HS Alliance
The 4EU+ Alliance 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) joins the association 4EU+ European University Alliance, formed by Charles University (Prague), Sorbonne University (Paris) and the University of Copenhagen, the University of Heidelberg, the University of Milan, University of Warsaw. The alliance’s board of directors took the decision to expand the alliance during its meeting in Heidelberg in early July 2022. This collaboration will gradually come into effect from the start of the 2022-2023 academic year. UNIGE will become a full member of the 4EU+ European University Alliance association and will contribute to the projects implemented by the alliance. The members of the alliance share common goals of quality education and cutting-edge multidisciplinary research in the service of society.
“This alliance brings together some of the most recognized universities – all members of LERU or LERU-CE7 – with whom we already collaborate closely both in teaching and in research. We will now be able to go further in our projects and strengthen the academic mobility of our students and researchers,” underlines Yves Flückiger, Rector of UNIGE. “Europe is facing complex challenges, such as the digital transformation of society or the sustainable development goals set by the United Nations. They can only be met through a multidisciplinary approach, allowing researchers to work within comprehensive networks like the one we are delighted to join today.
“With the University of Geneva, we gain a valuable strategic partner. Both in Switzerland and abroad, the University of Geneva enjoys an excellent reputation as a comprehensive, outward-looking and research-intensive university, with exceptional connections in the non-profit research landscape. university,” says Professor Bernhard Eitel, Rector of the University of Heidelberg and holder of the chair of the European University Alliance 4EU+. “Building on the existing cooperation, we intend, in the coming years, to advance joint strategic projects in the fields of education, mobility and research and to make 4EU+ an engine of innovation 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 capitals of multilateralism, UNIGE has developed a very dense network of collaborations with international and non-governmental organizations. “It thus contributes to strengthening the interface between science and policy and to putting academic skills at the service of society, in full coherence with the mission of the 4EU+ Alliance project”, notes Stéphane Berthet, Vice-Rector of UNIGE in charge of international affairs.
The European University Alliance 4EU+, originally 4EU, was founded in March 2018 by the universities of Prague, Heidelberg, Sorbonne in Paris and Warsaw, and became in October 2018 4EU+ with the addition of the universities of Copenhagen and Milano. The Alliance is one of the university alliances that received initial funding in June 2019 under the Erasmus+ “European Universities” pilot call. The vision of the 4EU+ Alliance is to create a global European research university, contributing to the construction 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.