To support the further rollout of the European Universities initiative, a new Erasmus+ call for proposals to support European Universities across Europe has been launched with a record total budget of € 272 million.
The European Universities support systemic, structural and sustainable transnational cooperation among diverse higher education institutions across Europe, covering all their missions: education, research, innovation and service to society. Through innovative and diverse models of long-term integrated cooperation, European Universities promote common European values and a strengthened European identity, and support the higher education institutions to make a substantial leap in quality, performance, attractiveness and international competitiveness.
The current call follows on two pilot calls under the previous Erasmus+ programme, which had also received top-up funding from Horizon 2020 for their research component. These support 41 alliances gathering over 280 higher education institutions from all over Europe.
The present call is structured around two topics:
Topic 1: intensification of prior deep institutional transnational cooperation
This call topic will provide support for already existing deep institutional transnational cooperation alliances including, but not limited to, the European Universities alliances selected under the 2019 Erasmus+ call for proposals. The aim is to build upon the institutional cooperation achieved so far and to further deepen, intensify and expand the effectiveness of this existing cooperation in order to progress towards the long-term vision of the ‘European Universities’. New higher education institutions have the opportunity to join these existing alliances as full partners.
Topic 2: development of new deep institutional transnational cooperation
This call topic will provide support for applicants wishing to establish new deep institutional transnational cooperation in a new ‘European Universities’ alliance.
The deadline for the submission of applications is 22 March 2022.
The European Commission is organising an information session for potential applicants on 14 December 2021 through webstreaming.
What is the European Universities Initiative?