What is EUTOPIA?

EUTOPIA is a teaching and research community of ten European universities, established to actively participate in creating and renewing a common higher education area. The main objective of EUTOPIA is to test innovative models of European higher education cooperation through pilot projects (EUTOPIA More, EUTOPIA-TRAIN, EUTOPIA-SIF, FLECSLAB), which will serve as a basis for the development of the concept and organisational structure of a new European transnational university.

Members of the EUTOPIA alliance

  • UL
  • Cergy.png
  • UPF.png
  • Nova.png
  • TUD.png
  • Gothenburg.png
  • Ca Foscari.png
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In early 2019, the (then) six-member federation, led by the University of Ljubljana, secured funding to implement a three-year pilot project, EUTOPIA2050, which was followed by the approval of the €14 million EUTOPIA MORE project (European Universities Transforming to an Open Inclusive Academy for 2050 - Making Organisational and Real Evolution). 

By creating the conditions for a rethinking of the role of educational institutions, EUTOPIA MORE promotes and supports the process of transformation of university institutions in a rapidly changing world. 

EUTOPIA MORE aims to achieve three objectives:

  1. To create the conditions for community networking between universities and disciplines, based on the fundamental approach of "Global Community Networking", in order to enable the development of "bottom-up" or "bottom-up" projects addressing the areas of education, research and the remaining global challenges. 
  2. Developing educational initiatives to strengthen the curricula of the bachelor, master and doctoral programmes implemented within the future EUTOPIA Joint University. 
  3. Integrating initiatives, research and innovation that seek to address the societal challenges of our time and integrating academic communities within the future EUTOPIA International Knowledge Institute.

EUTOPIA projects

Within the framework of development projects of the EUTOPIA alliance, we carry out several pilot activities to increase the transfer of knowledge and good practices within the framework of international cooperation to raise the quality of research and development projects.

The pilot project of EUTOPIA is EUTOPIA2050, which took place for the first three years from establishing the alliance (until November 2022). Today, the activities continue in the EUTOPIA MORE project. The other projects created in the first phase of the alliance are EUTOPIA-TRAIN and EUTOPIA-SIF, as well as the RSF national project.

EUTOPIA MORE

EUTOPIA MORE (European Universities Transforming to an Open Inclusive Academy for 2050 - Making Organisational and Real Evolution) is the central project of EUTOPIA, approved by the European Commission, which will run until 2028. The project's mission addresses community networking, with the aim of transforming universities into inclusive, diverse and innovative institutions with a significant impact on society. The project aims to facilitate greater mobility, to strengthen the links between teaching, research and innovation, and above all to enable students to play an active role in identifying and addressing global challenges through innovative and collaborative learning practices.

FLECSLAB

The latest project FLECSLAB, acquired under the Erasmus + programme in partnership with EUTOPIA universities and coordinated by the UL, was launched on 1 January, 2022. The project aims to develop a common framework and tools to upgrade transnational learning communities to develop new forms of lifelong learning with a strong international dimension.

EUTOPIA TRAIN

The EUTOPIA Transformation of Research and Innovation project – EUTOPIA TRAIN has received Horizon 2020 funding to develop additional activities focused on innovation and research. These activities are mainly related to developing a strategic approach to research and innovation, promoting links between researchers and the commercial sector, open science, training, career development and a joint approach to HR challenges, as well as establishing the EUTOPIA Grants, Legal, and Innovation Office (GLENN) tasked with effective knowledge sharing and supporting activities and staff involved in project work. The main achievements of the project so far include the appointment of the Young Leaders Academy members, carrying out the first research, doctoral and innovation mobility programmes, and connecting young researchers with experienced mentors through the GLENN office.

EUTOPIA-SIF

The EUTOPIA Science and Innovation Fellowship Programme (EUTOPIA-SIF) is a joint programme aiming to attract and train a new generation of postdoctoral researchers. During the five-year project, 72 outstanding researchers will be employed at EUTOPIA universities – 8 of them at the University of Ljubljana.

The EUTOPIA-SIF programme promotes various types of research mobility within EUTOPIA and focuses on cooperation with the non-academic sector as well. Selected postdoctoral candidates, whose projects follow a bottom-up approach, will strengthen the research power of EUTOPIA and cooperation between its universities.

The project will also contribute to the wider EUTOPIA community, as candidates will work closely with research groups from at least two universities, regularly participate in joint training and other events, and transfer knowledge and experience to students.

EUTOPIA_HEALTH

Projekt EUTOPIA_HEALTH stremi k ustvarjanju transformativnih ekosistemov zdravstvenih inovacij z uporabo integrativnih in transdisciplinarnih pristopov. Spodbujal bo akademske karierne poti raziskovalk in raziskovalcev ter uveljavil prakse odprte, občanske, vključujoče in sodelovalne znanosti. 

Glavni cilj projekta EUTOPIA_HEALTH je okrepiti institucionalno preobrazbo s krepitvijo zmogljivosti za upravljanje raziskav in inovacij na področjih, povezanih z zdravjem. Projekt bo nadgradil strategije in politike upravljanja raziskav in inovacij v skladu z evropskimi načeli ocenjevanja raziskav. Razvoj bo dosežen prek povezanih raziskovalnih skupnosti na področju zdravja vzpostavljena mreža raziskav in inovacij s poudarkom na vedah o zdravju. Te skupnosti bodo deležne celovitega usposabljanja, raziskovalnih mobilnosti in začetnega financiranja za spodbujanje sodelovanja, zlasti za raziskovalce na začetku kariere.

Student Think Tank

EUTOPIA, which aims to build an international and student-centred alliance, has established the EUTOPIA Student Think Tank (EUSTT). The EUSTT – led by students themselves – aims to promote multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary cooperation in an inclusive and student-centred way.

Students of different age groups from different EUTOPIA universities govern the EUSTT. The autonomous structure of the Board allows the EUSTT to be truly student-centred. The EUSTT also includes student representatives who act as ambassadors for the think tank at EUTOPIA universities. EUSTT is a knowledge-sharing platform for students at all levels of study to publish their research with a focus on interdisciplinarity and receive feedback on their research from the editorial board. EUSTT publishes blog posts and academic papers, connects student associations across EUTOPIA, organises thematic events, and bridges the gap between decision-makers and students and the gap between academia and society.

Since October 2021, EUSTT has published a wide range of articles written by students on its website, establishing the site as a central platform for sharing student ideas and research.