an environment of shared knowledge and expertise, as well as to creating a lasting, positive impact on its membering institutions.
