The Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union has organised the 2^nd Forum of European Universities Alliances, held on 14 and 15 September in Barcelona. The venue chosen was the former Fabra i Coats textile factory, an industrial heritage site that is now a space for creativity, which is in keeping with the spirit of these alliances. STARS EU was present at this important meeting attended by 430 higher education institutions from 35 countries (EU members plus Iceland, Norway, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey).

The project coordinator, Rima Dijkstra, from the Hanze University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands), attended on behalf of STARS EU, accompanied by Gunnar Peterson, from the West University (Sweden); Vera Ferro-Lebres, from the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (Portugal); and José Sigut, from the University of La Laguna (Spain).

The first meeting of the alliances was organized during the French Presidency of the Union, in June 2022. The objective of this second forum has been to offer a space for dialogue and exchange of ideas to address the most important issues currently affecting the alliances.

Rima Dijkstra values in a high positive way this meeting in which 50 alliances gathered to listen new directions for European University Initiative provided by the European Commission and share the results achieved. “The forum was an open space for dialogue and exchange of ideas around the most important issues currently affecting alliances”, she explains . Among the many topics discussed were the legal status of alliances and the European Degree label, research and innovation activities of the alliances and how to bring the European Universities initiative closer to European society.  

“Its was very interesting to discuss,  learn and share with colleagues from other European Universities alliances, to compare STARS EU Alliance results and achievements with the results of long-term existing alliances funded under the EUI 1st and 2nd calls”, says Dijkstra. “After participating in the parallel sessions and discussions, we can conclude that STARS EU strategy and action plan are very much in-line with the EUI and, in many cases, our achievements and strategic directions are even ahead of other alliances”.

In addition to delegates from the universities themselves involved in the different alliances, these more than 400 participants also include representatives of the European Commission, state members, student associations, quality agencies from the various countries and other university associations.

To carry out this forum, there has been close collaboration with the alliances themselves and with the European Commission to determine the topics, the moderators and the people who participated in each session. Furthermore, once concluded, participation mechanisms have been planned so that the discussions extend beyond the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

During these two days of work, issues such as the “transformative potential and challenges for national governments and institutions” will be discussed with the presence of State Secretaries from Member States, where the commitment to improve the quality and competitiveness of the European universities, the recognition of diversity, university autonomy and the need to develop non-predefined activities and cooperation formulas.

The way to bring the “European Universities” initiative closer to European society has also been addressed; the strategy for the creation of a joint European degree label to facilitate higher education institutions involved in transnational cooperation in offering joint programs and obtaining joint degrees; or the social dimension of European universities and how they have to create a desired inclusive environment in higher education, which promotes equality and diversity and responds to the needs of local communities.

Opening

The II Forum was inaugurated by the acting Spanish Minister of Universities, Joan Subirats, together with the Vice President for the Promotion of the European Lifestyle of the European Commission, Margaritis Schinas; the head of the Department of Research and Universities of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Joaquim Nadal; and the mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni.

Minister Joan Subirats presented the event emphasizing that the university alliances follow in the footsteps of one of the most efficient and successful proposals that the EU has had and that has contributed the most to European construction: the Erasmus program. “The Alliances aim to transform and strengthen the union of universities, the union of knowledge and talent and project it to the world”.

The vice president for the Promotion of the European Lifestyle of the European Commission, Margaritis Schinas, considers that these alliances represent a process of transformation of the European Higher Education system where a common space for university training “based on in the convergence of curricula, mobility, understanding and the European spirit.” Shinas also considered the Erasmus program “the jewel in the crown of European integration. It is, by far, the most successful story in building this mentality of coexistence, of diversity, of understanding among young Europeans.”

On Tuesday September 5^th all Rectors, Presidents, and members of the Steering Committee of STARS EU joined the celebration of the 225^th anniversary of Hanze University of Applied Sciences in Groningen, The Netherlands.

