INITIAL PHASE OF ERASMUS + EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY PILOT PROJECTS' REALISATION AT POLISH UNIVERSITIES

Abstract

Contemporary academic education focused on the flow of thoughts, research and experiences at the international level, directs the planned strategies in the field of teaching and scientific and research development towards activities carried out in pan-European cooperation. The development of technology, as well as situations, in a way, forced by the global crisis of the pandemic, constantly profile areas of transformation in somewhat ossified university structures. Today's world generates the necessity to implement modifications not only in the area of concepts but especially in the area of educational practice, which will allow for the real implementation of innovations, creative strategies and long -term visions. Such a vision is the innovative concept of a European University — the idea of education above and beyond borders. European Universities appeared as one of the pillars of future united Europe beyond 2024 in the vision of President Macron in 2017. European Commission decided to run two calls of pilot projects within Erasmus + creating in total 41 alliances of 280 universities from whole Europe. European Universities are meant as transnational alliances that will become the universities of the future, promoting European values and identity, and revolutionising the quality and competitiveness of European higher education. This article presents different models and strategies of European University projects on selected examples of established alliances, showing the observations from the realisation in initial phase and prospects of the future. Special attention is directed on alliances with Polish universities, demonstrating obstacles and opportunities of the initial phase of realisation. Paper also refers to academic society and governmental initiatives to integrate Polish universities in European alliances and support the process of enhancing the long-term effects of those projects.

Full text

INITIAL PHASE OF ERASMUS + EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY PILOT
PROJECTS’ REALISATION AT POLISH UNIVERSITIES.
Marcin Górski, Anna Waligóra
Silesian University of Technology (POLAND)
Abstract
Contemporary academic education focused on the flow of thoughts, research and experiences at the
international level, directs the planned strategies in the field of teaching and scientific and research
development towards activities carried out in pan-European cooperation. The development of
technology, as well as situations, in a way, forced by the global crisis of the pandemic, constantly profile
areas of transformation in somewhat ossified university structures. Today's world generates the
necessity to implement modifications not only in the area of concepts but especially in the area of
educational practice, which will allow for the real implementation of innovations, creative strategies and
long-term visions. Such a vision is the innovative concept of a European University — the idea of
education above and beyond borders.
European Universities appeared as one of the pillars of future united Europe beyond 2024 in the vision
of President Macron in 2017. European Commission decided to run two calls of pilot projects within
Erasmus + creating in total 41 alliances of 280 universities from whole Europe.
European Universities are meant as transnational alliances that will become the universities of the
future, promoting European values and identity, and revolutionising the quality and competitiveness of
European higher education.
This article presents different models and strategies of European University projects on selected
examples of established alliances, showing the observations from the realisation in initial phase and
prospects of the future. Special attention is directed on alliances with Polish universities, demonstrating
obstacles and opportunities of the initial phase of realisation. Paper also refers to academic society and
governmental initiatives to integrate Polish universities in European alliances and support the process
of enhancing the long-term effects of those projects.
Keywords: European University, Erasmus +, higher education, academic leaders, transformation of
higher education, project.
1 INTRODUCTION
Over the centuries, universities – academic education in Europe played a significant role in unifying the
Old Continent; they were also a tool for developing European society and culture. Without referring to
the examples of ancient Greek concepts and significance of the Platonic Akademia, it is worth recalling
the shape and role of the first European universities with the famous Alma Mater Studiorum in Bologna,
which was the foundation of all contemporary universities and opened the gates for pan-European
science, art contributing to the building of a European community. Just this very university created giants
– pillars of Europe as Petrarca, Copernicus, Dürer or Paracelsus, who are in DNA of European identity
for all of the inhabitants of this continent, no matter if they are Italian, Polish, German or Swiss.
European leaders who in 1957 had a daring vision of creating European Economic Community by the
Treaty of Rome [1] and then continuing its realisation by the Treaty of Maastricht [2] creating European
Union (EU) in 1993 certainly understood the significance of the impact of common European education
and science. Indeed, other initiatives and acts as, for example, the Schengen Agreement [3], opening
internal boundaries had significant meaning for higher education in all aspects.
