The eight member universities of the European Reform University Alliance (ERUA) signed the charter of a new, international, non-profit organization in Brussels today, marking a decisive step in its evolution from a project-based collaboration to a permanent institutional alliance of European universities.
The European Reform University Alliance (ERUA) is a European university alliance co-funded by the European Union under the Erasmus+ program. ERUA brings together eight universities from across Europe with a shared commitment to reforming higher education in the social sciences, humanities, and arts. The alliance works to promote inclusive, democratic, and globally connected academic collaboration.
The agreement was signed by the eight member universities of ERUA, under the leadership of Professor John McCourt, Rector of the University of Macerata and Chair of the ERUA Rectors’ Council, together with Arnaud Laimé, Rector of the Université Paris 8 and lead coordinator of the alliance.
With this step, the ERUA universities are moving beyond temporary cooperation structures and establishing a stable legal framework for long-term joint action in higher education, research, and innovation across Europe. The establishment of a legal entity strengthens the alliance’s continuity, shared governance, and coordinated strategic planning.
“This is a defining moment for ERUA. Today’s signing is not merely a formality. It marks the point at which a shared ambition becomes a permanent institutional reality. By establishing a stable legal framework, we are strengthening our ability to act together across borders, to invest in long-term collaboration, and to build an inclusive, democratic, and society-oriented European academic space.”
– Prof. John McCourt, Rector of the University of Macerata and Chair of the ERUA Rectors’ Council
This signing reflects the broader evolution of European university alliances – from networks based on funded projects to stable structures capable of shaping academic collaboration over time. For ERUA universities, this transition enables stronger coordination of joint initiatives, more effective management of shared resources, and a more robust institutional framework for students, researchers, and staff.
With roots in the social sciences, the humanities, and the arts, ERUA brings together universities committed to a reform-oriented, socially engaged, and globally connected higher education. The establishment of this new international, non-profit organization provides a permanent institutional foundation for this mission and strengthens the alliance’s contribution to key European priorities, such as the future of universities, resilient democracy, and meaningful cross-border cooperation.
The eight co-signing universities are:
- Université Paris 8 – France
- University of the Aegean – Greece
- University of Macerata – Italy
- Mykolas Romeris University – Lithuania
- New Bulgarian University – Bulgaria
- SWPS University – Poland
- University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria – Spain
- European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder) – Germany
