The CIVIS European Universities’ Alliance has the ambitious objectives of developing a true sense of civic identity in a new generation of European students, and of performing a quantum leap in the attractivity of its members’ educational, innovation and research programs. A transnational collaboration of eight universities located in eight different European states, CIVIS brings together some 384 000 students and 55 000 staff members. This critical mass of human resources will pool its experiences and capacities to create a University Alliance of the future, a space for innovative and responsible teaching, research, cultural exchanges and citizen actions within Europe. The Alliance will also deeply engage with the world and its people including the Mediterranean and African regions, which are at the core of our global strategy.We will devote our resources to addressing major challenges at local, European and international levels: (1) Health; (2) Cities, Territories, Mobilities; (3) Climate, Environment, Energy; (4) Digital and Technological Transformations; (5) Society, Cultures, Heritage. At the local level, these challenges echo several of our regions’ Smart Specialisation Strategies, and will be addressed through grassroots, participative, intersectoral Open Labs in each territory. At the global level, the challenges will serve to form thematic Hubs that will foster the creation of shared innovative learning pathways and research collaborations between the partners, incorporating Mediterranean and African institutions. CIVIS learning will provide students with the forward-looking and entrepreneurial skills required to evolve and adapt in the fast-changing world. Inclusive student mobility and the development of innovative teaching methods based on the knowledge triangle are intrinsic to these activities. Beyond the period of the project, we will ensure the sustainability of our alliance and give CIVIS its own legal status with an organisational structure.
The objectives of CIVIS are to: 1. significantly increase all types of mobilities for students and staff among its members, 2. accelerate and support the digitalisation of education through the development of a digital campus, 3. set up CIVIS Modules and make the recognition of credits automatic among our universities,4. establish joint and interdisciplinary educational programs through its challenge-based hubs working on major societal issues,5. Deepen cooperation at all levels.
CIVIS is a European university Alliance of 10 leading research universities: Aix-Marseille Université, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, University of Bucharest, Université libre de Bruxelles, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Sapienza Università di Roma, Stockholm University, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, the University of Glasgow and Paris Lodron University of Salzburg. It brings together over 470,000 students and 58,000 staff including 35,000 academics and researchers.
<< Background >> CIVIS is a European university Alliance of 10 leading research universities: Aix-Marseille Université, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, University of Bucharest, Université libre de Bruxelles, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Sapienza Università di Roma, Stockholm University, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, the University of Glasgow and Paris Lodron University of Salzburg. It brings together over 470,000 students and 58,000 staff including 35,000 academics and researchers. << Objectives >> The objectives of CIVIS are to: 1. significantly increase all types of mobilities for students and staff among its members, 2. accelerate and support the digitalisation of education through the development of a digital campus, 3. set up CIVIS Modules and make the recognition of credits automatic among our universities,4. establish joint and interdisciplinary educational programs through its challenge-based hubs working on major societal issues,5. Deepen cooperation at all levels. << Implementation >> Since 2019, members of CIVIS have laid the ground for solid cooperation through the launch of several call for projects, designed by the Hubs, enabling academics to test new forms of joint teaching and student mobility including blended and virtual. The local Open Labs of each member university developed and supported projects fostering student engagement and synergies with socio-economic stakeholders. Strategic partnerships were established with 6 major universities of the African continent. << Results >> In this 1st phase, 5 hubs were established, over 200 educational activities were developed and over 1400 mobilities either physical, hybrid or virtual took place. Innovative pedagogies workshops and resources supported academics to further develop their capacities to create new forms of teaching. 40 local projects received seed-funding from the Alliance. 6 memoranda of understanding were signed between the African partners and CIVIS, with 13 pilot collaborations set up in that area.