Transversal Erasmus+ Priorities: Drivers of Strategic Developments

The Erasmus+ programme aims to equip the citizens of the European Union with the skills, knowledge and experience they need to tackle the current and future challenges of our society. Global climate change and sustainable development, digitalisation, social inclusion and democratic participation are key issues that are taken into account in university education. Transversal subjects play an increasingly important role fulfilling these tasks.

Why is Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences participating in the European Universities alliance EUt+? What vision is it pursuing?

Professor Steinmetz: Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences is a top-performing university of applied sciences and as such recognises societal challenges and develops practical solutions. Our mission to make an impact on society is consistent with the objective of the European University of Technology to educate a new generation of European citizens and in this way to help build a sustainable future.

To tackle global challenges, we need value-based technological solutions that are geared towards the needs of people and the environment («Think Human First – European Values Empowering Technology»). EUt+ allows us to learn from each other, to work together to develop a responsible understanding of technology and to give this understanding a global voice as a European university.

How was the collaboration initiated?

The University occupies a pioneering role among German universities of applied sciences, having acquired the right to award doctorates, system accreditation and through knowledge and technology transfer, among other things. It aims to maintain and expand this role further with the European Universities initiative. EUt+ also offers us the unique opportunity to significantly shape the European Education Area and this incentivises many employees. The alliance partners see EUt+ not as a project but as a strategic focus which is seeking to transform the universities into a European institution. So our goal is a merger. And this is also firmly embedded in h_da’s target agreements with the Hessian Ministry of Science and the Arts. They include establishing governance structures within EUt+ but also involving all internal university committees as well as status and interest groups in this development process.

How does Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences work with its partner universities in the European Universities alliance EUt+ and in what way does transnational cooperation help the University achieve its overarching goals?

The first funding phase of EUt+ is defined by a work package structure, within which regular work sessions and personal meetings take place. These are used to discuss outcomes and exchange information about conditions that are specific to the individual countries, but they also enable participants to get to know each other personally and build trust. This is important for our common goals and cooperation. We have weekly video conferences and monthly face-to-face meetings at one of the working group or committee locations. These have proven crucial for effective communication and a comprehensive, shared understanding of EUt+.

Membership of EUt+ has been beneficial for us from the outset, helping us build our profile and position ourselves on our key topics (mobility, sustainable development, digitalisation and society). Our visibility as a university of applied sciences has also increased significantly. 

You recently entered the second funding phase of the European Universities initiative. You are simultaneously piloting two Erasmus+ projects on the European Degree label and the European legal status of the university alliances, alongside numerous other initiatives. How have you managed to do this?

This has to do with our participatory approach, which offers members of all partner universities the opportunity to contribute and present their ideas. This was much more challenging for the editorial team during the application process, but ultimately the very positive assessments have validated this approach.

We have many highly motivated members of faculty, researchers, staff and students at h_da who are committed to EUt+. Our challenge is communicating the vision of EUt+ across the entire University. We are currently holding some fascinating discussions on this subject in all committees and faculties.

Given that EUt+ is the only alliance to seek an institutional solution, it was crucial that we were involved in determining its legal form. Clarification of the structure of genuinely European degree programmes was also of fundamental importance to us as an EU institution. We were able to present both in the proposals.

What specific actions and initiatives to promote sustainability is Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences planning as part of the EUt+ Green Office?

Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences co-founded the EUt+ Green Office and is instrumental in supporting its development and all activities. The EUt+ Green Office aims to be a platform that helps EUt+ as a whole and also individual universities to develop sustainably, in other words in teaching, research, operations and governance. All university partners are involved in the EUt+ Green Office and the Office is attracting considerable attention. Specific actions designed to appeal to as many partner universities as possible are still being finalised. In the next funding phase, h_da will head the task force in charge of institutionalising the EUt+ Green Office.

How will the EUt+ Green Office help promote sustainability at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences and in the European Universities alliance?

The EUt+ Green Office will advise and support the EUt+ governance boards (steering committee, secretary general) and, of course, the individual work packages on issues of sustainability. As a platform for all university partners, the Green Office also facilitates direct exchange on the specific sustainability issues of individual universities, which will then be able to support each other.

The EUt+ Green Office is staffed by employees from different areas of the universities who are involved with sustainability. Its agenda currently includes developing a common understanding of sustainability for the EUt+ Green Office (memorandum of understanding).

Interviewed by Kathrin Herres