EU-GREEN – the UPWr, sustainable development and the European Universities Network

• The European Universities Network – a French initiative enabling European universities to compete
• Sustainable development – an idea and challenge connecting a consortium of universities, which together with the UPWr are seeking to join the network
• The consortium brings together universities that want to draw attention to territorial inequalities in the European Union
• One of the objectives of the approach is the development of local solutions that can be applied globally
• The consortium will operate regardless of any European Commission decisions

The consortium seeking to enter the European Universities Network consists of the University of Extremadura in Spain, the University of Angers in France, the University of Évora in Portugal, the Swedish University of Gävle, the Carlow IT College in Ireland, the Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg in Germany, the University of Parma in Italy, the University of Oradea in Romania and the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences. Some of these universities have been successfully cooperating with each other for years, such as the University of Extremadura and University of Évora – in the field of computer science, medicine, agriculture, natural sciences and management. The universities from Magdeburg and Parma primarily cooperate in the field of medicine, but in cooperation with their Spanish colleagues the Italians also focus on agriculture, computer science and natural sciences. Consortium members also have experience in the implementation of European projects from the Horizon 2020 programme. The University of Parma has the most, with 56 projects, followed by the University of Évora with 39, the Carlow IT College with 32 and the University of Magdeburg with 28. The Italians lead in terms of the number of publications in the SCOPUS database – with 13 105.

THE CONSORTIUM CONSISTS OF UNIVERSITIES COMPARABLE IN SIZE, LOCATION AND MISSION. IN TOTAL, THERE ARE MORE THAN 144,000 STUDENTS AND 13,900 MEMBERS OF ACADEMIC AND ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF WHO SHARE A TERRITORIAL BACKGROUND, PASSION FOR QUALITY EDUCATION, AND A FOCUS ON UNIVERSITY LIFE ON THE CAMPUSES.

These nine universities form the European Universities Network for Sustainable Growth, Inclusive Education and the Environment (EU GREEN). This cooperation is based on a similar understanding of the importance of sustainable development, covering economic, social and environmental aspects and their mutual impact. This approach is closely linked to the Sustainable Development Goals in all three core missions: teaching, research and innovation, but of equal importance are the regional roots enabling the adaptation of measures to the real needs of local communities.

Network – an innovation enabler

The idea of creating a network integrating universities in Europe was presented by the President of France in September 2017. Speaking at the Sorbonne University at the time, Emmanuel Macron said: – I believe we should create European Universities – a network of universities across Europe with courses where each student can study abroad and take classes in at least two languages. European Universities will also drive innovation and excellence in education. We should set ourselves a goal of creating at least 20 such universities by 2024. But we need to start creating the first European Universities as early as next academic year, with real European study semesters and real European degrees.

The proposal of transnational alliances of tertiary education institutions to enable students to obtain degrees (by combining studies in several EU countries) and to contribute to the international competitiveness of European universities has been endorsed by EU leaders. The idea was officially approved by the European Commission on 14 December 2017, 17 such consortia were selected in 2019, and 24 a year later. The ultimate aim is 60. By mid-2020, 41 European universities had received EUR 287 million in EU funding. Polish universities are already part of the consortia. The Warsaw University of Technology is in the European Universities of Technology Alliance, the Poznan University of Technology – EUNICE – the European University for Customised Education. The Silesian University of Technology will be a partner of EURECA-PRO The European University Alliance on Responsible Consumption and Production. The University of Silesia will become a member of Transform4Europe – T4E: The European University for Knowledge Entrepreneurs consortium.

Goal: sustainability

The Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences is fighting for acceptance of the EU-GREEN network in accordance with the sustainable development goals expressed in the UN 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals, and also recognised as a priority objective of the European Union's internal and external policies. The strategy adopted by the EU-GREEN consortium underlines that sustainable development is multidimensional. The environment, society and the economy holistically affect individuals and whole communities, but for universities, such as the nine EU-GREEN members, education is key ­­­– only by educating citizens about sustainability and providing them with tools to implement it will societies become truly sustainable.

