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[Resources ](https://civis.eu/en/resources) 2. Final recommendations of the SMARTT project (2024) Final recommendations of the SMARTT project (2024) ==================================================== - European Degree - Communication and Dissemination - Policy recommendations - Report - Academics - Researchers - Policy makers This report reflects the main results of the Screening, Mapping, Analyzing, Recommending, Transferring and Transforming Higher Education international programmes (SMARTT) Project, together with specific recommendations for the development and implementation of the European Degree Label (EDL) and the Joint European Degree (JED). SMARTT was a CIVIS Alliance project. The landscape of European higher education is evolving towards more interoperable and unified systems across the continent, significantly influenced by initiatives like the Bologna Process (BP) and the establishment of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and the European Education Area (EEA). These efforts aim to enhance student and scholar mobility, ensure academic qualification recognition, and foster transnational partnerships. Introduced as a policy experimentation by the European Commission in 2022, the EDL aims to symbolize excellence in transnational education, enhancing the visibility and attractiveness of European higher education globally. It serves as a quality seal for joint degree programs. This report is an outcome of the[ **SMARTT project,**](https://civis.eu/en/discover-civis-alliance/our-work/civis-alliance-projects/recent-projects/smartt) and it outlines a three-stage phased approach to implementing and expanding the EDL towards a JED, based on extensive analysis and stakeholder feedback. The phases — Emerging, Converging, and Merging — detail strategic steps for enhancing educational frameworks, fostering inclusiveness, and supporting lifelong learning. The Emerging Phase: Focuses on the development and deployment of the EDL. - Recommendations include clearer differentiation and definitions of program types, the organization of EDL criteria into thematic clusters for clarity, and a proposed awarding process emphasizing institutional autonomy. - The Converging Phase: Envisions a clear definition and national adoption of the JED, building on the groundwork laid by the EDL. It anticipates significant resources and a collective commitment to develop and implement JEDs. - The Merging Phase: Represents the full deployment of JEDs, which would automatically include the EDL as a seal of quality, marking the culmination of this initiative. The SMARTT Report proposes a comprehensive and phased approach to enhancing the quality, competitiveness, and unity of European higher education through the EDL and JED. These recommendations aim to build on existing frameworks and initiatives, ensuring a cohesive and innovative educational landscape across Europe. *Note: SMARTT was one-year CIVIS Alliance project, spanning from April 2023 to April 2024. It was funded by the Erasmus+ call: ERASMUS-EDU-2022-POL-EXP-HE - EU Degree "Pilot a joint European degree label" of the European Union.* - [ Final-recommendations-of-the-smartt-project.pdf (PDF, 1 MB) ](https://civis.eu/storage/files/deliverable-7-d32-final-recommendations-of-the-smartt-project.pdf) Other resources --------------- - ### European Universities alliances: Impact, Insights, and the Road Ahead (April 2026) Since the launch of the European Universities initiative in 2019, alliances such as CIVIS have moved well beyond experimentation and are already transforming higher education. That was the clear message from the keynote panel held on 28 April, 2026 in Brussels as part of the CIVIS Units Summit, which brought together representatives from EU institutions, researchers and alliance leaders to take stock of achievements and challenges ahead and discuss with over 70 CIVIS Staff members about the future of alliances. - European Degree - European Universities initiative - Communication and Dissemination - Article - Audiovisual materials - Video - Students - Academics - Researchers - Administrators - Policy makers [ See more ](https://civis.eu/en/resources/european-universities-alliances-impact-insights-and-the-road-ahead-april-2026 "European Universities alliances: Impact, Insights, and the Road Ahead (April 2026)") - ### Briefing paper: Building a bridge towards Africa and the Mediterranean Region (2021) Building partnerships with African and Mediterranean universities outside Europe is an importantstrategic aim of CIVIS and one of its distinct features as a European University alliance (1). By 2022, the end of CIVIS’ “fabric phase”, our alliance seeks to win at least one partner institution in the target regions for each of its established thematic Hubs (2). This implies initiating some first joint pilot projects as well as to prepare and adopt longer-term strategic partnership agreements between CIVIS and partner universities. - Global partnerships - Audiovisual materials - Report - Academics - Researchers - Administrators - Policy makers [ See more ](https://civis.eu/en/resources/briefing-paper-building-a-bridge-towards-africa-and-the-mediterranean-region-2021 "Briefing paper: Building a bridge towards Africa and the Mediterranean Region (2021)") ![CIVIS – Europe’s Civic University Alliance](https://civis.eu/build/assets/civis-CCpvK1nT.svg) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Europe’s Civic University Alliance ![Co-funded by the European Union](https://civis.eu/build/assets/co-funded-by-the-european-union-DSKLW1us.png)Views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). 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