The European Commission has published the selection results of the 2023 Erasmus+ call for proposals for European Universities. ENLIGHT, now consisting of 10 universities from 10 European countries, is among the 30 selected alliances and will receive 14.4 million € for the next four years. The alliance intends to allocate a significant portion of the funding towards academic initiatives, emphasizing its commitment to supporting scholars. Moreover, ENLIGHT is pleased to welcome the University of Bern as its newest alliance member. This collaboration strengthens the diversity and impact of the alliance, furthering its mission to develop a university of the future.
Gijs Coucke, project coordinator: “This allows ENLIGHT to expand and enhance the initiatives that were developed during the pilot phase. The ambition remains firm: to create an open space for our students and staff to learn, teach, cooperate, create and innovate. ENLIGHT wants to empower learners with the skills they need to address the complex global societal challenges. Across various learning formats, students will actively engage with sustainable development, global engagement and societal change. But besides high-quality education ENLIGHT will adopt a holistic approach integrating research and innovation into the knowledge creation process.
Furthermore, ENLIGHT introduces some new elements as part of its strategic direction. This includes the launch of bottom-up calls for interdisciplinary thematic networks and starter grants to promote the development of future-proof education. Additionally, the alliance has expanded its focus areas and added "culture and creativity" to the existing areas of health and well-being, digitalization, climate change, energy and circular economy, and equity.”
Anders Hagfeldt, rector of Uppsala University and chair of the ENLIGHT Governing Board: “The selection reaffirms our commitment to further deepen and intensify the cooperation. ENLIGHT’s success relies on the dedication of its community, including students, staff and academics. We look forward to taking the next steps with all our partners to develop an open and inclusive European University.”