The BTU is part of a European University

The European Commission presented the 24 European university consortia that will be allowed to bear the title European University as of today. They join the first 17, which were already selected in 2019.

The BTU between German elite universities

With its appointment as a European University, BTU joins the ranks of renowned European universities. In Germany, among others, the following awards have been received HU and TU Berlin, FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg, RWTH Aachen and the universities in Göttingen, Constance, Cologne and Bonn. A total of 20 higher education institutions from Germany are represented, including smaller ones such as TU Freiberg and HS Mittweida.

EUNICE-Alliance

As part of a consortium of seven partner universities, the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg submitted its application at the end of February 2020. Together with the University of Cantabria (UC), the University of Catania (UNICT), the University of Mons (UMONS), the Université Polytechnique Hauts-de-France (UPHF), the University of Vaasa (UniVaasa) and the Technical University of Poznan (PUT), BTU forms the alliance EUNICE (European UNIversity for Customised Education). What all of BTU's partner universities have in common is that they tend to be located away from the urban centers of their respective countries, which means that they have similar problems in recruiting students and also staff. In addition, the regions of some partner universities are also facing the challenges of structural change.

EUNICE aims to increase the national and regional attractiveness of all partners. Cooperation with the regional economy is important for the EUNICE alliance. Through international university contacts, the often very regionally oriented economy can be internationalized and thus become more competitive.

Up to 7 million EUR per alliance

A total budget of up to EUR 287 million is available for the 41 European universities. Each alliance will receive up to EUR 5 million from the Erasmus+ program and up to EUR 2 million from the Horizon 2020 program for a period of three years to start implementing their plans and pave the way for further higher education institutions in the EU. Funding from both programs is an important step towards strengthening the European Education and Research Area.

Background

European higher education institutions are transnational alliances of higher education institutions from across the EU that come together for the benefit of students, teachers and society. This initiative was launched in September 2017 in the Sorbonne speech of French President Macron, and was proposed by the European Commission to EU leaders ahead of the Gothenburg Social Summit in November 2017 as part of the overall vision of building a European Area of Education by 2025. The initiative was endorsed by the European Council in December 2017, which called for the creation of at least 20 European universities by 2024. The concept of European Universities was developed under the leadership of the European Commission in close cooperation with Member States, higher education institutions and student organisations.

The European Universities include various types of higher education institutions, ranging from universities of applied sciences to technical and art colleges in the field of film and media, as well as comprehensive and research-intensive universities. Some 280 institutions from all EU Member States and other countries are involved in these associations, which are located not only in capitals but also in more remote European regions. The individual alliances are made up of an average of seven higher education institutions. While some alliances take a holistic, multidisciplinary approach, others focus, for example, on sustainable development, health and well-being, digitization and artificial intelligence, art, engineering or space.