European community undertook prepared political and financial background for European science
opening Framework Programmes for Research and Technological Development in 1984 [4], a powerful
engine for European research. In consequence of Framework Programmes' successes, to enhance
European research and innovations, Lisbon Strategy from 2000 established the European Area of
Research and Innovation [5].
Parallelly to initiatives supporting European science, European educators prepared the foundation for
higher education in Europe signing Magna Charta Universitatum in 1988 [6]. The process was strongly
Proceedings of INTED2021 Conference
8th-9th March 2021
ISBN: 978-84-09-27666-0
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supported by European Ministers in charge of Higher Education creating fundamental for European
universities The Bologna Declaration in 1999 [7], which led to establishing European Higher Education
Area in 2010. European Union created powerful tools to accelerate European universities' collaboration
as Socrates, Tempus, LLP Erasmus and then Erasmus + in education. All those tools supported the
transformation of Higher Education Institutions (HEI) in Europe and significantly impacted their
modernisation and internationalisation. Thanks to those programmes and projects, each European HEI
created the informal but effective network of close institutional collaborators.
President of France, Mr Macron, in his speech on September 26, 2017, at Paris Sorbonne University,
presenting the vision of Europe beyond 2024 [8] has been certainly conscious about this fact and he
proposed to support those informal HEI alliances and created formal entities – European Universities.
His vision was endorsed by European leaders during the Gothenburg Social Summit in November 2017
and proposed to be joint as a part of the overall vision of the European Education Area to be created by
2025.
The vision became real, European Commission (EC) decided to run a special project within Erasmus +
scheme to build such first European Universities in the first phase as pilot projects, in next, perhaps –
visionary pan-European, transnational Universities boosting European education and science.
In 2019 organised the first of European University project call. Out of 54 applications, the European
Commission granted 24 proposals of alliances involving 165 HEIs from 24 EU countries. The second
call, one year later, selected next 24 alliances from 62 applications. They involved 165 HEIs from 26 EU
member states. EC announced that the European Universities Initiative will be continued and scaled up
under next Erasmus programme perspective between 2021 and 2027 [9].
Those two closed calls' total budget reached the level €205 million supporting each of 41 consortia with
€5 million for Erasmus + project. Additionally, EC plans to support realisation and implementation with
€2 million from the Horizon 2020 programme [10].
This paper aims to present European university projects' dominating strategies on selected alliances
with the Polish universities’ participation in the initial phase of realisation. Paper refers to EC initiatives
enhancing the implementation of European Universities achievements and support their realisation. It
also shows the academic society efforts and governmental initiatives to integrate Polish universities in
European alliances and support the process of enhancing the long-term effects of those projects.
2 EUROPEAN UNIVERSITIES – REALISATION PROCESS FROM POLISH
PERSPECTIVE
European Commission expects from newly created European University alliances the following:
• to include partners from all types of HEIs and cover a broad geographic scope across Europe,
• to be based upon a co-envisioned long-term strategy focussed on sustainability, excellence and
European values,
• to offer student-centred curricula of studies jointly delivered across inter-university campuses, where
students can build their programmes based on mobility at all levels of study,
• to adopt a challenge-based approach according to which students, academics and external partners
can cooperate in interdisciplinary teams to tackle the biggest issues facing Europe today [9]
2.1 Polish universities within awarded European Universities alliances
In 41 alliances, for almost 280 HEI, 11 of them are universities from Poland.
