The first two years of the U!REKA project are now behind us. A lot has already been achieved, but there is more to come by the end of the first 4-years funding. The achievements so far and those in the pipeline were, of course, a topic of discussion at the recent Rector’s Meeting.
An event like U!REKA Connects implies hundreds of participants traveling by air. To compensate their share of the greenhouse gas emissions caused by the travel to/from Helsinki U!REKA Connects in 2025, U!REKA partners have each taken steps, either through a certified off-set organization, or as a direct donation to a project that promotes emission reduction or carbon capture. An overview.
U!REKA Connects, the yearly ‘flagship moment’ of the U!REKA European University will take place in Lisbon from 23 to 25 June. It allows the alliance to reinforce existing collaborations, spark new joint initiatives, and exchange expertise through interactive workshops, presentations and other collaborative formats. IPL (Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa), the hosting partner is finalizing the programme. Meanwhile, don’t forget to register (see below).
The European project U!Innovate brings together a consortium of European universities and innovation partners, many of which are members of the U!REKA European University Alliance. Together they work on one shared goal: strengthening entrepreneurial capacity within higher education and supporting the creation of new startups emerging from universities. U!Innovate recently entered a new phase which focuses on the development of the U!Innovate hybrid interregional incubator.
The U!REKA European University, launched early 2024, is entering a new phase: from now on, students from partner institutions will be able to take a series of open (English-language) courses at other institutions within the U!REKA partnership. This is less obvious than it seems. In any case, it offers a significant added value for students: the range of courses available is becoming more extensive and more international, offering additional opportunities to acquire skills that are essential in tomorrow’s professional life. Most courses are free of charge and earn students credits.
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.
What a week! From November 24 to 28, Frankfurt UAS hosted the first U!REKA Week. Around 200 international staff and students from Helsinki, Ghent, Amsterdam, Lisbon, Ostrava, Odessa, Vienna, Edinburgh, Sofia, and Bari had the opportunity to network with their international colleagues, further develop projects, or deepen their collaboration. The main program highlights included the U!REKA job shadowing programme, international guest lectures, and the two-day Urban Circular Hack(athon).
In the first week of November 2025, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (AUAS) hosted the U!REKA Research Days, bringing together 130 researchers from nine European partner universities. This annual event serves as a platform for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and innovation, with a shared mission to improve societies and cities through applied research.
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.