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get to know eciu
in brussels

ECIU is a strong advocate in Brussels for innovative universities. We believe that close collaboration across Europe between cities and regions, businesses, and citizens, coupled with bold educational innovations are essential for our learners, teachers, researchers and society in general.

ECIU works together with European stakeholders, policy makers, politicians and opinion leaders to further develop innovative universities. e.g. in European knowledge programmes, like Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe.

ECIU has an office in Brussels, headed by Olga Wessels, to closely follow-up on all the latest EU programmes and R&I Policy developments. In addition, we also have an expert group on R&I Policy and Programmes' with our institutional experts. Within the network, ECIU members seek joint action towards the European institutions to influence the debate on European funding programmes and policy. Here, ECIU with its specific profile can offer a unique view on the needs for modern and innovative universities.

Topics we work in

The European Universities Initiative and our ECIU University
Learn moreSmart Regions
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Education innovation through technology transformation and micro-credentials
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Innovating European Research & Innovation policies and programmes
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The ESEU-project

The ESEU-project, of which all ECIU members and many of their national authorities are a partner, will test a possible European legal status for higher education institutions to simplify international cooperation and advice European policy-makers about shaping future policies in this field. The project will report on the legal implications, benefits, challenges and feasibility of the European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC), the European Cooperative Society (SCE), the Societas Europea (SE) and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT).

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ECIU University:
A European University

At the core of the ECIU University is the challenge-based approach where multi-disciplinary teams work on real-life challenges and co-develop ideas and solutions. ECIU University adopted a challenge-based approach cross-cutting activity in Education, Research and Innovation, a novelty at the European level.

In the pilot phase (2019-2022), we have sourced over 160 cases for European wide challenges from over 100 providers. More than 600 learners worked on challenges on real-life problems, and more than 150 teachers co-created the ECIU University offers.

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Our Engagement

Joint Consortium Responses and Position Papers

Expert Groups

The ECIU Expert Group R&I Policy and Programmes (R&I Group) represents all member universities and is open to all research managers and administrators providing research and innovation services, i.e. funding, in ECIU.

The current members are:

Ulla Egidiussen Egekvis, Aalborg University
‍Luísa Fernandes, University of Aveiro
‍Nuria Claver, Autonomous University of Barcelona
‍Sophie Ball & Emma McGrath, Dublin City University
‍Monica Schofield, Hamburg University of Technology
‍Laure Fabre, Sebastièn Leveneur, INSA Group
‍Vilma Karobliené, Kaunas University of Technology
‍Agnieszka Tiele, Lodz University of Technology
Agneta Jansson, Linköping University
‍Antonio Pita Szczesniewski, TEC de Monterrey
‍Kyrre Aas, Stavanger University
‍Jörg Langwaldt, Tampere University (Chair)
Barbara Zamboni & Elisa Fancello, University of Trento

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The ECIU Expert Group Educational Cooperation Policy and Programmes (EduCo Group) is open to all Erasmus+ managers and administrators working on external funding support from member universities of ECIU.

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The current members are:

Sophie Ball, Dublin City University (Chair)
‍Olga Faberland, University of Stavanger
‍Xavier Biarnés, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
‍Laure Fabre, INSA Toulouse
‍Kirsi Hasanen, Tampere University
‍Viviana Caldara, University of Trento
‍Nicole Frei, Hamburg University of Technology
Alves Ruben, Universidade de Aveiro
‍Sophie Ball, Dublin City University
‍Vilma Karobliene, Kaunas University of Technology
‍Nils Peter Terp Uhre, Aalborg Universitet
‍Dorota Piotrowska, Lodz University of Technology
Buunk Luuk, University of Twente
Montoya Bayardo Miguel Angel, Tec de Monterrey

The aims of both groups are to:

Foster best-practice exchange (in R&I and in Educational Cooperation)
Support ECIU initiatives related to EU affairs
Strategic foresight and proactive identification of funding opportunities and coordinate joint proposals
Gain and share intelligence
Support bottom-up initiatives of academic staff members of ECIU Universities for research /educational proposals or initiate project applications for calls that are using ECIU as a framework

Strategic European Projects Office

What is SEPO

SEPO is a platform to pool expertise for all external grants and funding opportunities relating to ECIU University priorities and needs according to the Vision 2030 and the ECIU thematic action plans.

It is composed of:

Members of the Research & Innovation (R&I) Group and of the Educational Cooperation Policy and Programmes (EduCo) Group[PL(S1] ;
European Funding Adviser.
It has a SEPO core team, composed of the European funding adviser, the two chairs of the ECIU expert groups R&I and Edu, and the head of the ECIU Brussels office. The latter links the operations of SEPO with the Brussels networks and the European Commission through lobbying and information-sharing efforts.

Aims of SEPO

SEPO has the following aims:

to pool expertise for all external grants and funding opportunities relating to ECIU University priorities and needs according to the Vision 2030 and the ECIU thematic action plans
to scout for funding opportunities
to provide strategic support decisions for project development, and lead initiatives for R& I and educational project proposals in line with the Vision 2030 and the ECIU thematic action plans
to provide a competence centre for training, capacity building, and project management communities
to act as a lobbying mechanism towards the EU and national level regarding funding and financial investments, in close cooperation with the ECIU Brussels office.
Through the R&I and Edu group, to support bottom-up initiatives of academic staff “making use” of the ECIU as a framework and using it to prove the sustainable, long-term collaboration of the project, and for projects which support the research or education agenda

For information, please contact laura.paternoster@eciu.eu‍

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