During the 1st call in 2019 following alliances with Polish HEIs were awarded:
• UNA Europa (1EUROPE), leader: Ku Leuven, Belgium; Polish partner: Uniwersytet Jagielloński
[11],
• The 4EU+ Alliance (4EU+), leader; Charles University, Czech Republic; Polish partner:
Uniwersytet Warszawski (University of Warsaw – UW) [12],
• European Partnership for an Innovative Campus Unifying Regions (EPICUR), leader: Universite
de Strasbourg, France; Polish partner: Uniwersytet im. Adama Mickiewicza w Poznaniu (Adam
Mickiewicz University – UAM) [13],
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• Fostering Outreach within European Regions, Transnational Higher Education and Mobility
(FORTHEM), leader: Johannes Gutenberg-Universitat Mainz, Germany; Polish partner:
Uniwersytet Opolski (University of Opole – UO) [14],
• The European University of the Seas (SEA-EU), leader: University of Cadiz, Spain; Polish
Partner: Uniwersytet Gdański (University of Gdańsk – UG) [15].
During the 2nd call EC granted following consortia with Polish members:
• European Universities of Technology Alliance (ENHANCE), leader: Technische Universität Berlin,
Germany; Polish partner: Politechnika Warszawska (Warsaw University of Technology – WUT)
[16],
• European University for Customised Education (EUNICE), leader: Politechnika Poznańska
(Poznań University of Technology – PUT) [17],
• The European University Alliance on Responsible Consumption and Production (EURECA-PRO);
leader: University of Leoben, Austria; Polish partner: Politechnika Śląska (Silesian University of
Technology – SUT) [18],
• Transform4Europe: The European University for Knowledge Enterpreneurs (T4E); leader:
Saarland University, Germany; Polish partner Uniwersytet Śląski (University of Silesia in Katowice
– US) [19],
• European Space University of Earth and Humanity (UNIVERSEH); leader: Akademia Górniczo-
Hutnicza in Kraków (AGH University of Science and Technology – AGH), Poland [20].
Additionally, one of the Polish universities – Uniwersytet im. Mikołaja Kopernika (Nicolaus Copernicus
University in Toruń – NUC) became a YUFE alliance member (Young Universities for the Future of
Europe) selected in the 1st call of European University. YUFE is led by Maastricht University, The
Netherlands [21].
Two of Polish universities play the role of alliance leader – PUT and AGH, both from the projects granted
in 2020.
2.2 European Universities alliances’ missions and visions
EC demanded in the call documentation defining the mission and vision of European University. The
mission statements defined by winning consortia presented:
• the joint long-term vision for education, with, where possible, links to research, innovation and
society at large, to drive systemic, structural and sustainable impact at all levels of your
institutions. This vision should go beyond the 3-year funding period, with at least a time horizon
up to 2025.
• explanation of how the alliance has the potential to step-by-step transform and enhance the
institutionalised cooperation between higher education institutions and bring it to the next level.
• explanation in this respect the unique and differentiated vision of the alliance.
To realise the established mission and visions, European Universities planned different strategies for
realising the project and their development after the project completion.
The foundation of each of the European University mission lies in creating a European inter-university
campus where students, lecturers, researchers, and staff might cooperate freely. Alliances declare
involvement in enhancing European integration in education, science, and innovation, with respect to
the local and global community's social needs, environment, and oriented toward global challenges.
It can be observed that those strategies and visions very much depend on the scale, position and
specialisation of the universities creating European University alliances. In general, the visions might be
divided into two groups:
1 Holistic – universities creating the consortium tend to collaborate as closely as possible in all
areas and fields of education and science, building the future common organisational entity to
enable those goals.
One of such alliances is 4EU+ where leading European HEI with historical meaning for global
education and science, with Sorbonne and Heidelberg, will to create a seamless infrastructure of
European University, which will integrate professors, researchers and staff from member
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institutions. 4EU+ defines 4 flagships (Health and demographic change in the urban environment;
Europe in changing world: understanding and engaging societies, economies, cultures and
languages; Transforming science and society by advancing information, computation and
communication; Biodiversity and sustainable development) but they are so widely thought, that
all of the areas of educations and research might be associated with [12].
2 Specialised – universities choosing specific areas for the cooperation, building an organisational
platform to enhance education, and future research and innovation within the selected profile.
One of such alliances is EURECA-PRO created by universities tightly connected with raw
materials, mining and technologies. EURECA-PRO has a two-fold societal and planetary mission.
