Chemnitz University of Technology Becomes a European University
University alliance "Across - The European University for Cross-Border Knowledge Sharing" of ten universities from ten countries is funded by the European Union with 14.4 million euros - Chemnitz University of Technology is consortium leader
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Graphic: Across – European University for Cross-Border Knwoledge Sharing
The application of the university alliance "Across - The European University for Cross-Border Knowledge Sharing" under the coordination of Chemnitz University of Technology as part of the European Universities Initiative of the European Commission was successful. The university alliance "Across - The European University for Cross-Border Knowledge Sharing" will receive 14.4 million euros over the next four years, with around 3.1 million euros staying at Chemnitz University of Technology. As part of this alliance, Chemnitz University of Technology, together with nine partner universities at ten European locations close to borders, aims to develop a unique academic space that addresses the challenges and opportunities of living, learning and working in so-called "cross-border regions". In four of these regions, the partners bring together around 100,000 students and 10,000 employees. Ideas developed within the framework of Across for the challenges in these regions show exemplary solutions for comparable areas within the EU, in which over 200 million Europeans live.
The partners of Chemnitz University of Technology within the Across Alliance are the University of Banja Luka (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Bialystok University of Technology (Poland), Craiova University (Romania), University of Girona (Spain), University of Nova Gorica (Slovenia), University of Perpignan Via Domitia (France), University of Ruse (Bulgaria), and University of Udine (Italy). The associated partner is the Ivan Franko National University in Lviv (Ukraine).
"We are delighted to be funded by the European Commission as a European University together with our European partner universities. This contributes to the further internationalization of our university in all its areas and at the same time sends a strong signal for diversity and global publicity. I would like to thank our partner universities and all those involved at Chemnitz University of Technology, especially Vice-President Prof. Dr. Maximilian Eibl and the International University Center under the leadership of Dr. Benny Liebold, for their tremendous commitment", says Prof. Dr. Gerd Strohmeier, President of Chemnitz University of Technology.
From 2025 to 2028, the participating universities will deepen their existing cooperation at all levels of the university system. For example, internationalization and digitalization in teaching, continuing education and research are to be driven forward under sustainability and inclusion principles and joint study programmes are to be developed. "Cross-border engagement centers" are to be set up as places of cooperation between academia, companies and civil society. Furthermore, "Across Graduate Schools" are planned to enhance the qualification of master's students and doctoral candidates.
Successful Application Based on Long-standing Cooperation in the Across Alliance
More than 300 staff members from all Across universities participated last year in 16 international working groups led by TU Chemnitz, collaboratively working on the successful application under the Erasmus+ "Partnerships for Excellence" funding line. Prof. Dr. Maximilian Eibl, Vice President for Teaching and International Affairs at TU Chemnitz, explains, "The preparation of the application was challenging, and without the broad support of colleagues who contributed to the international task teams, the application could not have achieved such outstanding quality." However, TU Chemnitz has been working in the Across university alliance together with its partner universities on a common EU-level cooperation strategy for four years. During this time, numerous exchange formats such as summer schools, researcher exchanges, student mobility, and also exchanges of non-academic staff were realized.
Dr. Benny Liebold, Head of the International University Centre at Chemnitz University of Technology and Alliance Coordinator of Across, emphasizes: "The EU funding and the efforts of all partner universities to cooperate in the broad-based subject areas of the Alliance now offer a unique opportunity to strengthen the internationalization of our institutions and further increase the attractiveness of our research and study locations."
Background: European Universities Initiative
The European Universities Alliances are a flagship initiative of the European Higher Education Strategy established in 2019. By developing long-term structural, strategic and sustainable cooperation between higher education institutions, the aim is to improve the international competitiveness of Europe's universities and promote European values and identity.
Mario Steinebach
05.07.2024
