European Commission selects Charm-EU as one of the first “European universities”

The European Commission has announced the higher education institutions that will be part of the first “European Universities” alliances. One of the selected proposals was submitted by Utrecht University together with Barcelona University, Trinity College Dublin, University of Montpellier and Eötvös Loránd University: Charm-EU.
Out of 54 applications received, 17 European Universities involving 114 higher education institutions from 24 Member States were selected, based on an evaluation carried out by 26 independent external experts, including rectors, professors and researchers, appointed by the Commission. European Universities are transnational alliances of higher education institutions from across the EU that share a long-term strategy and promote European values and identity. The initiative is designed to significantly strengthen mobility of students and staff, and foster the quality, inclusiveness and competitiveness of European higher education.

Partnership
The Charm-EU network focuses on interdisciplinary, challenge-based education. The award marks the start of a three-year partnership in which education can be followed at several universities: mobile, flexible, online and for various target groups. Charm-EU stands for Challenge driven, Accessible, Research Based and Mobile.
We want to offer students a broad, internationally oriented education, and prepare them for the labour market. I regard this new European Alliance as a way to strengthen these efforts
Education of the future
Charm-EU should make it possible to follow flexible study paths, both online and physically. For example, students can follow courses at a partner institution within the network, if the expertise is there. In this way, knowledge of the participating institutions can be put to the best possible use. Their state-of-the-art research creates transnational, socially driven, integrated education programmes.
European citizens
In this way, students will be able to become critical thinkers and committed European citizens. This includes students with a distance to traditional education and the target group for life long learn.