The EPICUR Alliance (European Partnership for an Innovative Campus Unifying Regions) builds bridges between the creative academic communities of 8 leading European universities from Amsterdam (NL), Freiburg (DE), Karlsruhe (DE), Mulhouse (FR), Poznań (PL), Strasbourg (FR), Thessaloniki (GR), Vienna (AT), serving as intellectual hubs to both the surrounding research and innovation landscapes and beyond. EPICUR’s vision on teaching and learning as well as on research and innovation evolves to reflect societal challenges, academic and technological developments and educational innovation, preparing well-informed, open-minded and responsible European citizens capable of creating new knowledge and becoming drivers of transnational innovation. Current and future generations of students, as well as teachers, researchers and staff, will engage in interdisciplinary, multilingual, research-inspired teaching and learning as well as cutting-edge research and innovation in an inter-university campus without borders. The pilot project test responses to: establishing boundless connectivity and free movement of students and staff across the 8 European campuses, using physical and virtual mobility; nurturing multilingualism, language acquisition and intercultural awareness; developing models for innovative, student-centred teaching and learning; providing thriving frameworks for research activities, closely linked to teaching activities; establishing a European academic node and developing sustainable governance structures.The main outputs will be: a model language policy for multilingual universities; a “European Bachelor of Liberal Arts and Sciences”; an inter-university campus and learning platform based on gamification; inter-regional meta-networks, master labs, research internships, intercultural methodology; university community involvement through annual forums, ambassador programmes, challenges and festivals and a model governance structure for the alliance.
Create a virtual inter-university campus to broaden the opportunities for virtual mobility, testing a platform based on gamification. Consolidate and connect study programmes in European languages, establishing a model language policy. Expand the teaching offer in the Liberal Arts and Sciences, working towards a European Bachelor of LAS. Strengthen inter-regional meta-networks, developing master labs and research internships in partnership with societal partners and private enterprises.
The Commission proposed the European Universities initiative to European Union leaders ahead of the Gothenburg Social Summit in November 2017, as part of an overall vision for the creation of a European Education Area by 2025. The initiative was developed together with Member States, higher education institutions and student organisations. The EPICUR project, led by the University of Strasbourg, was successful in the first call of the Commission to create European university alliances in 2019.
<< Background >> The Commission proposed the European Universities initiative to European Union leaders ahead of the Gothenburg Social Summit in November 2017, as part of an overall vision for the creation of a European Education Area by 2025. The initiative was developed together with Member States, higher education institutions and student organisations. The EPICUR project, led by the University of Strasbourg, was successful in the first call of the Commission to create European university alliances in 2019. << Objectives >> Create a virtual inter-university campus to broaden the opportunities for virtual mobility, testing a platform based on gamification. Consolidate and connect study programmes in European languages, establishing a model language policy. Expand the teaching offer in the Liberal Arts and Sciences, working towards a European Bachelor of LAS. Strengthen inter-regional meta-networks, developing master labs and research internships in partnership with societal partners and private enterprises. << Implementation >> The 9 project partners have structured their work around 6 work packages between November 1, 2019 and October 31, 2022: 1. Project management 2. Fostering Multilingualism and Inclusive Governance 3. Innovative learning & teaching formats for European citizens of the future 4. Pave the way for an Inter-University Campus 5. Strengthening and connecting Regions through a European university: regional development within and between European regions 6. Sustainability and dissemination << Results >> EPICUR’s key achievement is the creation of a collaborative digital infrastructure. EPICUR has developed and run new educational formats such as the Learning Pathways, which come to life in the Inter-University Campus and the concept of flipped mobilities, providing a unique space for collaborative learning, teaching and researching. These achievements demonstrate how combining resources and competences through structured European University cooperation can transform institutions.