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Strong presence of European Universities alliances at EAIE 2025: Co-creating to transform higher education

September 1, 2025

How is higher education transforming Europe and fostering new pathways for global collaboration?  This question will be central at the 35th Annual Conference and Exhibition of the European Association of International Education (EAIE), taking place in Gothenburg from 9 to 12 September, 2025.  

A record of 35 European Universities alliances, nearly double the participation from 2024, will come together at this major international conference. Together, they represent over 300 higher education institutions and showcase the evolution and impact of the European Universities Initiative, a flagship programme of the European Commission launched in 2019, now encompassing a total of 65 alliances and 8 Seal of Excellence alliances.

This year’s EAIE Conference’s theme, Go-Create, resonates deeply with the mission of alliances. Through more than 20 sessions, as well as a dedicated FOREU4ALL event, they will highlight their commitment to innovation and their pioneering work in shaping inclusive and collaborative higher education models across Europe. FOREU4ALL and participating alliances will share their approaches, results, and impact in a wide range of activities, available below.

European Universities Alliances & FOREU4ALL: Creating Value for the Wider Higher Education Sector 

As part of the programme, FOREU4ALL - the Community of Practice bringing together all European Universities alliances - will host a special joint session with the European Commission on Wednesday, 10 September, from 13:30 to 14:30. This session, aimed at institutions not currently involved in the initiative, will explore how the community’s collective knowledge and tools can benefit the broader higher education sector.

The session will feature an interactive World Café format, inviting participants to discuss practical opportunities around micro-credentials, joint degrees, skills development, and new partnership models.

 

Full list of activities

Tuesday, September 9, 2025

  • ECIU, Una Europa. Workshop: From participants to partners: Redefining students as active co-creators, Panel session, 9:00 to 12:30, Room F2, with Ryan Wakamiya and Stinne Vognaes.

Wednesday, September 10, 2025

  • Una Europa. Quality assurance in EUI alliances: The Una Europa model, Poster session, from 9:00 to 10:30, with Emily Palmer and Heather McComb.
  • CIVIS. Puzzling and Rewarding: Piecing Together a Joint Master’s Programme in a University Alliance, Poster session,  9:00 to 10:30, Poster Area, with Sara Laginder and Alexandru-Mihai Carțiș.
  • FOREU4ALL. European Universities Alliances & FOREU4ALL: Creating Value for the Wider Higher Education Sector, World Café, from 13:30 to 14:30, room A4, with Mervin Bakker. Ioana Dewandeler & Meritxell Chaves.
  • Una Europa, CIVIS. So, you joined an EUI alliance: What does that mean?, Roundtable session, 13:30 to 14:30, H1, with Dorota Maciejowska, Charlotte Kedslie, and Mustapha Lkhider.
  • CIVIS. Exclusive coffee talks on CIVIS BIPs: Alliance and university perspectives, Booth event, from 14:00 to 16:00, P71, with Alexandru Cartis and Petra Hopfner.
  • Transform4Europe, EUNICE. Reception meeting for the partners and stakeholders, Booth event on 10/09 from 15:15 to 16:00, P145, with Sven Idarland and Magdalena Sikorska.
  • ENLIGHT, ENGAGE.EU, EELISA. Fail to succeed: Engagement stories and practices from EUI alliances, 10/09/2025 from 15:30 to 16:30, Room 4.10, with Joanne Pagèze, Sabine Saint-Rose, and Sofia D'Aguiar.
  • UNITA. Networking Event & GEMINAE project presentation – Chocolate tasting & poster on cooperation with partners outside Europe, Booth Event, from 16:30 to 17:30, Booth P75

