16.06.2025 EUPeace among role models for higher education and university alliances

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On 12-13 June 2025 EUPeace, represented by its Secretary General Alexandre Wipf, joined the other 64 European University Alliances in Wroclaw, Poland for the Forum of European University Alliances. It was organised under the Polish Presidency of the European Council with the support of the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the European Commission and the University of Wroclaw and hosted at Wroclaw University Library. 

This renewed Forum of the Alliances centred on the impact and transformation Alliances have on the wider higher education sector, including universities which are not members of Alliances. This event was timelier than ever as half of all higher education students in Europe are now students within Alliances. The Alliances – including EUPeace – showcased their good practices and lessons learned to the 250 participants for the benefit of all.

EUPeace could especially bring forward all its successes in the area of teacher education – building on a holistic approach, not limiting our work to a single output or event, while linking it to the on-going efforts by the universities at local level. We are already providing a promising success story thanks to a variety of notable achievements: the quick development of a strong collaborative network among all the partners, the set-up of a fundamental agreed consensus (the School for All concept), the creation of new opportunities for mobility, exchange and joint learning experiences (including with a Winter School format), and, what is the most important, the will to share a vision that transcends national boundaries by emphasising intercultural competences, peace education and global citizenship as core values in teacher training – immeasurable skills in today’s world.

Beyond teacher education EUPeace can also serve as a role model for the strong role students are playing in the Alliance, while coming from different national and regulatory contexts. As the students themselves put it: “The Student Council has found the opportunity to be heard within EUPeace and make an impact for students. As we like to say it, we had the opportunity to make the alliance as students, with students, for students!”

Finally, EUPeace can be a source of inspiration for its clear commitment to EU values and common ideals – centred around peace, justice, and inclusive societies, permeating all our activities. 

In addition, the Forum offered the opportunity for the community of Alliances and policy-makers to exchange on the latest developments including on the Union of Skills, the European Degree, the central topic of anchoring research within Alliances and the upcoming Multiannual financial framework (MFF) of the EU. The sessions dealt in particular with: The impact of European Universities alliances and best practices in addressing shared challenges; Union of Skills Initiative: Key Priorities for European University Alliances in shaping the future competitiveness of the EU; The future of European University Initiative – paving the way to sustainable funding; Optimising impact with and for external stakeholders; From European University to European Degree; Students in the centre of EUI; Research and innovation dimension; EUI as a role model for systemic transformation.

EUPeace will continue to actively contribute to the development of the European Education Area and European Higher Education Area and to support the cross-alliance work with other colleagues.