Dear members of the Across community,
At the beginning of 2026, I would like to wish you all a successful and inspiring new year and to express my sincere appreciation for what Across has achieved in its first official year as a European University alliance.
In a remarkably short time, Across has made significant progress. Colleagues at our nine partner institutions have worked with great dedication to connect our universities in areas such as inclusion and sustainability, innovative joint teaching formats, staff and teacher development, and the internationalisation of curricula. Important steps have also been taken to link research infrastructures, including key preparatory work for the Across Doctoral School.
Several highlights illustrate this dynamic development. The HDS Forum 2025 in Chemnitz, supported by Across, brought together European experts to exchange ideas on teaching innovation. The Across Open Science Week in October 2025 showcased the impact of Open Science across all partner universities, while the launch of the Across Think Tank created a new space for strategic dialogue within the alliance.
Looking ahead to 2026, we will further expand our joint teaching offers for staff, students and citizens. Across Summer Schools will take place, the Across Teacher Academy will be launched, additional staff training opportunities will be provided, and our universities will continue to engage with their regions through the Across Border Engagement Centers. At the same time, we will strengthen cooperation with other European University alliances.
Across stands for collaboration, shared responsibility and a common vision for the future of higher education in Europe. I thank all colleagues, students and partners for their commitment and invite you to continue shaping Across together in the year ahead.
With kind regards,
Professor Gerd Strohmeier
Speaker of the Rectors’ Board and
President of Chemnitz University of Technology
