The 4EU+ Alliance welcomes the University of Geneva: A new partner in building One Comprehensive Research European University
In July 2022, the integration of the University of Geneva (UNIGE, Switzerland) as a new member of the 4EU+ European University Alliance was unanimously approved by the Governing Board.
UNIGE will become a full member of the 4EU+ European University Alliance Association on 1 August 2022, strengthening 4EU+ objectives in research, teaching and transfer, while intensifying the cooperation and dialogue with stakeholders across Europe.
"With the University of Geneva we are gaining a comprehensive research university from the heart of Europe as a valuable strategic partner. Both in Switzerland and internationally, the University of Geneva enjoys an excellent reputation as an outward-looking, research-intensive university with outstanding connections in the non-university research landscape,” declares Prof. Dr Bernhard Eitel, Rector of Heidelberg University and current Chair of the 4EU+ Alliance. “Building on existing cooperation, we intend, in the coming years, to advance common strategic projects in the areas of education, mobility and research and to establish 4EU+ as an innovation driver on the European and international educational scene,“ Rector Eitel says.
The University of Geneva is one of the largest Swiss comprehensive research universities. Founded in 1559 by Jean Calvin, it ranks among the best 100 universities in the world with research strengths in life sciences, elementary particle physics, quantum physics and astrophysics. It has intensive cooperation with the locally based international organisations such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) or the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN), building upon its unique position at the heart of International Geneva, a world capital for multilateralism. UNIGE is at the forefront of Switzerland’s academic reputation through excellence in research and teaching. The University of Geneva is a member of various European research networks, including the League of European Research Universities (LERU) and the Coimbra Group.
"This alliance brings together some of the most widely recognised universities – all are members of the LERU or LERU/CE7– with which we already work closely both in teaching and research. We will now be able to take our projects one step further and strengthen academic mobility for our students and researchers," emphasises Prof. Dr Yves Flückiger, Rector of the University of Geneva. "Europe is facing complex challenges, like the digital transformation of society or the sustainable development goals set forth by the United Nations. They can only be met by a multidisciplinary approach, allowing researchers to work within comprehensive networks such as the one we are delighted to join today,” Rector Flückiger concludes.
The 4EU+ European University Alliance, originally 4EU, was founded in March 2018 by Charles University, Heidelberg University, Sorbonne University, and the University of Warsaw. In October 2018 it became 4EU+ with the addition of the University of Copenhagen and the University of Milan. 4EU+ is one of the university alliances that have been funded since June 2019 in the context of the Erasmus+ pilot call “European Universities”. It also received funding in the framework of Horizon 2020 with the SwafS project TRAIN4EU+.
The vision of the 4EU+ Alliance is to create One Comprehensive Research European University, contributing to the building up of the European Education and Research Areas by 2025 and beyond.