– The proposal will be submitted to the European Commission on 22 March. The consortium believes that even if it is unsuccessful in obtaining funding for the network, it will operate in accordance with its stated objectives, thus recognising the goals of sustainability as strategic to the missions of all of the universities involved. At the same time, we are also supposed to serve our citizens, i.e. society, and with a butterfly effect influence countries outside the European Union through these universities – says the Vice-Rector for International Cooperation, Prof. Anna Chełmońska-Soyta.

As the Vice-Rector emphasises, the consortium has an institutional nature, which, on the one hand, is expected to improve the internationalisation of courses at the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences (on average, the internationalisation of these nine universities is at the level of 15 percent), and on the other hand support other academic activities, e.g. regarding student life, scientific cooperation and R&D through the sharing of good practices and mutual cooperation. A large group of employees of our university is involved in preparing the application, including deans, scientists and administration employees from the departments of student affairs, science and internationalisation. 

– We have an English Division at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, and English-language studies are being launched at the Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Science, but there is need for more. The deans are currently working on selecting additional courses, which will allow us to have joint programme modules with consortium members, so that the programme and requirements can be unified and, as a result, students can obtain double diplomas. This initiative will allow us not only to convince teachers to teach in English, but also raise the level of technology needed for this education – says Vice-Rector Chełmońska-Soyta, emphasising that from the point of view of the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences the EU-GREEN project is pro-educational. At the same time, the strategy of building a brand recognisable in Europe enables us to attract talented scientists from around the world to the UPWr.

Dispersed Excellence

The consortium consists of universities comparable in size, location and mission. In total there are over 144,000 students and 13,900 academic and administrative staff, who are united by their territorial roots, their passion for quality education, and a focus on university life on the campuses. All the universities are located in relatively peripheral regions, with large rural facilities and outside the main centres of Europe. This, in turn, draws attention to territorial inequalities and the tendency for an increasing concentration of wealth and knowledge in large cities. The consortium defends a fairer model based on the concept of dispersed excellence, in which every city and region of Europe has a role to play.

EU-GREEN was established around four universities with a long history of cooperation (Angers, Évora, Extremadura and Parma), gradually adding more partners (Gävle, IT Carlow, OVG Magdeburg, Oradea and Wrocław). Its members are appreciated for their excellence in research in many fields, including engineering and social sciences, agriculture, food, health, renewable energy, and sustainable urban development. These fields are closely linked to key sustainable development goals, such as SDG2 (zero hunger), SDG3 (good health and well-being); SDG7 (inexpensive and clean energy); and SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities); in addition to two transversal SDGs: SDG 5 (gender equality) and SDG 10 (reduced inequality).

Locally and globally

The main strategic objective of EU GREEN is to create a broad European centre of education, research and innovation in the field of sustainable development that goes beyond the consortium's borders – providing solutions to local or regional challenges that can be implemented at global level, including beyond the borders of the European Union. This lead to the creation of a common space, not only virtual, but also physical, in which education, training, research and/or innovation activities developed by members of the network and those invited to cooperate will be shared. EU GREEN's educational activities are to be accessible virtually through the 'EU GREEN European Virtual University' platform, supporting inclusion and access to quality European education for citizens from all over the world.

THE COOPERATION IS BASED ON A SIMILAR UNDERSTANDING OF THE MEANING OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, COVERING THE ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS AND THEIR MUTUAL IMPACT.

This main objective covers five main axes of activity: education, research, innovation, serving society and European values. The first involves preparing a new generation of students, and therefore society, to address sustainable development from a threefold perspective (economy, society and environment) through the use of joint interuniversity and interdisciplinary curricula, research, innovation and a programme of engagement supporting sustainable development and European values. One tool to achieve this goal will be a common portfolio of courses available for everyone. The research area will group activities to create joint and interdisciplinary research groups involving, among others, business partners, which is important in the context of knowledge transfer and innovation.

A new level of quality

– We do not know whether the European Commission will approve our project. There is a lot of competition. On the other hand, the very fact of creating a consortium bringing together nine universities from so many different countries shows that, firstly, we care about cooperation, secondly – about modern education, and thirdly, we are all aware that the quality of this education is not just empty words, but well-educated specialists who in such fast-changing reality, with so many challenges, will be ready to face them, because they will really understand what sustainable development means – emphasises the rector of Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Prof. Jarosław Bosy.