Stories
U!REKA SHIFT aims to form a European University network

Vision on climate neutrality and beyond
Our vision is to create a profound shift towards climate neutral and eventually climate positive societies. We are concentrating our resources and efforts in education and RDI to support our cities and a wider network of European cities and their ecosystems in achieving the ambitious goals of 100 climate-neutral and smart cities by 2030, and in a wider European context by 2050. Through the U!REKA challenge-based and collaborative approach to learning we enable all students, irrespective of their educational field, to develop the necessary green and digital competencies that Europe and the world need today and in years to come.
U!REKA SHIFT is built on core values of inclusivity, sustainability, and diversity as well as student, staff and stakeholder-centeredness. With this value base to implement our joint mission, we aim to make a profound contribution to the European Education Area and European Research Area in synergy with the European Higher Education Area. The U!REKA SHIFT mission consists of three main objectives:
- To establish a sustainable inter-university campus, based on a long-term strategy on education, ensuring seamless mobility and with respect for good governance;
- To become a lighthouse European University for challenge-based and collaborative learning and innovation; and
- To shape U!REKA future-proof urban professionals who will accelerate the transition towards climate-neutral and smart cities

An alliance with exceptional stakeholder involvement and support
U!REKA SHIFT will be implemented by the following full partners:
- Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands)
- Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences (Germany)
- HOGENT University of Applied Sciences (Belgium)
- Metropolia University of Applied Sciences (Finland)
- Politécnico de Lisboa (Portugal)
- VSB Technical University of Ostrava (Czech Republic)
To make our goals and aims a reality we have a wide European network of local, regional, national and European partners tightly involved.
The new U!REKA SHIFT strategy brings together some 30 full (FP) and associated partners (AP) from across Europe.
We are happy and proud to receive such extensive support to make the change with us towards climate-neutrality through revolutionary education as well as groundbreaking RDI. Collaboration and close involvement of our stakeholders are built into the DNA of the U!REKA SHIFT. Our partners and stakeholders have been forming the U!REKA SHIFT together with our students and staff from the very beginning, starting with defining the challenges and our joint European approach of tacking them through systemic and structural collaboration. Implementing our joint plans in close collaboration will enable us to promote European values and strengthen the European identity as well as ensure institutionalised cooperation and transformation that is based on the needs of our local, regional and European-wide community.

If you have questions or would like more information, please contact:
Mona Roman
Innovation Director, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences