Five Swiss universities join EU higher education initiative

Interior Minister Alain Berset at ETH Zurich in May © Kestone / Anthony Anex

The EU Commission has again granted funds as part of its Higher Education Initiative. Seven transnational alliances received support. Five Swiss universities and higher education institutions are also participating in the alliances.

All seven alliances will receive “up to €14.4 million (CHF14.1 million) for four years” the Commission said in a statementExternal link on Monday. This brings the total number of alliances to 50, connecting 430 universities and higher education institutions from 35 countries.

On the Swiss side, the federal technology institute ETH Zurich is participating in the ENHANCE alliance, which also includes nine other technical and scientific universities. The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) is part of “EuroTeQ 2030”, which brings together seven leading universities for science and technology and two business schools.

With ENLIGHT, the University of Bern joins an alliance of ten research-intensive full universities. EELISA is an alliance of ten universities, including the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW). And the University of Applied Sciences of Western Switzerland (HES-SO) joins the UNITA alliance together with 11 other universities.

“These European university alliances are bringing together a new generation of Europeans who are able to study and work in different European countries, different languages, and across sectors and academic disciplines,” the EU Commission said. “Thanks to these alliances, students can obtain a degree by combining studies in several European countries, which contributes to the international competitiveness of higher education institutions in Europe.”

Four Swiss universities already involved

In 2022, after a pilot phase, the initiative was officially launched with 44 alliances. At that time, the four Swiss universities of Basel, Geneva, Lausanne and Zurich announced their participation.

A total of nine Swiss universities now participate in transnational alliances, Movetia, the Swiss Agency for Exchange and Mobility, said in a press release. This corresponds to 40% of all universities and universities of applied sciences in Switzerland.

Movetia director Olivier Tschopp said the strong commitment of Swiss universities showed how important these university networks were for them. “These alliances will have a significant effect on the quality and innovative strength of the university networks – even beyond Europe,” he said.

Participation in the initiative could not, however, replace association with EU programmes, the agency continued. It said it was “crucial for Swiss higher education institutions to network and help shape European higher education policy”.

Because of non-EU Switzerland’s lack of association with the EU’s “Erasmus+” mobility programme, its educational institutions receive no EU funding.

If Swiss educational institutions want to participate in an alliance, they must therefore finance 40% of their alliance budget themselves, with the remaining 60% covered by the federal government. For last year, the government had CHF6 million ($5.4 million) at its disposal for this purpose. How much the government will contribute this time remains open.