Catalysing change through a shared mission: Education and prosperity for the regions we serve
This above mentioned context in which we live in, is what brought us together. AcrossEU recognises that many of the most pressing problems and complex scenarios require a collective approach far beyond the capacity of any single institution. Collaborating closely, we intend to enhance our innovative capacities and adaptability, turning individual strengths into a strong, purpose-driven collective. Through pooling our resources and expertise, we leverage our collective strengths and enhance our competitiveness in securing funding and resources. And by sharing best practices, we create a ripple effect, strengthening our alliance and cultivating a resilient, dynamic, interconnected academic community.
Our collective mission extends beyond merely reacting to the changes around us; it involves developing the ability to take part in and shape socio-economic transitions, creating resilience in the face of an uncertain future. We want to establish AcrossEU as a leading alliance model that elevates our individual calls as responsible universities to the level of what a European University can be: regionally rooted, societally responsible, academically ambitious, and strategically aligned with Europe’s most urgent transitions.
Work towards these shared ambitions is well underway, as shown by three consecutive Seals of Excellence, twenty-five joint ventures targeting students and staff, and an engaged Executive Board that steadily drives the alliance forward.
Together, we aim for education and prosperity for the vitality of the regions we serve, under common European values.
Lighthouse Themes: Guiding AcrossEU’s collective focus
Our Lighthouse Themes target major societal issues, identified as critical areas of focus due to their transformative impact and proximity with daily concerns of AcrossEU members and their connection to UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. These themes are not just areas of concentration; they are beacons that guide our collective efforts and energies. By focusing on these themes, AcrossEU addresses global and current challenges, offering contextually relevant and impactful avenues for action.
For the initial phase of AcrossEU, four themes, as presented below, have been selected, through a collaborative process that involved assessing global challenges and aligning them with the research strengths of our members. Their number will not remain static: True to our mission, and as global dynamics shift and new challenges emerge, we acknowledge that our focus may need to adapt. New themes will be identified, ensuring that AcrossEU remains at the forefront of addressing the most pressing issues of our time.
In addressing the themes, we employ a gradual and focused approach, which means that we will pay particular attention to one theme at a time each year. This methodology allows us to delve deeply into each focus area, ensuring concentrated efforts and thorough engagement, while maintaining awareness and progress in the other areas.
¹Our “Healthy Society” Lighthouse Theme is derived from our internal research analysis, which examined the quantity and impact of AcrossEU members’ publications from 2013 to 2022. This mapping exercise revealed that the alliance performs better than the European average in several scientific areas, particularly in medicine, psychology and biology. These results are evidenced by notable standings obtained by some of our members in medical sciences categories of the 2023 edition of the ARWU ranking “by subject”. Additionally, when categorising AcrossEU’s publications based on their relevance to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), using a vocabulary classifier, we observed impressive results for SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-being, with contributions to this SDG exceeding the European average by 50% on the same period.
Core Priorities
As presented at the beginning, to successfully embody the spirit of innovation and resilience, we have defined four long-term core priorities that provide, alongside our Lighthouse Themes, the compass for our journey together:
Directly answering the global and regional challenges faced by our universities, which led to the definition of our mission, these priorities are the practical targets that permeate every layer of our operation. Projects, initiatives and daily AcrossEU activities are cross-checked against these core priorities, ensuring that they not only align with but actively drive our mission forward.
Our commitment is to weave these priorities into the fabric of our decision-making processes, research directions, and educational strategies. They guide us in crafting a future that is not just anticipated but shaped through informed, innovative, and inclusive actions. By holding our actions accountable to these priorities, we ensure that every step we take is a stride towards a more adaptable, interconnected, and forward-looking higher educational landscape.
Through these interconnected core priorities, AcrossEU is committed to anticipate a future through a deep understanding of complex, global challenges, diverse perspectives, with a strong connection to local and regional communities.