Key Action 3: Support to policy development and cooperation


Key Action 3 provides support to policy cooperation at European Union level, thereby contributing to the implementation of existing policies and the development of new policies, which can trigger modernisation and reforms, at European Union, and systems' level, in the fields of education, training youth and sport.

Lodz University of Technology is a member of 2 consortia implementing projects under European policy experimentation in higher education.

Detailed descriptions of both initiatives can be found in the following tabs.

FOCI Future-proof Criteria for Innovative European Education
ECIU (TUL is a member university), YUFE AND EPICUR will lead an innovative approach to the European Degree. Together with two other European University Alliances, ECIU University will lead a pilot project to shape the future European Degree and to pilot an innovative approach with the strong support of the European Commission.

The European degree label has the potential to strengthen the international, uniquely European dimension of educational provision in Europe. European University Alliances – as partnerships created for the very purpose of establishing innovative, transnational higher education systems – are in a unique position to pilot the application of the European degree label and contribute to policy discussions about its criteria, application methodology, legal frameworks and future developmental steps.

In this project, three such European University Alliances join forces, represented by eight individual universities, with the aim of testing the concept of the European degree label. Hence, FOCI contributes to reinvigorating the discussion on the future of transnational European cooperation and integration in the field of higher education, and how to co-create, upscale and deepen the European dimension learning experiences for future generations of learners.

The project will run for one year (March 2023 – March 2024) and will enhance the Alliance’s close partnerships and co-creation with diverse higher education stakeholders, including students, labour market representatives, national authorities and quality assurance agencies (from all countries in which partner universities are situated). By bringing all of these stakeholders together, FOCI will explore the fundamental needs and expectations towards the European Degree label, from the perspective of not only the higher education sector but also broader society, as well as relevant regulatory obstacles which need to be addressed at national and European level in order for the European Degree to become a reality in the near future.

FOCI Consortium:

Kaunas University of Technology (ECIU)
Lodz University of Technology (ECIU)
University of Rijeka (YUFE)
University of Antwerp (YUFE)
Maastricht University (YUFE)
University of Amsterdam (EPICUR)
Aristotle University in Thessaloniki (EPICUR)
University of Strasbourg (EPICUR)
More info at: eciu.p.lodz.pl/en

ESEU - European Status for ECIU University
ESEU will support ECIU University and other alliances of higher education institutions (HEIs), such as the ‘European Universities’, to overcome obstacles to deeper, long-term and flexible transnational cooperation through the design of a suitable institutionalised cooperation instrument. To do so, ESEU will:

Match use cases, that are based on a thorough assessment of the needs of university alliances for a legal status to achieve the latitude to act together, make common strategic decisions, experiment joint recruitment, design joint curricula or pool resources and human, technical, data, education, research and innovation capacities and more, covering all missions of universities (the knowledge square). Existing European cooperation instruments will be analysed and matched to the needs, i.e., their legal implications, benefits, challenges and feasibility in close cooperation with national authorities and experts to understand the national context.
Start with the first initial administrative steps to implement one or more suitable instruments to facilitate ECIU University’s operations, and propose a roadmap with future actions to improve existing instruments, or to recommend the design of a new EU instrument.
ESEU will work from the question what a European alliance of HEIs implies in practice, including its governance needs, and will build upon the 25-year experience of ECIU with a national legal status (Foundation under Dutch law), and its network and knowledge. Other alliances of HEIs, national/local authorities and relevant entities and experts will be closely involved, e.g. through input sessions, interviews and surveys. ESEU will cover an extensive perspective and will work towards broad support by relevant stakeholders and policy-makers.

The project will start on 1 March, will run for one year and entails 250.000 €.

List of formal partners of the ESEU project:

University of Twente (The Netherlands, coordinator),
Kaunas University of Technology (Lithuania),
INSA Rouen (France),
Dublin City University (Ireland),
Linköping University (Sweden),
Tampere University (Finland),
Hamburg University of Technology (Germany), 
Lodz University of Technology (Poland),
Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona (Spain),
Universidade de Aveiro (Portugal),
University of Stavanger (Norway),
Università di Trento (Italy),
Aalborg University (Denmark),
ECIU Foundation,
Ministry of Education, Science and Sports (Lithuania),
Ministry of Education and Science (Portugal),
4EU+ European University Alliance E.V.,
Una Europa,
EU-Conexa,
Charm-EU (via Universitat de Barcelona),
EUCOR-The European Campus (EGTC),
Ministry of Education and Culture (Finland),
Ministry of University and Research (Italy),
Ministry of Universities (Spain),
Autonomous Province of Trento (EGTC, Italy),
Cimea Association (Italy),
Authority Of Ireland For Cauliochthaigus Derbhu (Ireland),
Conference Of Directors Of French Schools (France).
More info at eciu.p.lodz.pl/en