CESAER releases white paper on European Universities alliances

CESAER, the association of universities of science and technology, released a white paper on 'Inside European University Alliances' on 20 April 2026. The white paper provides evidence from leadership, staff and students on the conditions for successful long-term cooperation within the associations.

Drawing on leadership interviews, consultations with academic and administrative staff, student perspectives and a high-level roundtable, the white paper shows that universities of science and technology increasingly experience European University Alliances as long-term institutional cooperation frameworks rather than short-term projects. It highlights strong strategic alignment with institutional priorities, growing interest in stronger links across education, research and innovation, and the importance of trust, shared governance and long-term vision in making cooperation work.

The white paper also points to growing interest in strengthening connections across education, research and innovation. The evidence suggests that universities of science and technology increasingly view Alliances as promising platforms for longer-term cross-border cooperation that can strengthen talent development, support access to shared infrastructures and progressively deepen research and innovation collaboration, provided that more predictable and coherent support frameworks are put in place.

Building on this evidence, the white paper sets out high-level recommendations for EU institutions, member states, Alliances and universities, underlining the importance of leveraging the strategic alignment, shared governance and mutual trust already built up within Alliances, while enabling differentiated trajectories for deeper cross-border cooperation across education, research and innovation.

For more information:

CESAER - news

The full white paper is available here.