Six European universities join to generate one of the first long-term transnational alliances for education and research

Ulysseus’ vision is to build up a European University for the citizenship of the future

Brussels, 28th January 2020

Six European universities and a large number of associated partners gathered today in Brussels to sign the Ulysseus Mission Statement. Ulysseus alliance aims to generate a long-term alliance, joint structure and strategy for education and research, linked to the priorities of the members’ regions and cities. Its goal is to contribute to competitiveness, innovation and employability, and to promote active citizenship, social inclusion, cohesion, and personal development of students and staff.

The alliance integrates the University of Seville (Spain, coordinator), the University of Genoa (Italy), the Université Cote d’Azur (France), the Management Center Innsbruck (Austria), the Technical University of Košice (Slovakia), and the Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences (Finland). But Ulysseus is more than six members, as it gathers the strong support of local councils, regional governments, as well as social and economic actors from all the six institutions involved.

"The Technical University of Košice is part of a strong consortium of six major European universities and research centres. We are very pleased with the great cohesion and involvement of members of the Ulysseus alliance. We have just signed a joint mission of our European university and we are working intensively on a project proposal. This activity enables us to see the possibility of making studies more attractive and international, connecting research and improving public services. We are delighted that our effort has the support of the city, self-governing region, regional trade and student organizations as well as clusters". /prof. Stanislav Kmeť, the Rector of TUKE/

Ulysseus will drive a systemic, structural and sustainable impact at all levels of the alliance up to 2030. This project has the potential to step-by-step transform and enhance the institutionalized cooperation among the members of the alliance and bring it to the next level.

The six founder members envisage a fully participative community where they, and their relevant associated partners, meet together to co-create joint, interdisciplinary and flexible learning entrepreneurial activities, high impact research and to turn ideas into reality. Designing and creating an inter-campus for work-based experiences and embedded mobility will enable students to freely move from one university to another, with automatic credits recognition, and to access internships experience, breaking down barriers through social inclusion programs and citizens’ engagement activities.

Members and key stakeholder associated partners

Ulysseus aspires to be more than an academic alliance. That is why the six members have gathered the support of associated partners as city halls of Seville (Spain), Nice (France), Košice (Slovakia); Andalusian regional government, Spanish Ministry of Universities, Sud Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur regional council or the Košice Self-governing Region.

But not only governments are involved in this project. Ulysseus support come also from strategic partners such as the Communauté d’Agglomération Sophia Antipolis (France), European Forum Alpbach, the Association of Austrian Universities of Applied Sciences, University Science Park TECHNICOM (Slovakia), the Košice Regional Chamber of the Slovak Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Seville Confederation of Entrepreneurs (Spain) or Andalusian Confederation of Entrepreneurs.

Students and citizens participation is one of the add values of this project and that is why representatives of students’ associations from France (Federation of Student Associations and Corporations of the Alpes Maritimes), Slovakia (BEST student organization) and Spain (University of Seville Students Association), as well as citizens’ associations, have been among the supporters and signers of Ulysseus Mission Statement.

What are European Universities?

European Universities are transnational alliances that will become the universities of the future, promoting European values and identity, and revolutionizing the quality and competitiveness of European higher education. In order to achieve this major step forward, the European Commission is testing different cooperation models for European Universities with two calls for proposals under the Erasmus+ program.

These alliances should include partners from all types of higher education institution and cover a broad geographic scope across Europe. For that purpose, they should be based upon a co-envisioned long-term strategy focussed on sustainability, excellence and European values and offer student-centred curricula jointly delivered across inter-university campuses, where diverse student bodies can build their own programs and experience mobility at all levels of study.

Member institutions should adopt a challenge-based approach according to which students, academics and external partners can cooperate in inter-disciplinary teams to tackle the biggest issues facing Europe today.

The Mission Statement explains the proposal’s fundamental purpose and joint long-term vision for education, research, innovation and society at large, to drive systemic, structural and sustainable impact at all levels of the participating institutions. This vision should go beyond the 3-year funding period, with at least a time horizon up to 2025.