By Ruaidhri Neavyn, Special Advisor at Higher Education Authority in Ireland
What are the key ingredients for ensuring successful transnational collaboration within European University alliances?
First and foremost, transnational collaboration must be mutually beneficial for the partner universities involved; the partnerships formed should not lead to lopsided cooperation arrangements. Secondly, the focus of collaborative activities ought to be on enhancing quality and impact in core areas, such as the learner experience, teaching and learning practices, skills development, and collaborative research, development, and innovation (RDI) activities aimed at addressing future challenges like the dual digital and green transitions and current socio-economic challenges.
Finally, combining the strengths and diversity of the partners involved in these transnational collaborations — including those in a European University alliance — is crucial to their success. By leveraging these strengths and diversity to enhance the quality and impact of core mission areas, collaborating universities can collectively address future challenges and drive sustainable societal transformation. In the context of strength and diversity, it is important to acknowledge that all types of universities have a place in transnational collaboration partnerships. particularly applied universities due to their regional significance and connections to business, industry, society, and local government. The inclusion of applied universities within transnational collaboration alliances, such as European Universities, can significantly benefit efforts to drive societal transformation across Europe.
How have European University Alliances impacted the European Higher Education Landscape?
European University Alliances have positively influenced the European higher education landscape by significantly enhancing the level and range of transnational collaboration engaged in by universities throughout Europe. The European Universities Initiative can be aptly described as “Erasmus on steroids,” as it facilitates comprehensive university collaboration within alliances across all mission areas, including education, research, innovation, and service to society. This initiative does not rely on standalone activities or single points of contact to foster cooperation, as other Erasmus initiatives often do.
Furthermore, European University Alliances have become essential tools for enhancing the quality, competitiveness, and unity of the European higher education system, while also facilitating the expansion of transnational collaboration on a global scale, given their inclusion of associate partners from outside Europe and across various continents. Their success and impact can be best demonstrated through their ambitious work plans, which include:
- Establishing a wide range of shared governance and management structures to facilitate relationship-building and operations within the alliances.
- Creating shared management teams to deliver on their common vision and strategy.
- Developing shared operational units and platforms that facilitate the co-creation of joint activities and initiatives.
- Creating and delivering new, unique, and innovative learning opportunities and associated pedagogical approaches.
- Increasing the capacity and scale of mobility activities among member universities of the alliances.
- Forming knowledge creation teams that collaborate on joint research and innovation programmes focused on generating new knowledge to tackle common challenges, such as the dual digital and green transitions, as well as current socio-economic issues facing Europe.
- Improving connectivity and engagement with key external stakeholders through the participation of a significant number of associate partners in alliance plans.
Given their perceived success since establishment, what issues need to be addressed to ensure that European University Alliances continue to contribute significantly to transnational collaboration in Europe?
Currently, the European Universities Initiative is limited to 64 alliances and around 560 higher education institutions; not every university in Europe is a member of an alliance, which raises concerns about the potential development of a two-tier system across the European higher education landscape. The benefits of alliances for the student experience, teaching and learning practices, and the creation of new knowledge through collaborative RDI initiatives could be lost to a significant proportion of European universities. Given that equality and inclusiveness are core values of the European Union, it is reasonable to consider expanding the number of alliances or increasing the number of universities in each alliance, to ensure higher participation levels across Europe and to avoid a two-tier system in the domain of transnational collaboration.
One of the principal concepts underpinning the operation of European University alliances has focused on creating European degrees that would be recognised across the EU. The introduction of European degrees would facilitate greater flexibility and choice in the learner pathway, allowing students to learn across multiple universities in different jurisdictions while obtaining a qualification recognised throughout the EU. The establishment of European degrees will aid in embedding and mainstreaming transnational collaboration within the educational opportunities of European university alliances, making it a vital component of any plan to ensure their continued sustainability. Therefore, significant progress must be made towards the creation of true European degrees. The numerous barriers identified by the Commission in realising the ambition for European degrees must be addressed, which can only be achieved if all EU member states agree to work together cohesively.
Concerns also arise regarding the overall sustainability, particularly the financial sustainability of alliances moving forward. We are all aware of the efforts led by the Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC) to develop and achieve approval for a long-term funding programme for European university alliances up to 2034. Although this initiative is greatly welcomed, it is essential for alliances to diversify their funding streams beyond EU sources to ensure their sustainability and continued development. To this end, the globalisation of European universities should be considered, alongside the creation of educational and developmental partnerships with industry, business, and societal stakeholders. Finally, it is crucial to prioritise the mainstreaming of European university alliances within the higher education strategies and budgets of all EU member countries if we genuinely wish to make European universities sustainable and ensure their ongoing impact and success.
Ruaidhri Neavyn
Special Advisor, Higher Education Authority in Ireland
Ruaidhri Neavyn is a special advisor for the Higher Education Authority in Ireland engaged in the development and delivery of national HE policy initiatives in areas such as skills and engagement, internationalisation, and system performance. Ruaidhri is also the CEO of the Regional University Network European University (RUN-EU). He previously served as president of the Waterford Institute of Technology and the Institute of Technology Carlow. In addition, he is a member of the OECD’s group of National Experts in Higher Education.
