UNICA Days 2025 | “The role of university networks in the context of the European Universities alliances”, Brussels, 26-28 Feb 2025
Following the successful inaugural event in early 2024, university leaders, policy makers, stakeholders, and experts in Higher Education & Research gathered in Brussels on February 26-28 for the second edition of the UNICA Days, under the overarching theme “The role of University Networks in the context of the European Universities alliances“.
Around 100 participants engaged in insightful dialogues on the evolving role of network and alliances shaping Higher Education & Research.
Click to learn about the topic
The evolving landscape of European higher education calls for a renewed reflection on the role of long-standing university networks—many of which have been active since the late 1980s and early 1990s—in relation to the EU’s flagship initiative, the European Universities alliances. These alliances aim to create a unified and competitive European Education Area by promoting seamless mobility, transnational education, and joint research programs.
While networks and alliances share common objectives and, at times, appear to operate in overlapping spaces, their fundamental nature and roles differ significantly. University networks have traditionally focused on advocacy, policy engagement, and capacity-building, whereas alliances operate within more structured and goal-driven frameworks. In this context, university networks serve as critical enablers and amplifiers of the European Universities alliances’ ambitions, fostering collaboration, facilitating dialogue, and ensuring that the broader higher education community remains engaged in shaping the future of European academia.
Throughout all sessions at the UNICA Days, inclusion remained a core value at the heart of our mission. We are committed to fostering conversations that engage all our members—even those institutions not formally part of the alliances.
Universities stand at the crossroads of Education, Research and Innovation. They are an ideal bridge between the world of academia and that of business. They are thus crucial to Europe’s competitiveness and to its future prosperity.
Roxana Mînzatu, EC’s EVP for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness, in a video address to the participants at the UNICA Days
Takeaways from the UNICA Days 2025
Networks 
Alliances
Networks amplify institutional needs through advocacy, while University Alliances drive innovation—together, they shape the future of Higher Education.
The European Degree
The idea has institutional enthusiasm and potential to advance HE integration, but requires clarity, inclusivity, and labour market recognition to succeed.
Alliances & Research
Alliances are experimenting with integrating Research & Innovation despite challenges, with their long-term role in EU frameworks still uncertain.
New technologies in higher education
Integrating digitalization and new technologies has a transformative potential, but needs to be balanced by the need for a human-centered and ethical approach.
Univer(cities)
Fostering meaningful collaboration with local and global stakeholders is important for universities to drive sustainable social, cultural and economic change.
Presentations & video-messages
- Keynote presentation, by Olga WESSELS, FOREU4ALL
- Video message by Roxana MÎNZATU, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness
- Video message by Laurence FARRENG, Member of the European Parliament and of the Culture and Education Committee
- Video message by Victor NEGRESCU, Vice-President, European Parliament
- Presentation of the USquare project, by Benjamin WAYENS, Responsible for the ULB-VUB OpenLab@Usquare and Coordinator of the interdisciplinary network of Brussels Studies
- Building bridges, not silos: aligning IT in European Higher Education + Video interopvisual.eu, by Evelien RENDERS, President, EUNIS network
- Access to higher education and cities – what are the opportunities and challenges?, by Graeme ATHERTON, Vice-Principal of Ruskin College, Oxford, Head of the Ruskin Institute for Social Equity (RISE) and Director of the National Education Opportunities Network (NEON), UK
Photos
Target groups
The UNICA days are open to the whole UNICA community as well as to partner organizations, representatives of University networks and of the European Universities alliances, other European stakeholders, and policy makers.
DOCUMENTS
- Biographies of speakers and chairs
- List of participants
- List of recommended hotels in Brussels
- Practical Guide for the participants
26-28 Feb 2025
University Foundation, rue d'Egmont 11, 1000 Brussels
UNICA
Contact
office@unica-network.eu
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.