The pan-European conference 'Towards a Stronger Europe: Franco-German-Irish Perspectives on the Future of European University Alliances' held in Dublin on 27 May 2025 showcased strong cross-national collaboration between Ireland, France, and Germany in advancing a more integrated and inclusive European Higher Education Area. European University Alliances create integrated campuses where students, staff, and researchers can move seamlessly across borders to study, teach, train, and collaborate.
ECIU University was proudly represented by colleagues from Dublin City University (John Doyle, Paula Murray, Sophie Ball and Olivia Daly) and the Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (Laure Fabre and Herve Folliot).
John Doyle and Laure Fabre co-presented ECIU University on the panel session ‘How European Alliances can contribute to the challenges of Research, Competitiveness and Sovereignty’.
The event highlighted the three countries’ commitment to the European University Alliances Initiative through significant institutional participation and funding. A total of 65 French higher education institutions are currently involved in 54 alliances. To sustain and reinforce this engagement, the French government has mobilised significant national resources, allocating €100 million since 2019; Germany has provided substantial funding through the DAAD and national programmes, enabling 67 German universities to actively contribute to these alliances; and the Irish government, through the Higher Education Authority has allocated over €10.35 million to support participation by 14 higher education institutions.
Hosted by the French and German Embassies in Ireland, with support from the Irish Universities Association and the Technological Universities Association, the conference brought together representatives from 29 universities, the European Commission, and national education bodies. Speakers and participants highlighted the critical role these alliances play in strengthening academic cooperation, democratic resilience, and European integration. Key elements such as the Union of Skills, the European Degree label, joint degrees, mobility and student engagement were discussed. The strategic importance of FOREU4ALL, a community of practice coordinated by ECIU, which brings together all European University alliances, was also highlighted.
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD commented:
“I am delighted to join with Irish and International colleagues today to highlight and celebrate, the work of the European University Alliances. These are networks which, by their nature, drive creativity, collaboration, and innovation, strengthening the fabric of higher education across Europe. At their heart, they represent the true spirit of the European project: not just economic cooperation, but a shared commitment to peace, understanding, and people. Research, innovation, education and skills are central to that project, and as Minister, I will continue to lead and invest in these areas, particularly as we prepare to assume the EU Presidency in 2026”.
H.E. Céline Place, French Ambassador to Ireland said
“As President Macron recalled in the speech that he gave at the Sorbonne in September 2017, universities are at the heart of Europe’s ambition to be stronger, more sovereign, and more united. 8 years on, this trilateral dialogue between France, Ireland and Germany is a concrete step towards that vision of universities as political forces towards the construction of a Europe of knowledge, cooperation and shared values”.
H.E. David Gill, German Ambassador to Ireland remarked:
“European University Alliances are not just an academic initiative – they are more: a bold vision for the future of knowledge, collaboration, and identity in the European Union. Germany has embraced this vision wholeheartedly”.
