Mission

Ulysseus is an alliance of European universities from the Erasmus + European Universities Call of 2020. As stated by the European Commision, these European Universities “support systemic, structural and sustainable transnational cooperation among diverse higher education institutions across Europe, covering all their missions: education, research, innovation and service to society”.

Ulysseus envisions a bold future by 2030: to develop an excellency-recognized, internationally attractive, open to the world, persons-centred and entrepreneurial European University for the citizens of the future.

The origins of our university name

Why Ulysseus European University

The journey of Ulysseus European University draws inspiration from the legendary hero Ulysses, whose epic voyage in Homer’s “The Odyssey” embodies the spirit of adventure, exploration, and the pursuit of discovery.

Merging “Ulysses” with “EU” reflects our shared mission of embarking on a transformative journey, much like Ulysses’ quest for Ithaca. Our path is filled with challenges and milestones, driven by a passion for learning and innovation.

Audacious like Ulysses in his 10-year journey to Ithaca, Ulysseus endevour is to shape the European Higher Education Area and the European Research Area, and hence the future of Europe.

“As you set out for Ithaca hope your road is a long one, full of adventure, full of discovery.”

Cavafy
Ithaca

Vision

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 stands apart as a unique innovation ecosystem, where our Alliance thrives by developing targeted solutions to real-world Research & Innovation challenges. At the heart of this ecosystem are our Innovation Hubs, driving creativity and collaboration, which makes Ulysseus truly distinctive.

Mission

Ulysseus aims to become a true role model of European University to create a better world. To lead our European University to become a driver of the EU global role, being competitive and to be able to attract the best students and staff worldwide, Ulysseus is working on becoming a model of excellence and good practices based on the following:

Integrative and democratic governance

Ulysseus gathers a diverse and complementary, excellent, and inclusive alliance, with participative and integrated governance.

Committment to local and regional development

The Ulysseus Innovation Ecosystem, through its Innovation Hubs, fosters collaboration in education, research, and knowledge transfer to address EU and global challenges. It serves as a catalyst for strategic partnerships, linking local and regional systems to promote innovation-driven transformation.

Top of the class learning, research and innovation and mobility

Ulysseus has a clear and ambitious strategy and leadership, offering attractive learning and career options, future-proof skills and good guidance, quality assurance, mobility, and first-rate research and innovation.

Advanced Monitoring Tools for Efficient Process Management

Efficiency in processes management, with qualitative and quantitative monitoring tools, such as the RADAR observatory and its foresight capacity which looks forward future EU policies.

Openness through Education, Science, Dissemination and to the world

Ulysseus champions openness in four key areas: Open Education, offering accessible learning; Open Science and Citizen Participatory Science, fostering collaboration between researchers and the public; open and transparent dissemination of results, ensuring wide accessibility; and being Open to the World engaging with new partners and expanding its network and addressing shared challenges worldwide.

Goals

Goal 1. To modernise our universities

We want to contribute to the modernisation of our educational institutions by developing a long-lasting Ulysseus territorial and digital Innovation Ecosystem. To that end, we will rely on: The Ulysseus community, representing the helix and made up by our partner universities and our associated partners and the Ulysseus campus integrated by the Central Management Office, the Digital Platform and Ulysseus Innovation Hubs.

Goal 2. To contribute to the development of our regions and cities

We aim to implement a series of student-centered, flexible, and work-based European Joint Programmes, interlinked with research and knowledge transfer activities. This is what we are working on:

European Degrees
Ulysseus internship programme
Short-format courses
Erasmus+ & Horizon Europe new projects
Joint Research Centers
Joint Incubators
Living labs
Match4Cooperation App

Goal 3. To reduce the competence gap

Our goal is to prepare highly-skilled digital, multilingual, and entrepreneurial European citizens through a combination of innovative learning and teaching activities. These are some of the top-notch skills that will be promoted:

+2 Language programme
Career development
Lifelong learning
Entrepreneurship and design-thinking
Innovative learning solutions for teachers
Competences for non-academic staff

Goal 4. To enhance the knowledge and practice of the European values

We want to help shape the European citizen of the future. A citizen characterised by their respect to human rights, equality, and inclusiveness. Boosting the representation of women in STEAM is another of our main ambitions. These are some of our key programmes:

European citizenship promotion
Citizen engagement
Special needs
Gender equality
Scholarship for disadvantaged groups
Elderlies’ internationalisation
Open Classes sites
Science shop

Goal 5. To promote an open-to-the-world model of university

A combination of in-person and virtual mobility is no longer a wish. It is part of what we understand by a European University of the future. Moreover, we want to enhance the recognition and massive use of the European Student Card. This is what we are investing in programmes for: