Ulysseus sails to a new port: European Commission grants funding for another four years

Today, the European Commission announced that Ulysseus is one the European University Alliances selected for another 4 years of funding with a grant of 12,8 million euro. This news confirms that, from now onwards,Ulysseus has now 8 members universities and strengthens its 10-year plan. This new funding ensures the consolidation of programmes and structures designed during the first phase of the project.

The Alliance is now officially made up of a total of eight partner universities: the University of Seville (Spain), the University of Genoa (Italy), Université of Côte D’Azur (France), Technical University of Košice (Slovakia), MCI | The Entrepreneurial School® (Austria), Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences (Finland), the University of Münster (Germany) and University of Montenegro (Montenegro). Hence, Ulysseus will be more diverse in history and size and will include all types of Higher Education Institutions.

In this regard, Ulysseus Alliance now has eight diverse Universities, solidly involved in the development of their regions and cities: five comprehensive Universities (University of Seville, Université Côte d’Azur, University of Genoa, University of Münster and University of Montenegro), one technical University (Technical University of Košice) and two Universities of Applied Sciences (MCI | The Entrepreneurial School® and Haaga-Helia).

This diversity of universities, countries and regions has helped to create a complementary, dynamic and versatile Alliance, which together along with 158 associated partners, develops an agile, sustainable and proactive Innovation Ecosystem. The aim of this ecosystem is to boost synergies between the four missions of Higher Education Institutions: education, research, innovation and service to society, to address UN, European, regional and local challenges.

Supported by Erasmus+ funding as part of the European Universities Initiative, Ulysseus will go beyond the European borders as the strategical objective in this new stage, so the Alliance will develop a networking expansion and settle three Ulysseus branches in non-European countries. In addition, Ulysseus, which will soon open enrolment for its first joint master’s degree, will continue to develop its double and joint academic offer in this new phase. 

Innovation Ecosystem

Ulysseus Innovation Hubs are the central axis for co-creation processes for transdisciplinary and challenge driven education intertwined with research and innovation, the promotion of citizens’ involvement and European values.

With the addition of two universities as new full members, but also, due to the readjustment of territorial strategies after the pandemic period and subsequent European and national recovery plans, some regions, in alignment with their universities, decided to revise their strategic position.

The Ulysseus Innovation Hubs are evolving in this new phase, adapting to this new reality and modifying some of their themes to meet the new European innovation agenda. Following this revision, the IHs are as follows:

• Sustainable Energy, Transport and Mobility for Smart Cities (University of Seville).
• Robotics (University of Genoa)
• Ageing and Wellbeing (Université Côte d’Azur)
• Digital Transformation of Industry (Technical University of Košice)
• Entrepreneurship & Impact (MCI | The Entrepreneurial School®)
• Applied AI for Business and Education (Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences)
• Socio-Ecological Sustainability (University of Münster)
• Cybersecurity (University of Montenegro).

The future of Europe’s Higher Education

The European Commission’s decision to extend funding to Ulysseus showcases the Commission’s steadfast commitment to investing in the future of Europe’s Higher Education Area. By supporting initiatives that foster collaboration, excellence, and innovation, the Commission aims to strengthen the European knowledge base and ensure that Europe remains at the forefront of global research and education.

As Ulysseus embarks on this exciting new chapter, the Alliance looks forward to consolidating itself as a digital and territorial European University and, in particular, to working as a catalyst for the launch of new instruments and legal frameworks that will accelerate the transformation of all universities in Europe.

About Ulysseus

Ulysseus Alliance vision for 2030 is to develop an excellency-recognized and internationally attractive open to the world, persons-centred and entrepreneurial European University for the citizens of the future. By doing so, our ambition is to contribute to shape the European Higher Education and Research Areas, and hence the future of Europe.

Ulysseus is one of the 50 European Universities selected by the European Commission to become the universities of the future. Led by the University of Seville together with seven other universities in Europe (the University of Genoa, Italy; Université Côte d’Azur, France; the Technical University of Košice, Slovakia; MCI | The Entrepreneurial School®, Austria; Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences, Finland; the University of Münster, Germany; and the University of Montenegro, Montenegro), the project will allow students, researchers and graduates to move freely between universities, carry out internships in companies and start high-impact research projects.