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The YUFE alliance presented its vision to the European Commission earlier this year and has now been given the go ahead to implement it. Professor Martin Paul, Chair of the YUFE alliance and President of Maastricht University, which leads the consortium, said: “Our alliance, including eight young universities, will build the first European University of the future.”

The foundations for this European University will be laid in the next three years. “Our European University will provide students with the skills they need to be highly employable and will offer truly European career paths to all members of society. In doing so, the YUFE European University will strengthen our collective identity and contribute to a more cohesive European society”, he added. 

The YUFE vision

Studying throughout Europe. The YUFE European University will enable prospective students to compile their curricula, choosing from programmes offered at each of the eight YUFE universities. To allow access to all systems and facilities of these universities, the alliance will introduce a YUFE student card, valid at all participating universities. The official language of YUFE study programmes is English, but students who spend a period at a university in another country are encouraged and supported to learn the language of their host country. When they have successfully completed their studies, students receive a European diploma that will be valid anywhere in Europe. The diploma will not only acknowledge students’ academic performance, but also acknowledge their effort in mobility, language learning, professional training, job shadowing and community volunteering.

Feeling at home in the YUFE cities. To guarantee accessibility for every student, YUFE is preparing to set up a virtual European campus. Part-time students or interested citizens who want to follow a single virtual or physical course can also make use of the YUFE offer. For full-time students studying at one of the partner universities elsewhere in Europe, YUFE will develop housing solutions that facilitate cultural exchange, mutual support and integration with the local community. For example, an option YUFE is considering is furnishing special homes where students can live for free during their stay and in close proximity with local residents. They will be given the opportunity to contribute to the community, and to foster a culture of mutual support in all YUFE cities and communities. YUFE students will be immediately immersed in the local and regional society and will thus be the catalyst for further European integration.

Regional focus and impact. The YUFE programme itself pays a lot of attention to the specific regions in which the eight YUFE universities are located. When it comes to internships, for example, every university will work together with local authorities, the business community and other organisations. These collaborations are based on challenges that are of great importance to the YUFE regions. Dr Daniela Trani and Jan Hupkens, coordinators of the YUFE-alliance, said: “In this way, YUFE education provides a European mind-set for students, enabling them to view matters from different perspectives and allows the various regions and their residents to benefit from this exchange of knowledge across Europe.”

European integration. The UC3M President, Juan Romo, believes it is a unique opportunity for higher education in Europe. “This alliance demonstrates a desire to build a Europe focused on education and culture, humanistic as well as scientific, capable of competing on a global level, reinforcing the values that have made Europe an example of modernity and progress. YUFE creates a new environment and new possibilities for researchers, students and administration and services staff, as well as new employment and mobility opportunities”. 

YUFE Members. The YUFE alliance is geographically diverse and includes universities, cities and companies. It is made up of the following universities: University of Antwerp (Belgium), University of Bremen (Germany), Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (Spain), University of Cyprus, University of Essex (England), University of Eastern Finland, Maastricht University (Netherlands) and University of Rome Tor Vergata (Italy). It also has six associated partners: Nicolaus Copernicus University of Torún (Poland), University of Rijeka (Croatia), the Educational Testing Service Global, the European Entrepreneurs CEA-PME, Kiron Open Higher Education for Refugees and Adecco Group France. 

The Young Universities for the Future of Europe (YUFE) is a strategic collaboration between eight intensive research universities from as many European countries. The YUFE alliance, together with its six associate partners, aims at bringing a radical change in European higher education by establishing itself as the leading model of a young, student-centred, non-elitist, open and inclusive European University. A unique ecosystem linking universities to communities, YUFE will be based on cooperation between higher education institutions, the public and private sector, and citizens across Europe.

For more information visit: www.yufe.eu