Thursday, September 11, 2025

  • Una Europa. From scoping to skilling: The Una Europa–Africa Partnership vision and roadmap, poster session from 9:00 to 10:30, with Sophia Karner and Anisa Khan.
  • CIVIS. Exclusive coffee talks on joint programmes, transdisciplinary education and more, Booth event from 9:00 to 10:00 and 14:00 to 16:00, P71, with Prof. Anna Sobek.
  • Una Europa, HEROES, ACROSS. From data to practice: Navigating complexity and building motivation in EUI alliances, World Café, from 09:30 to 10:30, Room H1, with Francesco Girotti, Piet Van Hove, and Agata Mannino.
  • Una Europa. Towards sustainable financing for EUI alliances: Exploring different funding opportunities, World Café, from 9:30 to 10:30, Congress Hall, with Klaus Wiehl, Mariet Vriens, and Anna Stina Sinisalo.
  • EUt+, EELISA, ENHANCE. Alliances4EthicalTech: what skills will shape the future?,  Interactive Session, from 10:00 to 10:30 and from 10:30 to 11:00, Booth P78, with Sofia d'Aguiar, Naveed Syed, and Rafael Toledo.
  • Una Europa. Empowering staff to build a University of the Future: Una Europa's mobility and training strategy for professionals, poster session from 10:30 to 12:00, with Juliana Velasquez Ochoa and Dee Kilbride.
  • ARTEMIS, E3UDRES2. Enter the Draghi: How EUI alliances can contribute to European competitiveness (S6.11), Roundtable session, from 11:30 to 12:30, Room F5, with Ioana Dewandeler, Maren Stallemo, and Michael Karpisek.
  • Una Europa, ENGAGE.EU, Aurora. Who is driving your EUI alliance? Perspectives on co-creating shared leadership, Roundtable session,  from 14:00 to 15:00, Room H1, with Anna Stina Sinisalo, Sabine Sainte-Rose, and Martin Schwell.
  • UNITA. Poster Session on the Community Building in the alliances, Booth Event, from 14:00 to 15:00, Booth P75.
  • Una Europa. What's the secret to successful alliances? Engaged and active local communities!, poster session from 14:30 to 16:00, with Karoliina Jylhä-Kuusela.
  • EURECA-PRO. Student recruitment in EUI alliances: A EURECA-PRO case study (423), poster session at the Poster Area from 14:30 to 16:00, with Hogne Ulla.
  • EU-CONEXUS, EU!REKA, UNITA. Co-creating a shared student identity within the EUI alliances, World Café, from 15:30 to 16:30, room F4, with Hanna Leonhard, Neringa Narbutiene, and Giovanni Andriolo.
  • 4EU+, CIVICA, CIVIS. Crossing creative borders: Engaging student ambassadors in EUI alliances' communication initiatives (S8.15), Panel session, from 15:30 to 16:30, room J2, with Edda Orlandi, María Isabel Soldevila, and Andrew Bennett.
  • Una Europa, the Guild, CEU. How can the European Universities Initiative contribute to advances in higher education policy?, Fishbowl session, from 15:30 to 16:30, Room J1, with Sophia Karner, Ivana Didak, and Nadia Manzoni.

Friday, September 12, 2025

  • UNITA. Poster Session on the development and role of legal entities within university alliances, Booth Event, from 10:00 to 11:00, Booth P76, with Sven Idarland, Magdalena Sikorska.

 

About the European Universities alliances and FOREU4ALL

European Universities alliances

Launched in 2019, the European Universities alliances are a flagship initiative of the European strategy for universities. It encompasses 65 European Universities alliances with more than 570 higher education institutions of all types, from all across Europe. 

🔗 Full list of alliances by country: 

https://education.ec.europa.eu/education-levels/higher-education/european-universities-initiative/map 

European Universities’ factsheet: European universities - Publications Office of the EU

 

FOREU4ALL

FOREU4ALL provides a collaborative and supportive platform where all 65 alliances come together to share good practices, exchange experiences, and strengthen cooperation. The community fosters a deeper collaboration by facilitating learning, joint initiatives, and the dissemination of results – enhancing knowledge, skills, and effectiveness of the entire higher education sector.

🔗 Official website: https://www.foreu4all.eu/

 

About EAIE

The EAIE Conference is the most important event dedicated to higher education in Europe and the second largest in the world. Its recent venues have been Rotterdam (2023), and Toulouse (2024). 

 🔗 More information: https://www.eaie.org/events/gothenburg.html

Check the full programme of sessions at EAIE: https://www.eaie.org/events/gothenburg/programme.html