The European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder) is financially supported as a “European University” and member of the European Reform University Alliance (ERUA). It is thus one of ten German universities newly selected for funding. This was announced by the European Commission as part of the current selection round of the “European Universities” programme. A total of 51 German universities are part of such a funded alliance.
The European Reform University Alliance will receive a total of 12.8 million euros for a period of four years. This is the second time that the alliance, which stretches from France via Denmark and Poland to Bulgaria and Greece, has received funding as a “European University”. The goal of the European Reform University Alliance is to innovatively shape the future of universities in Europe, rethinking teaching and learning as well as research and social engagement from a critical, European and inclusive perspective.
The European University Viadrina receives 2.25 million euros for the duration of four years. It is responsible for the area of “Student Engagement”, one of a total of eight working areas.
The European University Viadrina initially joined the European Reform University Alliance in November 2022 as an associate member and has since co-authored the application, which has now been approved. With the approval of the application, the European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder) will become a full member of the Alliance.
The President of the European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder), Prof. Dr. Eduard Mühle: “We are very pleased about our full membership in the European Reform University Alliance and the funding from the European Commission. For us as the European University Viadrina, which sees itself as a reform university, it is both an award and an incentive to contribute our European expertise as an innovative and inclusive university and to further strengthen our international research collaborations and mobility opportunities for all members of our university.“
About the European University Viadrina:
For more than 30 years, the university in the twin city of Frankfurt-Słubice has been a place where Europe is lived. Academics and students work together to scientifically address questions about Europe’s future. The Viadrina is committed to interdisciplinarity in its research as well as in its degree programmes. Viadrina thrives on its internationality, which far exceeds the framework of Europe: Around 5,000 students from more than 100 countries come together here. Adopting different perspectives is part of Viadrina’s self-image. Viadrina maintains diverse and intensive partnerships with Poland and beyond to Central and Eastern Europe, as well as with more than 250 partner universities worldwide.
About European Reform University Alliance (ERUA):
The European University Network has existed since 2019 and initially united five universities: Université Paris 8 (France), Roskilde Universitet (Denmark), the University of Konstanz, the University of the Aegean (Greece) and the New Bulgarian University. In November 2022, in addition to the European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder), the University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Warsaw, the Universidad de las Palmas in Gran Canaria and the University di Macerata Italy joined as associate members. The association’s self-image states: “We share the view of universities as creative places of innovative education and competence development, research cooperation and international and intercultural encounters within the framework of a common long-term vision and shared structures. We understand diversity and engagement as a promise and create a more just, open and inclusive society.“
For further informationen on European Reform University Alliance (ERUA) please visit https://erua-eui.eu (external link!).
On the background “European universities”:
The “European Universities” go back to an idea of the French President Emmanuel Macron from 2017. As cross-border university networks, they are intended to strengthen the European Higher Education Area by pooling the strengths and diversity of research and teaching at universities in Europe. Currently, around 8.5 percent of all higher education institutions in Europe are members of a higher education association.