9 July 2026 – The 4EU+ Alliance is delighted to announce that its project – Fostering Universities’ Transformation for Upscaling Research-based Education (4EU+ FUTURE) – has been selected under the 2026 European Universities call launched by the European Commission.
In March 2026, the 4EU+ Alliance submitted a joint proposal under the 2026 Erasmus+ European Universities call. The new call, launched by the European Commission on 18 November 2025, supports the further development of the European Universities Initiative. With a total budget of €145.6 million, the call will provide two years of financial support for consortia of higher education institutions, with a focus on enabling European Universities alliances to prioritise and scale up the results achieved so far and further expand their successful activities.
4EU+ has been awarded €3.78 million in Erasmus+ funding for the period 2026–2028. The decision recognises the Alliance’s progress and achievements to date and provides strong support for its strategic agenda in the upcoming years. 4EU+ has entered a new phase of development, moving from its foundational stage towards systemic integration. It has established the core conditions for deep and sustainable cooperation, building on shared governance structures, a joint digital campus, interdisciplinary Flagships, joint educational activities and Erasmus+ mobility schemes. The 4EU+ FUTURE project will build on the foundations laid by the Alliance through previous Erasmus+ projects funded in 2019 and 2022. Drawing on the achievements of the 1CORE project, 4EU+ FUTURE will ensure the continued growth and expansion of 4EU+ activities.
"The funding of 4EU+ FUTURE is both a recognition of what our Alliance has already achieved and the beginning of a new phase. Over the next two years, 4EU+ FUTURE will enable us to consolidate and scale up our activities while deepening their impact. Above all, it will pave the way for the next stage of the Alliance's development, hopefully supported by long-term funding frameworks for the European Universities Alliances," said Elena Del Giorgio, the 4EU+ Secretary General.
In the new project, the 4EU+ Alliance will focus on enhancing transnational cooperation, including multi-level governance, quality assurance, monitoring, shared digital infrastructure, and mobility across member institutions.
It will seek to expand research-based, interdisciplinary, and challenge-driven education at Bachelor's, Master's, Doctoral, and lifelong learning levels, aligned with the 4EU+ Flagships and societal challenges.
The 4EU+ FUTURE also aims to embed lifelong learning through flexible learning pathways, joint programmes, mobility opportunities, and micro-credentials in collaboration with external partners.
Ultimately, it aspires to reinforce the systemic impact and European added value of 4EU+, positioning the Alliance as a model for European higher education. It will also contribute to policy development, institutional cooperation, student engagement, and Europe's global competitiveness and attractiveness. 4EU+ FUTURE is strongly embedded within the 4EU+ Strategy 2025-2035:
“Through 4EU+ FUTURE, we continue to implement the vision set out in our 2025–2035 Strategy. Our commitment remains unchanged: to build One Comprehensive European Research-Intensive University working together across education, research, innovation and societal engagement. At a time when Europe faces unprecedented challenges and its resilience, competitiveness and democratic values depend increasingly on knowledge, 4EU+ will continue to deepen long-term cooperation between universities, contributing to a stronger, more innovative and more cohesive European higher education and research landscape,” Elena Del Giorgio emphasised.
The 4EU+ FUTURE proposal was endorsed by 24 Associated Partners, including regional authorities, businesses, and non-governmental organisations, demonstrating the Alliance's strong engagement beyond academia. These partners will provide expertise, stakeholder networks, and practical perspectives to strengthen collaboration between academia, industry, public sector, and civil society. Their involvement will enhance the impact of the project's results, supporting the translation of research and education into solutions for societal challenges.
The 4EU+ FUTURE project involves Charles University (Prague, Czech Republic), Heidelberg University (Germany), Paris-Panthéon-Assas University (France), Sorbonne University (Paris, France), University of Copenhagen (Denmark), University of Milan (Italy) and the University of Warsaw (Poland). The University of Geneva (Switzerland) will participate in the project as a full member of the 4EU+ Alliance and one of the Associated Partners, with the financial support of the Swiss government agency Movetia.
For any inquiries, please contact the 4EU+ Communication Team at communication@4euplus.eu.