The Across Alliance was represented by its Alliance Coordinator, Agata Mannino, Ph, at the 4th European Universities Initiative Forum, hosted by Maynooth University under the Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU 2026 of the Council of the European Union.
🤝 The Forum brought together university and alliance leaders, policymakers, students and practitioners from across Europe to reflect on the next chapter of the European Universities Initiative and the role of alliances in shaping the future of higher education.
Throughout the discussions, one message emerged consistently: European University Alliances have moved beyond pilot projects. They are becoming long-term strategic partnerships that connect education, research, innovation and societal engagement while contributing to a stronger and more competitive European Higher Education and Research Area.
💡 Key themes included:
🔹 Sustainable and long-term investment pathways for alliances;
🔹 Deeper institutional integration and governance;
🔹 Stronger links between education, research and innovation;
🔹 Meaningful participation of students and staff;
🔹 The contribution of alliances to regional development, innovation ecosystems and European competitiveness.
🌍 For Across, these discussions strongly resonate with our shared ambition. Building a European University means not only developing joint activities across institutions, but embedding collaboration into the everyday life of our universities, strengthening connections with our regional ecosystems, and creating lasting impact for our students, researchers, staff and society.
🚀 As the European Universities Initiative continues to evolve, Across remains committed to contributing actively to this collective European endeavour and to translating ambitious policy discussions into meaningful collaboration across our alliance.
🙏 Thank you to the Irish Presidency, Maynooth University, the European Commission, and all organisers and participants for creating an inspiring space for dialogue and exchange.