European Universities Alliances Coordinators Meeting in Brussels

The EPICUR Coordination Office actively participated in a two-day working meeting on 14 and 15 April, organised by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Education and Culture (DG EAC), dedicated to advancing the design of the future Erasmus+ action supporting European University Alliances in the next programming period.

EPICUR was represented by Prof. Jean-Marc Planeix, EPICUR Strategic Coordinator and Unistra Vice Rector, Alison Garnier Rivers, EPICUR Alliance Coordinator, and Dr. Sabine Menu, EPICUR Brussels Liaison Officer and Professor at EM Strasbourg Business school. Their participation reflects the Alliance’s ongoing commitment to contributing to European-level discussions and shaping the future of higher education cooperation.

These sessions were prepared by the FOREU4ALL topical working groups and brought together representatives from European University Alliances at different stages of development. This diversity enabled rich and constructive exchanges, combining strategic reflections with practical insights from across the alliances.

The meeting was structured around four key thematic sessions:

• the future Erasmus+ action supporting alliances,
• the role of alliances within their broader ecosystems,
• performance monitoring frameworks,
• and the positioning of alliances as role models in building communities and valorising results.

Discussions addressed a wide range of strategic priorities, including future funding perspectives, international cooperation, mobility, the contribution of alliances to European competitiveness and the European Research Area (ERA), as well as approaches to measuring impact.

Following this meeting, the EPICUR Coordination Office will share key takeaways with Alliance partners. These insights will support ongoing reflections within EPICUR and help inform its strategic positioning in view of upcoming developments in the Erasmus+ programme and the evolving European higher education landscape.