University news

The University of Glasgow has secured associate member status of CIVIS - a European University alliance.

Amongst other shared objectives, CIVIS member universities aim to work together to boost international student exchanges, contribute to European civil society and increase cooperation with institutions in Africa.

The alliance aims to tackle the big social challenges of the 21st century, to carry out relevant research, and to work responsibly and sustainably with an eye to the future.

Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Glasgow, said: “Like the CIVIS alliance, the University of Glasgow is a collaboration-oriented civic university with its roots in our local community, but with global ambitions and impact.

“We are an institution which has always been, and will always remain, proudly European. We celebrate our international outlook, while committing to social transformation and civic engagement at a local level.”

Rachel Sandison, Vice Principal, External Relations at the University of Glasgow, said: “Being part of the CIVIS European University alliance means growing our international collaborations and partnerships in Europe, providing many opportunities for both staff and students to engage.

“In this post-Brexit landscape, Glasgow continues to consider itself a proudly European institution with much to contribute to, and many benefits to be had from, collaboration with European partners.

“CIVIS includes partners from all types of higher education institutions and covers a broad geographic scope across Europe. This alliance will allow our students, academics and external partners to cooperate in inter-disciplinary teams to tackle some of the biggest issues facing us today including climate change and the environment.”

The CIVIS Alliance is funded by the EU through the European University Initiative under the ERASMUS+ program and it focuses specifically on five thematic areas: health; cities, territories and mobilities; climate, environment and energy; digital and technological transformation; and society, cultures and heritage.

Professor Marian Preda, Rector of the University of Bucharest, President of the Board of Rectors of CIVIS, said: “The alliance is made up of eight member universities with the University of Glasgow the only associate member. CIVIS develops innovative study and research programmes and projects with inter-disciplinary teams drawn from across Europe and Africa based on the five CIVIS themes.

“The eight pioneer universities of CIVIS, one of the very first European universities, are positively delighted to welcome the University of Glasgow as an Associate partner. The amount of talent, experience and reach of the University of Glasgow, will significantly strengthen the alliance at a time when CIVIS is developing a range of ground-breaking initiatives in education, research, innovation, and links with society.

“Moreover, we find that welcoming a Scottish university into a European alliance (with partners from Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Spain, and Sweden), at this particular time in European history is, by itself, utterly significant.”

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For more information contact Áine Allardyce, Communications Manager, External Relations on email on aine.allardyce@glasgow.ac.uk 

CIVIS

CIVIS is a European Civic University formed by the alliance of eight leading research higher education institutions across Europe - Aix-Marseille Université, France; National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece; Universitatea din București, Romania; Université libre de Bruxelles, Belgium; Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain; Sapienza Università di Roma, Italy; Stockholm University, Sweden and Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Germany.

Out of 54 applications received in 2019 under the first pilot call, the first 17 European University alliances involving 114 higher education institutions from 24 Member States were selected. The results of the 2nd pilot call in 2020 have now also been published. Out of 62 applications received, 24 new European Universities alliances have been selected involving 165 higher education institutions from 26 Member States and other countries participating in the Erasmus+ programme.

Full partner - those participating organisations that contribute actively to the achievement of the European Universities objectives. Each full partner must sign a mandate to confer to the coordinating organisation the responsibility of acting as main beneficiary and act in his name during the implementation of the proposal;

Associated partner - European Universities can involve associated partners who contribute to the implementation of specific tasks/activities or support the dissemination and sustainability of the alliance.

First published: 1 February 2021