HRK strategy day 2024: Exploring the future of European Universities
On October 17, 2024, the HRK (German Rectors’ Conference) hosted a panel discussion centred on the European Universities Initiative and the role of university alliances in shaping the future of higher education across Europe. Held in Brussels in cooperation with the Ministry of Science of the State of Hesse, this year’s event brought together thought leaders, university representatives, and policymakers to reflect on the progress of these alliances and address the pressing challenges they are facing today.
The European Universities initiative: A transformative endeavour
Launched under Horizon 2020, the European Universities Initiative is a key part of the European Commission’s strategy to foster collaboration among higher education institutions. Its goal is to create cross-border alliances that enhance innovation, mobility, and shared governance models, thereby making universities more competitive on a global scale.
During the panel discussion, the speakers discussed key insights from recent reports, including those published by the European Research Executive Agency and the European University Association (EUA). These reports highlighted the achievements of the alliances while also identifying areas where progress has been slower than anticipated.
Key challenges discussed
The panel addressed several systemic challenges that university alliances are dealing with, namely:
- Governance and Autonomy: University alliances are striving to find effective governance models that respect the autonomy of individual institutions while fostering collaboration across borders.
- Funding and Sustainability: Many alliances depend on project-based funding, raising concerns about the long-term sustainability of these initiatives, especially once initial funding phases come to an end.
- Educational Innovation: While alliances have made strides in creating joint programs and improving mobility, ongoing discussions are focused on continuous integration of innovative teaching and learning practices that respond to the evolving needs of society and the labour market.
Insights from EU-CONEXUS
As a general chair of the governing board of EU-CONEXUS, a representative of France Universités and La Rochelle Université president, Jean-Marc Ogier, emphasised the strong enthusiasm of French universities for participation in alliances, noting that 79% are currently involved. His participation in the roundtable titled “European University Alliances: What are the next milestones for the initiative?” provided an excellent opportunity to showcase the commitment of EU-CONEXUS members to a holistic approach that combines all university missions: education, research, innovation, knowledge transfer, and societal engagement.
Strategic reflections for the future
Panellists at the HRK event emphasised the need for university alliances to focus not only on collaboration and mobility but also on driving system-level reforms that will make higher education more resilient and adaptable.
Key takeaways from the discussion include:
- The importance of developing long-term funding mechanisms to ensure the sustainability of the alliances.
- The necessity for policy frameworks that allow universities to experiment with new governance models without sacrificing their institutional autonomy.
- The potential for alliances to address Europe’s major societal challenges, such as climate change, digital transformation, and social inequality, by fostering interdisciplinary and cross-institutional collaboration.
In reflection of the evolving European Universities Initiative, the HRK Strategy Day provided a solid platform for dialogue between university leaders and policymakers. The reflections shared during the panel discussion will help inform future decisions on how these alliances can further strengthen Europe’s higher education landscape.
The event clearly demonstrated that while progress has been made, there is still much work to be done to fully realise the potential of the European Universities Initiative. The focus will remain on overcoming existing challenges and ensuring that these alliances can continue to thrive and contribute to a stronger, more cohesive European Higher Education Area.
