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.
U!REKA European University Alliance and businesses, has been awarded major project funding from the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Higher Education Institutions (HEI) Initiative. The U!nnovate Project is an important boost to enhance the innovation capacity and entrepreneurial mindset of U!REKA universities and foster collaboration between academia, industry and regional authorities.
Dr. Sam Illingworth from Edinburgh Napier University plays key role at both events
In spring 2025, VSB – Technical University of Ostrava hosted two dynamic academic events that underscored the power of international and interdisciplinary collaboration within the U!REKA alliance.
In a podcast conversation U!REKA members Minna Kaihovirta (Metropolia) and Koen Van Damme (HOGENT) explore how inclusion, co-creation and boldness became the core values of our European University alliance.
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.
In April 2025, eight members of HOGENT International Office visited their colleagues at Frankfurt UAS for a job shadowing. Hanna Leonhard, local coordinator for U!REKA in Frankfurt, was eager to learn how Nausikaä Lagrou, senior staff member at the International Office in Ghent, prepared and experienced her stay in Germany.
On Thursday, 24 April, the first ever Local EduForum took place at VSB – Technical University Ostrava.
Looking ahead to the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) (2028-2034), The U!REKA University Alliance delegation met representatives of the European Commission and the Parliament on 9th-10th April in Brussels. The alliance emphasized the need for increased funding for research, development, innovation and education to strengthen European economic growth and competitiveness, while safeguarding social fairness and societal resilience. The discussions focused on the following key U!REKA messages.
From 1 to 4 April, the third edition of the ‘ISCAL International Days’ took place at the Polytechnic University of Lisbon.
