The CIVIS Days 2024 Dissemination session on the European Degree offered a strategic exploration of key insights from the SMARTT project and the European Degree blueprint. Speakers examined how these initiatives could shape the future of European higher education, particularly within the context of CIVIS and other European alliances. Central to the discussion was how the lessons learned from these projects could inform and enhance educational strategies across alliances like CIVIS, intertwining with practical approaches and transnational cooperation.
A primary focus of the session was the adaptability and scalability of the CIVIS model. By investigating how this model could be extended to other university networks, the session highlighted the broader impact of cross-border collaboration and knowledge sharing. Participants reflected on how CIVIS’s innovative practices could inspire other alliances to strengthen educational innovation across Europe.
Another key aspect was the role of policy experimentation in advancing the European Degree initiative. This prompted discussions on how these experimental approaches could serve as catalysts for innovation and practical implementation within academic systems. Participants considered how CIVIS could leverage these insights to refine its educational strategy and contribute to the future of European higher education.
Finally, the session addressed whether the European Degree could evolve into a distinctive brand of Europeanisation, symbolising both academic integration and enhanced global competitiveness. This reflection examined how the European Degree could position universities to lead in international collaboration and elevate academic standards across the continent.
The concluding Q&A provided an opportunity for participants to engage directly with these themes, sharing their perspectives on the future of the European Degree and its integration within alliances like CIVIS. The session challenged participants to consider how their institutions could actively contribute to this transformative initiative, shaping the future of European higher education.
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The Aix-Marseille Polycrisis Declaration (June 2026)
The Aix-Marseille Polycrisis Declaration is the outcome of the final conference of the PolyCIVIS Jean Monnet Network, a partnership of 21 African and European universities, most of them part of CIVIS Alliance. The declaration addresses the growing reality of the “polycrisis,” in which conflict, climate change, forced migration, economic insecurity, governance challenges, and social inequalities interact and reinforce one another. Recognising that young people are disproportionately affected by these interconnected crises, the declaration emphasises the need for stronger Africa–Europe cooperation and places youth agency, participation, and leadership at the center of responses to contemporary global challenges.- Global partnerships
- Polycrisis
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- Students
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- Civil society
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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
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- Audiovisual materials
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- Students
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