Pol Bracke

In the past 2 years, U!REKA European University established several EU-funded projects. These are major milestones that support the green and digital transition, inclusion, and competitiveness in higher education. With this additional funding, they create new opportunities for students, foster entrepreneurship, and address urban and climate challenges through applied research. They also strengthen collaboration within European University alliances and demonstrate the added value of the U!REKA-partnership. 

The main question of the U!REKA research project UrbanSWARM, which started on 1 December, is how to make cities climate-adaptive through small-scale, circular and nature-based solutions focusing on sustainable management of water, waste and biodiversity. Funded by the Horizon Europe Programme, the research is therefore responding to a key issue on the European agenda.

During the Voka Sustainable Entrepreneurship Day, held on Thursday 23 October at Technopolis Mechelen, HOGENT received the SDG Ambassador certificate, a UN-related recognition. This is a reward for its consistent and thorough sustainability policy, which is guided by the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals). HOGENT is the first university college in Flanders to be awarded the title of SDG Ambassador.

U!REKA European University can help cities in the climate transition. As an alliance of applied universities, U!REKA contributes to the development of specific solutions, based on a multi-stakeholder approach, with focus on education, research, innovation and service to society. That was the main message during the UIREKA workshop at the European Week of Regions and Cities (EWRC) in Brussels (13-15 October), where two projects were presented as good practices of collaboration between universities of applied sciences and cities: one in Ghent, another in Helsinki. In this article, we focus on Ghent.

The rectors of the U!REKA European University, an alliance consisting exclusively of universities of applied sciences, emphasize in a common statement the importance of the application-oriented approach of applied universities, closely connected to companies, organisations, and communities, have become indispensable in a changing society. By flexibly combining expertise and perspectives, students of universities of applied sciences develop innovative solutions to complex business and societal challenges.

Koen Goethals, president of HOGENT, takes over the chairmanship of the U!REKA Steering Committee from Riita Konkola of Metropolia University of Applied Sciences for the next two years.

Despite the war, Ukrainian universities continue to function and try to adapt to the difficult conditions, introducing innovative educational approaches, and strengthening international cooperation. Even during war, Ukraine’s higher education system remains resilient. One of the institutions is Odessa National Economic University, partner of the U!REKA University Alliance. At the start of the new academic year, they are facing another hard period. We asked some lecturers and students how they cope with this.

The importance of European higher education collaboration was highlighted at Metropolia University of Applied Sciences in Helsinki on 21–22 May. U!REKA Connects, the annual flagship event of the U!REKA University Alliance gathered nearly 400 participants from across Europe.

At U!REKA Connects 2025, people and projects that bring the alliance to life were celebrated with the U!REKA Awards. These recognize exceptional contributions to co-creation, boldness, and inclusion – the core values of U!REKA.

In an open letter the European University Alliances, of which U!REKA is one, call for the EU and its member states to play an active role in supporting the current Ukrainian needs in the higher education sector and more particularly for the displaced universities.