URL, new official member of the Alliance of European Universities ENGAGE.EU

Following the formalization of the partnership agreement with the Alliance of European Universities ENGAGE.EU in Bulgaria in May last year —and its commitment to take part in drafting the enlargement proposal—, now, after the awarding of a follow-up grant from the European Commission to continue the ENGAGE.EU project, URL has become an official member of the Alliance, thereby gaining full membership. This goal is a further step in URL's internationalization strategy.

We are now acknowledged as a European University, as a University with an active project, which undertakes quality and competitive teaching, research and sustainable transfer. We form part of a strong network that brings together 125,000 students and 14,000 academics and administrative and service staff from 9 leading European universities. Furthermore, within this alliance, we work in an interdisciplinary way on sustainable solutions to social problems. And what does all this mean for us?

Firstly, this goal represents a step forward in the URL's internationalization strategy and in the consolidation of our standing in the European arena. We now form part of an exclusive circle of European universities, given that only 9% have the opportunity to be a European University.

It is worth highlighting that Spain is the country with the highest number of higher education institutions forming part of this circle, followed by France and Germany. Focusing on Catalonia, in the last call for applications only we and ESMUC have entered.

How do we benefit? Our research staff can build synergies with other researchers and forge additional networks. They are also able to propose shared research projects within competitive programs, such as the European Commission's HORIZON, or to access other funding options which are exclusive to members of the European Universities. Also on the table is the ambitious target of establishing a shared PhD program between the 9 universities and the approach of interconnecting all our entrepreneurship ecosystems.

Our students can benefit first-hand from the advantages of forming part of a European Alliance through the real offer of upwards of 500 courses, of having the opportunity to take part —as 50 students have just done— in the Master's-level honors program of Digital Transformation, and living for seven weeks with 200 students and external stakeholders with the task of offering solutions to real social challenges. Additionally, for instance, a research community platform has been designed and launched, which has thus far served as a source of inspiration and collaboration for 250 academics.