On the one hand, through its novel approach, holistically contributes to the highly topical issue of
Sustainable Consumption and Production under the umbrella of Sustainable Development Goal
12. On the other hand, it effectively contributes to developing the European Higher Education
Area complimentarily to Sustainable Development Goal 4. EURECA-PRO plans to build the
virtual campus and in further perspective, virtual European University with research, innovation
and administrative bodies. Initially, the teaching activity will be focused on widely understood UN
SDG 12, to develop in future to comprehensive studies to all students [18].
Another important aspect of the strategy of the European University is the timeline. EC demanded a
description of the activities beyond the project, with the obligatory period of 3 years after project
completion. Some of the alliances planned their actions, however far beyond this time. Una Europa
project defined 17 ambitious goals integrating economic, social and environmental dimensions to be
achieved by 2030 [11]. Even further plans has EURECA-PRO, which sketches its future in consecutive
periods: 2020-23, 2024-30, 2031-40 and >2040 showing the development from the project governance
scheme into united EURECA-PRO university with its governing entities and units responsible for
administration, research, innovation and other, covering all the aspects of university functioning.
2.3 Challenges and issues
The visionary concept of international, inter-university educational body is unique in its nature. Its
realisation meets fundamental issues to be solved in mostly unknown yet, tailored ways depending on
many factors. For all of the educators specialised in international mobility it is evident that even the core
of this vision rises many difficult to solve problems as methods of studies, recognition of effects of
studies, crediting and evaluation system, integrations of curricula, length and organisation of studies,
joint degrees, accreditations, education within regulated professions and many others, in theory
secondary, but fundamental – the language of studies or the fee in the countries where education is not
free. Those mentioned above issues disabled many joint educational initiatives.
The second group of problems is related to organisation, administration and governance of such inter-
institutional entity. Each pilot project has its way sketched in the awarded application, from theoretically
the most straightforward – independent structure into different forms of depending bodies, foundations,
associations, etc. Who should govern and administrate such entity? It is unknown yet. Various formats
are proposed and discussed, starting from independent rector/president and finishing on collective
Boards of Rectors of alliance members institutions.
The third group of problems is connected to sustainability and finances. It is, without a doubt, the crucial
issue for the alliances. It is strictly associated with another critical group of problems – legal issues.
Each member university, recruited from 26 EU Member States, functions in, not the easy legal and
financial reality of its own country. There are fundamental differences in financing universities in each
country. In some countries as in Poland, free education in all its levels, including academic, is granted
by the Constitution. On the contrary, in some other countries, students have to pay, sometimes high,
fee, the university budget's foundation. State universities in some countries are not allowed by the
national law to resign any part of their autonomy, in this, also financial, to support or create new
educational bodies.
Listed above constraints refer not only to education but also to research and innovations produced by
each university. European Universities are meant as full-dimension universities running their policies in
science and development. How will the issues connected with intellectual property, scientific research
risks and profits entrepreneurship activity and others no less crucial, be solved? None of the analysed
alliances has a clear vision at this moment.
Also, the EC has no clear answers and tools yet. They shall be elaborated on the base of those 41
European University projects, their proposals, experiences and results.
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Europe witnesses one of the most exciting educational, but also a social experiment. These pilot
projects' results may shift the concept of higher education in Europe into another dimension, which might
cause a shift in the global picture of Academia.
2.4 European Universities projects realisation – the actual state in Poland
The first group of European Universities were funded from June 2019 to January 2020. Unfortunately,
due to the pandemic situation, they had no chance to initially follow the set plan of actions for most of
their realisation. Alliances form the 2nd call started the realisation since the end of 2020, facing the
pandemic reality. Nevertheless, universities from both groups, despite this challenging situation,
disabled mobility, the lockdown of countries and closed universities were able to organise themselves
and realise projects based on virtual activities.
The initial phase of project realisation's main activities was connected with the project governance and
administrative structures' internal organisation.
The projects' governance structures are similar, although differ slightly with names of bodies and their
functions in each of the projects.
