European Universities

The European Universities Initiative plays a key role in creating the European Education Area. In total, 44 European higher education networks with more than 340 higher education institutions and 31 countries were selected for this initiative.

The initiative was launched at the EU Summit of 2017,  when The Member States expressed their support for the initiative in the Council Resolution on a strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training towards the European Education Area and beyond (2021-2030). The European strategy for universities from 2021 sets the ambition to support 60 European Universities involving more than 500 higher education institutions by 2024.

The key aims of the European Universities Initiative are

• to promote European values and identity by increasing European cooperation of a new generation
• to significantly improve the quality, performance, attractiveness and international competitiveness of European higher education and to enable in-depth institutional change in participating higher education institutions.

European Universities develop top-level education, building new connections with research and innovation. They seek solutions to societal challenges and set an example for other higher education institutions. 

The following specific goals will contribute to gradually achieving the key aims: 

• A joint long-term strategy to improve education, research and innovations.
• A European inter-university campus in which mobility is embedded in the studies.
• Multi-disciplinary curricula of a high quality that integrate innovative pedagogy.
• Seamless teacher, researcher and other staff mobility within European Universities.
• European teams that engage in multidisciplinary and knowledge-based work to solve social challenges.

All European higher education institutions with an Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE) are eligible to participate in European Universities projects. The partner network must include at least three higher education institutions from three different EU Member States or third countries associated to the programme. Geographical balance is one of the criteria for evaluating applications.

A higher education institution can only participate in one European Universities network as a Full Partner. However, it can participate in several networks as an Associated Partner. Associated Partners are not eligible for European Universities funding.

Other organisations involved in higher education, research and innovation operating in both the public and private sectors can also join a network as Associated Partners. They may include research institutes, companies, NGOs or authorities. 

An Associated Partner may also be a higher education institution located in a third country not associated to the Erasmus+ Programme that is part of the European Higher Education Area (Bologna Process). 

For support in matters related to the European Universities application process, contact the Executive Agency EACEA. Additionally, EDUFI provides general guidance to Finnish applicants.

Information on the guidance events for applicants organised by EACEA and EDUFI as well as materials are available on the event pages below.  

We also provide advice by email and over the telephone. See our contact information at the bottom of the page.

Finnish higher education institutions were highly successful in the Calls for Proposals in 2019, 2020 and 2022, and they are involved in the following fourteen European Universities networks:

• CHARMEIGHT ∞: Challenge-Driven, Accessible, Research-based and Mobile European University, Åbo Academy
• ECIUn+: ECIU University, Tampere University
• EC2U: European Campus of City-Universities, University of Turku
• EUNICE - European University for Customised Education, University of Vaasa
• EU4DUAL: European Dual Studies University, Savonia University of Applied Sciences
• FORTHEM: Fostering Outreach within European Regions, Transnational Higher Education and Mobility, University of Jyväskylä
• INGENIUM: INGENIUM – European University, Southeast Finland University of Applied Sciences
• INVEST: INnoVations of REgional Sustainability: European UniversiTy Alliance, Karelia University of Applied Sciences
• RUN-EU: Regional University Network – European University, Häme University of Applied Sciences
• ULYSSEUS: An open to the world, persons-centred and entrepreneurial European University for the citizenship of the future, Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences
• UNA.Universitas: Una Europa,  University of Helsinki
• UNIC: The European University of Post-Industrial Cities, University of Oulu
• Unite: UNITE! University Network for Innovation, Technology and Engineering, Aalto University
• YUFE 2030: Young Universities for the Future of Europe Alliance, University of Eastern Finland

In EACEA's project database, European Universities can be found in the Topic menu under the code EUR-UNIV.