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The CHARM-EU European University Welcomes Three New Partners

[] - Published on in International Partnerships, CHARM-EU European University

At the meeting of the rectors of the CharmEU European University on January 14, 2022, the inclusion of new alliance partners was approved. Thus, Åbo Akademi University (Finland), the University of Würzburg (Germany), and Hochschule Ruhr West will become members of the project alongside the University of Montpellier and its partners: the University of Barcelona (Spain), Trinity College Dublin (Ireland), Utrecht University (Netherlands), and Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest (Hungary). Their integration is expected to take place in 2023.

Through this strategic partnership, CHARM-EU will strengthen its mission to shape and consolidate the university of the future by enhancing the quality, international competitiveness, diversity, and inclusion—and, ultimately, the appeal—of the European higher education landscape. Together, CHARM-EU members will work toward achieving common goals on the path to a more sustainable and inclusive future.  They will indeed need to address the major challenges that CHARM-EU aims to tackle: reconciling humanity with the planet and sharing experiences from different educational systems, particularly in the areas of curriculum design, teaching, learning, and digital transformation.

Åbo Akademi University and the University of Würzburg share a similar profile with the founding partners of CHARM-EU and are also members of the Coimbra Group. Hochschule Ruhr West, currently an associate partner, enhances the diversity within CHARM-EU’s group of higher education institutions and its community. Due to its different profile and size, Hochschule Ruhr West will join gradually and participate in a selective set of CHARM-EU activities.

The three new partnerships will strengthen the alliance’s regional, cultural, linguistic, economic, and historical perspectives and diversity.

With this expansion, CHARM-EU not only supports the goal of expanding and diversifying existing alliances among higher education institutions under the European Universities initiative. The alliance members also endorse the two latest European Union initiatives adopted in January 2022: a European strategy for universities and a Commission proposal for a Council recommendation aimed at building bridges for effective cooperation in European higher education.

“Alliances between European universities are paving the way; by mid-2024, the European budget will support up to 60 alliances between European universities, involving more than 500 universities across Europe, ” said Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Education, and Youth, during a press conference on the subject.

CHARM-EU (Challenge-Driven, Accessible, Research-based and Mobile) is an alliance of European universities, established under the Erasmus+ program, that aims to co-create a European University aligned with European values and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

About our new partners

Åbo Akademi University is a multidisciplinary Swedish-language university located in Finland. It contributes to society through general education and new scientific knowledge. With campuses in Turku and Vaasa, Åbo Akademi University offers internationally renowned research and teaching. Through cross-border collaboration, it serves as a gateway to Finland for the Nordic countries. Its activities are guided by the values of the academic tradition in terms of freedom of research and teaching, as well as ethical responsibility. It strives to promote diversity, inclusion, equality, and sustainability.

Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg (JMU) is an internationally renowned university with strong roots in Würzburg and the Main-Franconia region. JMU offers a wide range of disciplines, and its research and teaching activities have led to achievements of global significance. Founded in 1402, JMU is committed to pursuing excellence in research and teaching across all branches of science. The university’s ten faculties offer more than 100 programs in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, life sciences, medicine, and certain fields of engineering, preparing students for their professional careers by closely aligning their education with current research activities. JMU is committed to strengthening interdisciplinary cooperation and exploring emerging disciplines at the interface between different branches of science. Working toward sustainable development in all areas, JMU has launched processes for continuous quality improvement. JMU’s primary goal is to acquire knowledge across all scientific disciplines and to share this knowledge with students, research professionals, and the general public.

Ruhr West University of Applied Sciences is a public university offering high-quality bachelor’s and master’s programs in computer science, engineering, and business administration. All of its innovative programs emphasize practical skills and real-world applications, giving students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience by working with one of its many local and regional industry partners.  With two brand-new, state-of-the-art campuses in the cities of Mülheim an der Ruhr and Bottrop, Ruhr West is located in the heart of Germany’s Ruhr region, one of the world’s leading industrial regions with a population of approximately 5.3 million. With more than 6,500 students from all over Germany and international students from around the world, Ruhr West is a regional university with an international focus.

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