On 9th July, the European Commission announced the results of the latest “European Universities” call for proposals. Among the winning projects is 4EU+ FUTURE, which has been awarded funding of nearly €4 million. This is now the third initiative by the 4EU+ Alliance to be recognised by the European Commission under the Erasmus+ programme. The University of Warsaw has been a member of the consortium since its inception in 2019.
The 4EU+ Alliance comprises eight European research universities: the University of Warsaw, Heidelberg University, Charles University in Prague, the University of Copenhagen, the University of Milan, the Jagiellonian University, the University of Geneva and the University of Paris-Panthéon-Assas.
In June 2019, the Alliance received a grant under the European Commission’s “European Universities” pilot call, funded by the Erasmus+ programme. At that time, the European Commission selected 17 out of 54 university consortia to receive funding for the development of cooperation in the fields of education, research, technology transfer and mobility.
In 2022, the 4EU+ Alliance committed to further deepening this cooperation by developing the One Comprehensive European Research University (1CORE) project, which also received funding from the European Commission.
Looking to the future
In March 2026, the Alliance submitted another application under the “European Universities” call for proposals of the Erasmus+ programme, this time for the project Fostering Universities’ Transformation for Upscaling Research-based Education (4EU+ FUTURE). The initiative was awarded funding of €3.78 million for the period 2026–2028. This funding will enable the implementation of the 4EU+ strategic action plan in the coming years.
The Alliance has entered a new phase of development, moving from laying the foundations for its activities to systemic integration. Eight European universities have established, amongst others, joint governance structures, a shared digital campus, interdisciplinary flagship programmes, and educational and mobility projects.
The main objectives of the 4EU+ FUTURE project:
- to strengthen international cooperation, including in the areas of governance, the quality of education and research, digital infrastructure and mobility;
- to expand research-based education – which is interdisciplinary and geared towards addressing contemporary challenges – at undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral levels, as well as within the framework of lifelong learning, in line with the 4EU+ flagship programmes;
- promoting lifelong learning through flexible learning pathways, joint study programmes, various mobility schemes and micro-qualifications;
- strengthening the impact of the 4EU+ Alliance on European higher education.
The 4EU+ FUTURE project will be carried out by Charles University in Prague (Czech Republic), the Sorbonne University (France), the University of Copenhagen (Denmark), Heidelberg University (Germany), Paris-Panthéon-Assas University (France), the University of Milan (Italy) and the University of Warsaw.
The University of Geneva, a full member of the 4EU+ Alliance and one of the associated partners, will participate in project activities with financial support from the Swiss government agency Movetia. 4EU+ FUTURE has received support from a total of 24 associated partners, including regional authorities, businesses and non-governmental organisations.
Further information is available on the 4EU+ Alliance website: 4euplus.eu >>