Most of the projects established the following entities:
- Project Management Board,
- Lead Coordinator,
- Board of Rectors,
- Steering Committee,
- External Advisory Board/Council,
- WP Leaders and WP Staff,
- Dissemination Team,
- Education Council,
- Research Council/Research Task Force,
- Innovation Council,
- Communication Task Force,
- Student-Centred Co-Creation Group,
- Languages Center.
The second area of activities is related to preparatory of joint education. Alliances perform profound
analyse of possible joint courses and forms of teaching, creating the background for future collaborative
forms of teaching, as:
- pilot journeys of students,
- pilot stages of staff,
- workshops,
- staff weeks,
- summer and winter schools,
- joint Project Based Learning actions for students,
- joint Bachelor courses,
- joint Master courses,
- joint doctorate,
- joint micro-credentials,
- joint MOOC courses,
- other innovative forms of teaching, also together with socio-economic, cultural, industrial
environment stakeholders.
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Alliances actively cooperate with municipal, regional and governmental authorities and other important
stakeholders as representatives of entrepreneurship organisations, professional chambers,
international organisations and NGO, promoting European Universities' vision as the future of European
Education and lobbying for facilitating the realisation of this vision. Polish universities – members of
European University alliances started the collaboration, organising consultations and conferences, and
announcing a formal platform or entity for further joint actions.
An essential element of the dissemination of the project is internal promotional activities allowing
professors, students and staff familiarising with this initiative, to prepare the foundation for the future
changes, to build the consciousness and openness for the opportunities the future may bring.
2.5 Cooperation between Polish members of European Universities projects
Initially, Polish universities – a member of European Universities alliances started informal cooperation
consulting bilaterally actual problems in formal and legal issues. With time, especially after the
announcement about the second call's results, the informal network grew and became more active. A
special role in the integration of Polish member universities played city of Poznań with two universities
awarded with the European University projects: UAM with EPICUR and PUT as the leader of EUNICE.
Those two universities started a dialogue, sharing their experiences and supporting in solving the
problems. Both partners were supported by local, municipal authorities, creating a unique environment
for realising the daring vision of European University. The dialogue was proposed to other Polish
universities and propagated into national level connecting all Polish universities involved in the project.
The dialogue was also supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Poland.
December 17, 20202, UAM together with Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education organised
the first edition of, announced as a cyclic event, the conference titled: European Universities: Polish
experiences and perspectives.
The official program of the conference focused on the following aspects:
- The European University as a response to the challenges for higher education in Europe.
- Cooperation between the city and the European university.
- Polish students at European universities.
Nevertheless, during the panel part, the panellists and audience vividly discussed mostly the reality and
the future of European Universities in Poland, sustainability, legal and financial issues, national support
for the initiative in terms of legislation and funding.
Participants of the conference declared the will to continue the dialogue and formalise the group into a
more formal entity, perhaps, association or foundation in the future [22].
2.6 European and national support of European University initiative in Poland
European Commission decided to undertake additional actions to support ‘European Universities’, in
between with two additional Horizon 2020 actions: H2020-IBA-SwafS-Support-1-2020 (Support for the
Research and Innovation Dimension of European Universities (Part I) [23] and H2020-IBA-SwafS-
Support-2-2020 (Support for the Research and Innovation Dimension of European Universities (Part II)
[Cordis 24]. EC predicted the support at the height of €2 million for each of the alliances.
The purpose of the Horizon 2020 support is to further contribute to the research and innovation
dimension of the 24 ‘European Universities’, in line with their shared, integrated, long-term joint strategy
and synergy with their education dimension the alliances as mentioned earlier as a testbed.
The Alliances were invited to propose their institutional transformation agenda based on this guidance
and adapt it to the specific aspects of the universities involved; where appropriate, concrete research
and innovation actions should be implemented in pilots or study cases; are strongly encouraged to
identify additional funding sources to implement activities at national and European level.
