Nowadays, studies, science or the experience of students without internationality are unimaginable. It creates value for everyone – higher education institutions, employers, students and society. It is important to find new and sustainable ways and effective incentives to promote international cooperation. One of them is the creation and strengthening of European University alliances.

One example of such successful cooperation is the UNINOVIS European University Alliance, launched in 2025 and uniting over 125,000 students and 11,000 staff across its member institutions. On 4–6 June, the Alliance’s partners from France, Spain, Germany, Albania, Italy, Finland, and the Netherlands gathered at Kauno kolegija, where the first UNINOVIS General Assembly was held.

Internationality is an integral part of higher education

‘As the Director of Kauno kolegija, I am truly honoured that we have the privilege of hosting this event, marking a significant milestone in our collective journey. This assembly is not just a meeting; it is a powerful proof of our shared vision and the strength of our collaboration. The UNINOVIS Alliance, with its focus on promoting education, research, and innovation in applied data science, is poised to be a driving force for impactful change across Europe,’ the guests were welcomed by the Director of Kauno kolegija HEI, Dr Andrius Brusokas.

According to him, the alliance opens up wider opportunities to strengthen the quality of studies and develop applied science and art at an international level. Kauno kolegija HEI had already established in its strategy a vision of becoming an advanced and sustainable higher education institution a few years ago.

Dr A. Brusokas also notes that today internationality is understood as an integral part of a higher education institution, enriching not only the study experience but also providing an opportunity to contribute to solving global challenges.

‘International cooperation opens the door to new ideas, innovations and methods that can be applied in both research and practical activities. In addition, in today’s globalised world, universities must ensure that their students are prepared to work and cooperate in international teams, which is why internationality is becoming an integral part of modern higher education,’ says the Director of Kauno kolegija HEI.

It is necessary to invest in the ’soft’ side of cooperation

‘The UNINOVIS European University Alliance is convening its annual General Assembly – the key decision-making event that brings together representatives of the governing bodies. This important occasion serves not only as a milestone to reflect on our shared achievements, but also as a forward-looking platform to shape the future of our joint aspirations for lifelong learning, innovation, inclusion, and impact in European higher education. We will gather to assess the progress made since the project’s inception and to set strategic priorities for the year ahead,’ shares Jolanta Valiaugienė, UNINOVIS Project Manager at Kauno kolegija HEI.

In her opinion, it is crucial for the UNINOVIS alliance to continue to build mutual understanding and strong relationships among partners. This means getting to know each other’s strengths and weaknesses, identifying areas for collaboration and needs, sharing resources, and supporting one another. By doing so, the alliance will strengthen its collective capacity to respond to societal needs and to contribute to the common good.

‘Trust and sincere relationships are essential to deepening our collaboration and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the alliance. In many ways, this journey along the UNINOVIS timeline is like building a family – and UNINOVIS is our shared commitment, our new ‘family’. Therefore, alongside implementing activities and reaching the milestones outlined in our project, we must also invest in nurturing the ‘soft’ side of our cooperation – the human connections that form the foundation of enduring and effective partnership,’ adds J. Valiaugienė, UNINOVIS Project Manager at Kauno kolegija HEI.

Upcoming plans include consolidating the partnership between the higher education institutions belonging to the alliance

UNINOVIS Project Coordinator Rudy Akueson notes that the priorities of the UNINOVIS alliance for the upcoming year should focus on consolidating the foundations of the partnership and ensuring that the alliance is fully operational and strategically aligned.

‘More specifically, this should include establishing effective governance and coordination structures, including clear roles, decision-making processes, and communication channels across all levels of the alliance; setting up the necessary legal, digital, and administrative frameworks to support joint activities in a sustainable and compliant manner; building a shared identity and mutual understanding among partners, through strong internal communication and opportunities for collaboration between staff and students,’ says R. Akueson.

He adds that UNINOVIS Alliance’s priorities include launching key pilot actions, particularly in lifelong learning, joint programmes, mobility, and data literacy, to translate the alliance’s vision into concrete benefits, as well as developing a robust quality assurance and monitoring framework to track progress and continuously improve implementation.

‘This first year is above all about turning the shared ambition behind UNINOVIS into a structured and credible alliance, capable of delivering long-term impact in the field of applied data science and higher education transformation,’ says UNINOVIS Project Coordinator R. Akueson.

UNINOVIS aims to become a source of advanced data science competencies and skills for both current and future generations, promoting a sustainable and inclusive European society. The goal of the alliance is to create an international and interdisciplinary European university from seven higher education institutions with common management, teaching, international relations and research structures. The alliance is focused on the wider use of data science in all academic fields.

UNINOVIS Alliance unites seven European higher education institutions in France, Lithuania, Germany, Finland, Spain, Italy, Albania (Kauno kolegija Higher Education Institution, Technical University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Sorbonne Paris Nord University, University of Málaga, Tampere University of Applied Sciences, University of Tirana) is part of the European Universities initiative of the European Commission. The coordinator of this alliance is Sorbonne Paris Nord University in France.