A total of 36 European Universities alliances, including the 4EU+ Alliance, will come together at the 36th Annual Conference and Exhibition of the European Association for International Education (EAIE), taking place in Glasgow, Scotland, from 8 to 11 September 2026.
Together, they represent more than 300 higher education institutions across Europe and reflect the continued growth and impact of the European Universities Initiative, the European Commission's flagship programme launched in 2019. The initiative now brings together 65 European Universities alliances and 8 Seal of Excellence alliances, advancing deeper transnational cooperation in higher education, research and innovation.
The 2026 conference theme, The Rhythm of Revolution, invites participants to question, collaborate and create lasting change. This vision strongly resonates with the mission of the European Universities alliances, which continue to pioneer innovative models of transnational education and institutional cooperation.
As in previous editions, the alliances will showcase their impactful initiatives and experiences through more than 40 sessions and networking events. Their engagement demonstrates a shared commitment to strengthening the European Higher Education Area through innovation, inclusion, mobility and strategic international partnerships.
FOREU4ALL will once again contribute to amplifying the collective voice of the European Universities alliances by engaging with higher education institutions beyond the alliances and supporting Member States in their efforts to modernise their national higher education systems.
As part of the programme, FOREU4ALL, together with its ‘sister projects’ Future4Alliances and SPREAD EUI, and the European Commission, will host two special joint sessions at the European Commission’s stand.
These dedicated sessions will examine how higher education institutions outside these alliances can draw on their experiences, practices, and innovations. They will also explore how higher education systems beyond Europe can adapt and implement elements of the initiative within their own policy and institutional contexts.
Session 1 – Partnering for Change: What can the Alliances and Erasmus+ National Agencies do for you?
Especially tailored to HEIs not currently participating in the Alliances
Wednesday, 9 September, 10:30–11:15
Session 2 – Erasmus+ National Agencies and Alliances: Modernising national higher education systems from vision to action
Especially tailored to Erasmus+ National Agencies
Wednesday, 9 September, 13:00–13:45
Check the list of sessions featuring the 4EU+ Alliance and its member universities’ representatives:
Fairness by design: Implementing lottery-based exchange selection (S2.05) – Panel (informative) – Line Gregersen, University of Copenhagen, 09:00 – 10:00 BST, 9 September 2026
How to communicate a revolution: Microcredentials explained to young and adult learners (211) – Poster (conversational) – Edda Maria Orlandi, University of Milan, Katarzyna Ścierańska, University of Warsaw/4EU+ Alliance, 14:30 – 16:00 BST, 9 September 2026
Erasmus Without Paper: Getting on board with the digitalisation of Erasmus+ (S5.09) – World Café – Kathrine Bruun Funch, University of Copenhagen. 09:30 – 10:30 BST, 10 September 2026
Short educational formats in times of crisis (411) – Poster (conversational) – Anna Sadecka, University of Warsaw, 14:30 – 16:00 BST, 10 September 2026
Finding the beat: Orchestrating strategic planning across diverse partners (S9.09) –Roundtable (conversational) – Elena Del Giorgio, 4EU+ Alliance – 09:00 – 10:00 BST, 11 September 2026
Coffee talks at the 4EU+ booth (G55):
Join us for coffee and informal discussions with experts from across the 4EU+ Alliance:
Supporting Joint Programmes: European Context, 4EU+ Experience and Opportunities: Thursday, 10 September,11:00-12:00
Beyond the Logo: What an Alliance Changes Inside a University: Thursday, 10 September, 13:00-14:00
Student Ambassadors: How to Engage Them in Collaborative Campaigns? Thursday, 10 September, 14:30-15:30
Making Mobility Make Sense: Curriculum Comparison as a Tool for Cooperation: Thursday, 10 September, 15:30-16:30
Read the list of highlighted sessions of European Universities alliances: https://www.foreu4all.eu/news-and-events/european-universities-alliances-join-the-rhythm-of-revolution-at-eaie-2026
Check the full programme at EAIE 2026, featuring 240+ sessions and activities: https://www.eaie.org/events/glasgow/programme.html
Watch the highlights from the 2025 edition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeOb_PjlBUo
European Universities alliances
Launched in 2019, the European Universities alliances are a flagship initiative of the European strategy for universities.
Full list of alliances by country: https://education.ec.europa.eu/education-levels/higher-education/european-universities-initiative/map
European Universities’ factsheet: European universities - Publications Office of the EU
FOREU4ALL
FOREU4ALL provides a collaborative and supportive platform where all 73 alliances come together to share good practices, exchange experiences, and strengthen cooperation. The community fosters a deeper collaboration by facilitating learning, joint initiatives, and the dissemination of results – enhancing knowledge, skills, and effectiveness of the entire higher education sector.
Official website: https://www.foreu4all.eu/
About EAIE
The EAIE Conference is the most important event dedicated to higher education in Europe and the second largest in the world.
More information: https://www.eaie.org/events/glasgow/about.html