Building cross-border University Alliances as drivers for border regions - 11WS22476

We are now seeing more and more economic and academic interdependency in the most integrated cross-border (CB) areas. While geographical proximity facilitates contacts between research teams, teachers, students and companies, cooperation offers students the opportunity to attend modules in partner institutions on the other side of the border. In addition, the mobility of students and researchers and cooperation between companies, universities and local authorities within a cross-border economic ecosystem have a positive impact on the labour market and on the development of the region as a whole.

Nonetheless, most University Alliances - in their current form - seem to be neglecting the full potential of developing ‘proximity’ ecosystems between border regions. By solving financial and administrative obstacles, cross-border campuses could become living labs of a truly integrated European Education Area and cross-border regions could boost thriving innovation clusters and create an expanded labour market for young professionals.

Some Universities, Euroregions and other cross-border cooperation structures are now showing the way ahead by setting up CB strategies in higher education, research and innovation. This workshop will explore all the challenges and opportunities in initiating smart specialisation strategies at CB level, in supporting students’ euroregional mobility and in fostering the rise of applied research projects between neighbouring universities and their regions.