The theme of the celebration was “You matter!”. Her Majesty Queen Máxima, who was also present at the Hanze for this special event, emphasized that every talent deserves a chance for development. She also stressed the importance of finding time and space to find your own rhythm as a student. The queen called ‘students, teachers and researchers the pillars of a vital society’.

The STARS EU partners gathered not only to celebrate this special occasion but also to discuss the smooth start of the European Commission-funded programme following the EU 2023 call and to visit the Marian van Os Centre of Expertise Entrepreneurship, the Centre entrepreneurship and Research NoorderRuimte and the Digital Society Hub (DSH) of Hanze UAS.

Digital Society Hub 

The DSH is a physical & virtual learning community, an incubator where technical (digital) facilities, creative and skilled people from business, education and research come together to develop and test opportunities/solutions.

Within the Digital Society Hub, multidisciplinary teams work on new products and applications in the field of 5G, Big Data or E-Health. Applications are devised using, for example, virtual reality, augmented reality, games or drones.

 

More information on the Digital Society Hub of Hanze UAS and other parts of the organisation can be found here on: https://www.hanze.nl/en

The European University initiative STARS EU has won a grant in the 2023 Erasmus+ European Universities Call. The Alliance, coordinated by Hanze University of Applied Sciences, will continue to deepen its existing cooperation to advance the higher education transformation process towards full ‘European University’ thanks to the €12.4 million awarded.

The European Commission approved seven alliances under the 2023 Erasmus+ European Universities Call, which add to the ones previously funded in earlier calls. So, after this call, there are a total of fifty European Universities. The grant received by STARS EU will support the Alliance to expand and implement its long-term vision to create structural societal impact on a local, inter-regional and international scale. The goal of the Alliance is to accelerate regional transformation toward a more sustainable future.

The grant will also contribute to  STARS EU becoming a leading actor in world-class education and research, offering both an, inclusive, student-centred learning experience to citizens from the entire world while also supporting a truly collaborative multi-disciplinary, challenge-based research environment.

“All the universities that are members of the STARS EU alliance are excited and willing to learn from each other to improve the quality of their education and research, and to help strengthen Europe together. Moreover, the funding will bring us further in our ambitions to make an impact in the world we are living in and tackle societal challenges together. It is a great day for the Alliance, but more importantly for our students, partners and Europe as a whole ”, STARS EU coordinator Dick Pouwels from Hanze UAS, says.

Transforming regions. Empowering people

STARS EU is an existing alliance of nine universities from all parts of Europe who share the same European values and who want to contribute to a sustainable future for Europe and the World. By sharing our knowledge and ideas, STARS EU empowers people to learn, grow and broaden their world.

The STARS EU partner universities are: Hanze University of Applied Sciences (The Netherlands), University of La Laguna (Spain), Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (Portugal), Bremen University of Appiled Sciences (Germany), Silesian University in Opava (Czechia), University West (Sweeden), Cracow University of Technology (Poland), University of Franche-Comté (France) and Aleksandër Moisiu University of Durrës (Albania).

The members of STARS EU are regionally connected universities committed to working with local and regional partners to contribute to real positive change. All members share the desire to build universities without walls to the outside world thereby creating greater societal impact for their education and research.

In 2019, Hanze University initiated the STARS EU Alliance. Since then, the alliance has built successful collaboration between its partners that has resulted in new cooperation structures, innovative tools, programmes and practices in which students, teachers and researchers can join.

The alliance has brought together academic staff of different disciplines and universities within Thematic Interest Groups. Engaged external stakeholders have also been invited to the activities of the STARS EU Regional Transition Accelerator to help regions speed up the transition to a more digital and sustainable society.

European Universities

STARS EU contributes to implement the European Universities Initiative: one of the activities through which the EU aims to create a European High Education Area. The EU encourages international alliances between different European universities, aiming to promote European values and identity as well as strengthen the quality and competitiveness of European higher education.