Research Snapshot: European instrument for transnational cooperation
Roadmap on a European legal instrument for transnational higher education cooperation
Published date: 28 February 2024
This is the final report of the Erasmus+ policy experimentation project ESEU ( A European Status for ECIU University). The project looked into how it can support ECIU University – and other alliances of higher education institutions such as the ‘European Universities’ – to overcome obstacles to deeper, broader, long-term, and flexible transnational cooperation through the design of a suitable institutionalised cooperation instrument at the European level. The project aimed to understand how suitable existing European legal instruments are for the needs of transnational collaborative partnerships between higher education institutions and provide recommendations on ways forward. The findings of the project are based on document analysis, interviews/ surveys/workshops with national ministries, institutional leaders, and experts.
The research is at the forefront of policy discussions on how to remove barriers in transnational cooperation between higher education institutions.
About the authors
Key findings from the research:
- A European legal status for transnational cooperation between higher education institutions will be beneficial for a variety of stakeholders, but will not be a single solution for a single problem and should not be compulsory for European University Alliances or any future form of university networks. Alliances differ in aims and scope and as a result do not have similar ambitions in terms of pooling resources and establishing joint structures.
- As they stand, existing European legal instruments enabling cooperation (e.g., European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC), Societas Europea (SE), European Cooperative Society (SCE), Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) under the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT)) are not perfectly suited to the needs of university alliances. The report underlines a number of adaptations that should be made to the EGTC to fit the needs of alliances.
- Designing a dedicated European instrument for transnational cooperation between higher education institutions would help overcome many of the obstacles that institutions face in delivering joint education, engaging in joint research and innovation, and making a joint contribution to society.
