Warwick-backed European alliance of universities is granted legal status at European Parliament event
A ground-breaking alliance of ten European universities – including the University of Warwick – has been granted legal status as a not-for-profit institution during an event at the European Parliament.
The move formalises the EUTOPIA partnership between the universities, who work together to find solutions to major societal challenges through collaborative research, increased mobility of students and staff, and advocating for innovation.
The signing will take place at the European Parliament during the academic opening session of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, one of the founding members of the alliance.
EUTOPIA provides opportunities for researchers, educators, students, and professional services staff from the University of Warwick to connect with their counterparts from across the alliance to develop new projects, collaborate on research and share knowledge. One example is Connected Learning Communities, which give students the opportunity to study a range of topics, including public health, artificial intelligence, and multilingualism, across borders.
Caitlyn Scott, postgraduate representative for the EUTOPIA student council at the University of Warwick said: "The interdisciplinary and international values and approaches that are central to the University of Warwick, ultimately inspired me to join the EUTOPIA student council. Joining EUTOPIA is broadening my understanding of global systems, countries and cultures."
Warwick has worked closely with European partners since Brexit including through the Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities and welcomes around 3,000 students from Europe each year. As a founding member of the EUTOPIA University alliance, Warwick plays an active role in European higher education, research and innovation.
Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Stuart Croft said: "By formalising this ground-breaking partnership, we can embrace the rich diversity of perspectives and experiences from across our institutions to address the major challenges we're all facing. Our collective goal is not just to share knowledge but to create new opportunities through collaboration and push the boundaries of what is possible.
"Only recently, the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the UK was re-joining of the Horizon scheme during a visit to our campus. At Warwick, we're passionate about fostering international collaboration not just in Europe but all over the world."
Alongside the University of Warwick, the following are members of the EUTOPIA network: Babes-Bolyai University (Romania), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium), Ca' Foscari Venice (Italy), CY Cergy Paris Université (France), Technische Universität Dresden (Germany), University of Gothenburg (Sweden), University of Ljubljana (Slovenia), NOVA University Lisbon (Portugal), Universitat Pompeu Fabra Barcelona (Spain).
