UNIGE joins the European University Alliance 4EU+
The Alliance 4EU+ is part of the European Universities Initiative, supported by the European Commission. It paves the way for increased academic mobility.
The University of Geneva (UNIGE) is joining the 4EU+ European University Alliance Association, formed by Charles University (Prague), Sorbonne University (Paris), and the University of Copenhagen, University of Heidelberg, University of Milan, University of Warsaw. The alliance’s governing board made the decision to expand the alliance at its meeting in Heidelberg in early July 2022. This collaboration will gradually enter into force from the start of the 2022-2023 academic year. UNIGE will become a full member of the 4EU+ European University Alliance Association and contribute to the projects implemented by the alliance. The members of the alliance share common goals of high quality teaching and cutting-edge multidisciplinary research at the service of society.
“This alliance brings together some of the most widely recognised universities – all of them are members of LERU or LERU-CE7– with whom we already work closely both in teaching and research. We will now be able to take our projects one step further and strengthen academic mobility for our students and researchers,”emphasises Yves Flückiger, Rector of the UNIGE. “Europe is facing complex challenges, like the digital transformation of society or the sustainable development goals set forth by the United Nations. They can only be met through a multidisciplinary approach, allowing researchers to work within comprehensive networks such as the one we are delighted to join today.”
“With the University of Geneva, we are gaining a valuable strategic partner. Both in Switzerland and internationally, the University of Geneva enjoys an excellent reputation as an outward-looking, research-intensive comprehensive university with outstanding connections in the non-university research landscape,” says Prof. Dr Bernhard Eitel, Rector of Heidelberg University and Chair of the 4EU+ European University Alliance. “Building on existing cooperation, we intend, in the coming years, to advance common strategic projects in the areas of education, mobility and research and to establish 4EU+ as an innovation driver on the European and international educational scene.”
Academic expertise at the service of society
Taking advantage of its unique location in the heart of international Geneva, one of the world’s capitals for multilateralism, the UNIGE has developed a very dense network of collaborations with international and non-governmental organisations. “It thus helps to strengthen the interface between science and politics and to put academic skills at the service of society, in full coherence with the mission of the 4EU+ Alliance project,” notes Stéphane Berthet, UNIGE’s vice-rector in charge of international affairs.
The 4EU+ European University Alliance, originally 4EU, was founded in March 2018 by the universities of Prague, Heidelberg, Sorbonne in Paris and Warsaw, and in October 2018 became 4EU+ with the addition of the universities of Copenhagen and Milan. The Alliance is one of the university alliances that had received initial funding in June 2019 under the Erasmus+ pilot call “European Universities”. The vision of the 4EU+ Alliance is to create One Comprehensive Research European University, contributing to the building up of the European Education Area by 2025 and beyond
The University of Geneva is a member of various European research networks, including the League of European Research Universities (LERU) and the Coimbra Group.
26 Jul 2022