The support will focus on the following indicative list of modules in the field of research and innovation:
• developing a joint research and innovation agenda and action plan,
• strengthening human capital, enabling balanced brain circulation and gender balance,
• sharing research infrastructures and other resources,
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• reinforcing cooperation with non-academic actors, esp. academia-business cooperation,
• mainstreaming of comprehensive Open Science practices,
• the involvement of citizens, civil society and public/cities authorities in research and innovation,
• exploring joint structures across the European Universities on technical activities common to all
‘European Universities’, facilitating collaboration in activities, obstacles, and solutions that could
be common to all alliances, as well as clustering activities to share best practices on research
and innovation [23].
Expected impact of those actions should bring tangible progress towards a common institutional
transformation of universities (e.g. via pilots or study cases), next to the identification of a variety of
successful models for modernisation/transformation at research and innovation level in line with the
shared, integrated, long-term joint strategy of the ‘European Universities’ and synergy with their
education dimension, towards the future of universities in Europe. Such models should facilitate future
synergies between Horizon Europe and the Erasmus+ Programme [24].
Also, the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education decided to support the action with additional
funds for the realisation of European University visions in Poland. Polish government decided to
increase the amount of subsidies from financial resources to develop teaching and research potential
for Polish universities participating in European University projects. Polish universities from the 2nd call
received together over PLN 4,6 million (over €1 million) in 2020.
EC and the Polish government's help does not limit additional funding and focuses on legislative and
administrative initiatives as initiated consultations for concept European degree or EU Student ID.
3 CONCLUSIONS
European University Initiative presented as a concept by President Macron in 2017 and taken over by
other European leaders during Gothenburg Social Summit started to realise in 2019 with the first call of
European University project within Erasmus + programme. In two calls 41 alliances were selected to
start the pilot 36 months project granted with €5 million with the additional support of €2 million for each
of consortia from H2020 SwafS projects.
Among 280 HEI from 26 EU Member States, 11 recruits from Poland. This paper presents those
consortia, presenting their achievements, problems and issues from the initial phase of projects
realisation. Paper also presents the initiatives of EC and the Polish government enhancing the initiative.
Alliances with Polish member universities cooperate with municipal, regional authorities and other
important stakeholders that significantly support academic society. Polish universities participating in
this pilot initiative, supported by the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education started cooperation
together, which was opened with the Conference titled: “European Universities: Polish experiences and
perspectives”. This informal movement is a base for announced formal entity, which will lobby for
adjusting the legislation and funding schemes to enhance the project's realisation and boost its results
shifting Polish Academia into the future.
European University consortia proposed different visions of their universities of the future. Some of them
are founded on the holistic approach, tending to implement complete daily cooperation in inter-university
campus created out of member universities and transformed into a new academic institution. Some
others focused on specialised profiles, choosing defined, limited areas of unified collaboration – as
Eureca-Pro consortium concerning United Nation SDG 12 and SDG 4 goals. Each of the consortia
predicts own timeline for reaching the final level of the integration – some with the perspective of 3 years,
and some others carefully draw this date for 2040.
Projects realisation crashed with the pandemic era when universities are forced to work remotely, and
all mobility is suspended for many months. Projects are being realised virtually. Initial works are focused
on organising projects to build governance structure for project management and administration of
virtual inter-university campus for each consortium. At the same time alliances analyse member
universities academic offer and plan innovative, various joint forms of education for students of all of the
tiers of studies. A vital element of the projects is internal promotional action directed to own students,
professors and staff.
Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, said: "I am very
pleased to see that a diverse range of higher education institutions from all Member States and beyond
are now involved in the 41 European Universities. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that deeper
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cooperation across borders, disciplines and cultures is the only way to recover from the crisis and build
resilience. These European Universities are a key building block for the European Education Area.” [25].
When, in 2017, this idea was expressed for the first time, it seemed a utopic vision. After 3 years, there
are still many unanswered questions, not solved problems and issues, but the vision materialises on the
world's eyes. Next 3 years of project realisation and first attempts to implement their results in the form
of international virtual campuses of European Universities shall bring the answers and solutions. The
first phase, especially during the era of the pandemic, proves it is a challenging, complex process, but
doubtless, we witness a shifting point in European education and science.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Authors express their gratitude to Project Management Center at the Silesian University of Technology.
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