THE RECTORS OF STARS EU SIGN AT ULL THE EUROPE CAMPUS CHARTER

The new campus unifies spaces, services and advantages for the entire university community 

The rectors and presidents of the nine universities that make up the European alliance STARS EU have signed today (Tuesday, November 25) at the University of La Laguna, the STARS EU Campus Charter, a common commitment to build an integrated European campus that facilitates studying, teaching, research and working together for students, faculty and staff throughout the alliance.

The alliance is working to co-create a long-term European campus that links education, research, and innovation, and contributes to the development of its regions by promoting mobility, joint training programs, collaborative research projects, and cooperation with local stakeholders. Other objectives of this initiative include fostering innovation, lifelong learning, inclusion, and sustainability.

This was stated today by the rectors present at the signing of the agreement: Francisco J. García Rodríguez, rector of the University of La Laguna; Dick Pouwels, rector of the Hanze University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands); Konrad Josef Wolf, rector of Hochschule Bremen City University of Applied Sciences (Germany); Orlando Rodrigues, rector of the Polytechnic University of Braganza (Portugal); Tomáš Gongol, rector of the Silesian University in Opava (Czech Republic); Mats Jägstam, rector of the University West (Sweden) and Shkëlqim Fortuz, rector of the Aleksandër Moisiu University in Durrës (Albania).

Along with them, and representing the vice-rectorates of the alliance, were also present Samir Jemei, Vice-President of International Extension, Art, Culture and Scientific Communication of the Marie and Louis Pasteur University (France) and Katarzyna Bizon, Vice-Rector of Education and International Cooperation of the Technological University of Krakow (Poland).

The signing ceremony took place within the framework of the STARS EU working meeting hosted by the ULL from November 25 to 26, 2025. The international working meeting brought together 170 people (academic staff, students and administrative and service staff) from the nine European higher education centers to advance the development of the strategic lines and objectives of the alliance.

Unique European campus

The signed Campus Charter envisions a single campus with multiple locations, comprised of physical spaces at each university, such as learning and meeting areas, laboratories, and innovation hubs. The expanding digital campus will offer shared services, virtual and blended learning opportunities, and shared tools for research and innovation.

The goal is for any student or staff member to be able to move, study, teach, and work easily across any of the nine institutions, as if they were part of a single European university. To make this possible, STARS EU will develop a common signage system that will make spaces recognizable throughout the network; a single digital access point with single sign-on; and shared open science and mobility platforms. These tools aim to strengthen a common European identity and a sense of belonging among the entire university community.

The signing of the Campus Charter thus confirms the will of the nine universities in the STARS EU alliance — integrated into the European Universities Initiative (EUI) to build a cohesive European ecosystem, capable of connecting talent, knowledge and innovation on a transnational and regional scale.