Deliverables
Term of reference for General Forum and Forum Board
The deliverable D1.2 “Terms of Reference for the General Forum and Forum Board” presents the FOREU4ALL Governance Framework, developed within the Erasmus+ project FOR-EU4All (GA 101177165 – ERASMUS-EDU-2024-EUR-UNIV) under Work Package 1: Management and Coordination.
It provides a comprehensive overview of the project’s objectives, governance structure, operational procedures and external engagement strategy. The Governance Framework has been prepared collaboratively by the Project Management Team (PMT) and the Forum Board (FB), in consultation with the External Advisory Board (EAB), and approved by the General Forum (GF), ensuring collective ownership and alignment with the objectives of both the FOR-EU4All project and the wider FOREU4ALL Community of Practice (CoP).
The document outlines the project’s objectives and governance structure, detailing the composition, roles, responsibilities, and proceedings of its key bodies: the General Forum, Forum Board, Project Management Team, Central Office, and External Advisory Board. It also describes the external engagement strategy and communication processes designed to reinforce the FOREU4ALL network’s role in European higher education. The FOREU4ALL Governance Framework enhances the visibility of interconnections between these governance bodies, offering a clear, unified point of reference for both internal and external stakeholders.
At the core of FOREU4ALL’s governance structure is the GF — the main decision-making body where all 65 funded European Universities alliances are represented equally. The GF is responsible for key governance decisions, including the election of the Chair, ViceChairs, and Forum Board members, the appointment and evaluation of topical groups,and the approval of overarching activities such as workshops and joint positioning actions. It ensures transparent, inclusive decision-making through consensus or, when necessary, by simple majority. The GF convenes regularly online, with the option for inperson meetings, providing a collaborative platform for coordination, information exchange, and collective decisions on matters directly affecting the FOREU4ALL CoP.
Supporting the work of the General Forum is the FB, an elected body composed of 15 representatives from the GF and the permanent members of the PMT. The FB plays a crucial role in preparing GF meetings, proposing strategic initiatives, and ensuring the implementation and follow-up of decisions taken by the GF. It also steers the dialogue with European institutions and higher education stakeholders, in coordination with relevant work packages. The FB works closely with the elected Chair and Vice-Chairs of FOREU4ALL, who represent the CoP externally and ensure coherent leadership in collaboration with the FOR-EU4All Co-Coordinators.
Together, the GF and FB embody the participatory and bottom-up governance approach that characterises FOREU4ALL