T4E to Include Three More Partners and a Ukrainian University

Transform4Europe Alliance, which has already developed clear values and goals over the past two years, is growing, and three more European universities are joining the alliance. Transform4Europe has welcomed Universidade Católica Portuguesa (Portugal), which is rated the best university in the country for the fourth year in a row by the World University Ranking, the University of Primorska (Slovenia), which is renowned for upholding international values, and Jean Monnet University of Saint-Etienne (France), which is a part of the Lyon University higher education and research network, connecting 11 higher education institutions in France. In order to show support for Ukraine, Mariupol State University has been invited to join the alliance as an Associate Member.

“We have been talking about potential candidates and the expansion of the Transform4Europe Alliance for some time now. Last month we had a meeting in Saarbrücken, Germany, where together with the rectors of the alliance’s universities, we confirmed the accession of all three members,” said Prof. Juozas Augutis, Rector of VMU. This enlargement represents a further development of our common goal: Transforming Europe by educating and training knowledge entrepreneurs and overcoming modern challenges together. It shows that European universities are united and determined to contribute to the development of higher education in Europe and to help each other in difficult times.

As Transform4Europe European University supports Ukraine in its defensive war with Russia, Mariupol State University has also been invited to join the alliance. “Mariupol State University has already become an associate partner through Vytautas Magnus University some time ago. We are happy to help our colleagues from Mariupol in this difficult time. We are trying to do everything we can individually and through joint initiatives,” said the Rector of VMU.

Prof. Juozas Augutis (Photo by R. Ščerbaukas)

The alliance involves Ukrainians in joint activities, providing grants for researchers and teachers and mobility scholarships for students and staff. “We are helping as much as we can for those affected in Mariupol – VMU is providing individual mobility scholarships and research awards. We are delighted with the success of our colleagues from the University of Silesia in Poland – the University has won 160,000 euros in a national project, which will be used to support the Mariupol University community, to develop joint research and study initiatives, and to nourish the life of the University,” said Prof. Ineta Dabašinskienė, Transform4Europe Institutional Coordinator at VMU.

Mariupol State University has many goals, even though it cannot work as it used to. The University’s future strategy includes the renewal of educational programmes and cooperation relations, incorporating new science sources and establishing a new identity for the University. Right now, all members of the community have the opportunity to study or work remotely.

Prof. Ineta Dabašinskienė (Photo by J. Petronis)

The old facilities of MSU have been destroyed – some of the university staff have been relocated to Kyiv, where they are provided with temporary premises. “It is well known that the premises given to the university in Kyiv are in a state of near-emergency and need to be renovated. The dormitory lacks not only furniture but also important household items. One of the most important things is electricity generators, which are already hard to find in Europe,” said prof. Ineta Dabašinskienė, who stays in contact with her colleagues from Mariupol. – The alliance community is preparing to launch a fundraising campaign soon, and we hope that we will be able to help them with the most important things. We may not be able to raise enough money to fully renovate the premises, but it will be a sign that we care and that they are not alone.”

So far, the Transform4Europe Alliance has included seven universities united by common values and goals. One of Transform4Europe’s long-term goals is joint degree programmes, the promotion of entrepreneurship, multilingualism, mobility of students and staff, and an empowered European knowledge and innovation ecosystem.