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Moving Forward Together – European University Alliance EDUC receives 3.5 Million Euros for Research and Innovation Activities

The university alliance „European Digital UniverCity“ (EDUC), coordinated by the University of Potsdam, has successfully applied for funding from the European Excellence Initiative. Thanks to this support with a total budget of about 3.5 million euros, the consortium will further expand its research and innovation side over the next three years. One focus is on the deeper involvement of the Czech, Hungarian and Ukrainian partner institutions, which will receive special attention as so-called „widening partners“ with this EU funding. The Ukrainian Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University is integrated structurally and as a full partner in the research and innovation dimension of the Alliance for the first time.

The project EDUC-WIDE is one of twelve funded projects and was successful out of 61 submitted applications. The aim is to expand excellence in research and knowledge transfer through deeper and geographically inclusive cooperation in alliances of higher education institutions in order to make a long-term contribution to tackling important societal challenges. Among other things, the focus is on green and digital transformation as well as the contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The European Excellence Initiative follows the Horizon Europe funding that enables the Alliance's research and innovation pilot, EDUC-SHARE.

EDUC-WIDE will enable the alliance to claim a central role in regional transitions to knowledge-driven economy and society. In the coming years, Open Science shall become an integral part of the research process and the infrastructure of EDUC universities. In addition, researchers will be supported and prepared for diverse career tracks outside academia. All partners will develop, implement, and promote gender equality plans.

The European University Alliance EDUC is coodinated by the University of Potsdam since 2019 and is composed of several sub-projects. As an alliance of now eight European universities (in France, the Czech Republic, Norway, Hungary, Italy, Germany, and Spain) and with numerous associated partners, EDUC further develops a common virtual campus, links research and innovation with teaching through problem-based activities and projects, promotes the exchange and further training of its academic and administrative staff, expands its research dimension as well as open science approaches and strengthens networks into society.

The EDUC Alliance offers access to a network of 38 associated partners, including the Nottingham Trent University (UK) and the Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University (Ukraine).

Contact:
Katharina Kloss, Project Managerin EDUC
E-Mail: katharina.klossuni-potsdamde

Media Information 24-07-2023 / Nr. 082