INGENIUM Rectors to Decide the Future of the Alliance in Brussels

As the INGENIUM Alliance enters the final year of its first funding period, set to conclude in December 2026, the rectors, presidents, and senior representatives of its ten partner institutions will gather in Brussels on 8 and 9 October to shape the INGENIUM of tomorrow and engage with key figures from the European Union and the European Commission.

The three pillars of INGENIUM’s future

On these two days, INGENIUM will experience a defining moment with the meeting of the Alliance Council, where the rectors and presidents of the partner universities will determine the development of the three pillars on which the alliance’s future will rest: a joint academic offer and international campus; the establishment of a legal entity under the form of a European Grouping for Territorial Cooperation; and the Long-Term Strategy together with the institutional transformation plans being implemented by the member universities.

These three interconnected pillars will underpin INGENIUM’s strategy for the final year of its current funding phase, positioning it as an impactful alliance for the next generation of European Universities.

INGENIUM’s Educational Offer

Throughout the two working days, institutional representatives will address key issues to ensure that INGENIUM’s educational and governance models can endure beyond the current funding cycle. On the academic front, discussions will focus on the priorities for developing a shared educational offer spanning all levels — from microcredentials to doctoral programmes — and on the creation of a scholarship scheme that promotes inclusive access and mobility across the ten campuses of the alliance.

The strategy on microcredentials and the proposals for new joint programmes will form one of the central themes of the meeting, reflecting INGENIUM’s commitment to a flexible and innovative European education aligned with the needs of the future labour market. These initiatives will further strengthen the alliance’s ambition to offer international, personalised learning pathways that are closely connected to regional ecosystems.

The Alliance’s Future Legal Entity

Another key focus will be the approval of the founding documents of INGENIUM’s future legal entity, to be established as a European Grouping for Territorial Cooperation. This structure — commonly used in cross-border cooperation projects — will provide INGENIUM with its own legal personality and a stable, autonomous framework for operating within European funding programmes. Its approval will represent a historic milestone for INGENIUM, consolidating a shared model of governance that ensures its continuity and independence beyond the Erasmus+ framework.

The creation of this legal entity is conceived as a strategic step towards the alliance’s sustainability and institutional consolidation. Through it, INGENIUM will be able to coordinate its activities more efficiently, secure the continuity of its technical staff, and strengthen structural cooperation among its partner universities.

The Long-Term Strategy

The third major area of work will focus on defining the Long-Term Strategy and the institutional transformation plans. This strategy will outline the role INGENIUM seeks to play within the European Universities initiative, in line with the European Commission’s priorities for a “Union of Skills” and a higher education system more closely connected to society and the regions.

It will also address INGENIUM’s transition from project-based cooperation to a fully integrated model of European University, in which member institutions commit concrete resources, structures, and internal policies. To this end, each university will develop its own institutional transformation plan, adapting its administrative and regulatory frameworks to the requirements of European cooperation.

In addition, the Alliance Council will discuss the framework for the next funding period (2027–2028), which will allow the alliance to build on the progress achieved and deepen its work in priority areas.

The Brussels meeting will also include exchanges with representatives from the European Commission, the European University Association and other university alliances, enabling rectors and presidents to share experiences, discuss the future of the European Universities initiative, and strengthen INGENIUM’s position within the European higher education landscape. These strategic discussions will be key to aligning the alliance’s objectives with emerging EU policies and ensuring its role as a leading actor in the construction of the European Education Area.

The Alliance Council meeting in Brussels will therefore not only serve as a space for deliberation but also as a moment for decision-making that will define INGENIUM’s identity, structure, and direction in the years ahead.

With the shared commitment of its member institutions and a firm ambition to continue transforming university cooperation in Europe, INGENIUM moves forward into a new stage where its shared vision will take tangible form: a sustainable, inclusive European University, ready to face the challenges of the future.