Unite!WIDENING project was conceived to be a complementary project under the umbrella of the European University Alliance Unite! and aims to further raise excellence in science and in knowledge valorization of Alliance universities through increased and interwoven cooperation with Universities from Widening and non-Widening countries.
The consortium is a strong and complementary partnership of nine leading European research universities, also partners in the University Alliance Unite!, two of them in Widening countries, two S&T parks, a development agency and an innovation management SME. The science, research and academic expertise of the universities are complemented by the innovation, industrial and business experience of the non-academic partners, to achieve the goals of the EEI.
The project also aims to be a complementary space to underline and extend the outcomes of the UNITE.H2020 project, in particular, to become a role model for a competitive European University Alliance producing top-class R&I and combining it with a virtual and physical seamless inter-university campus, embedded in a network of innovative regions, aiming at a more sustainable world.
The overall success of Unite!WIDENING project will be supported by the development and achievement of the specific objectives:
- Raise and mainstream excellence in science and value creation through deeper and geographically inclusive cooperation in alliances of HEI, and particularly in less research-intensive institutions with focus in Widening countries, achieving long-term collaboration
- Improve global competitiveness and visibility of Europe's HEI, creating critical mass in key areas such as the green transition and Horizon Europe mission areas.
- Successful institutional reform, upgrade and strengthening of HEI capacities in the R&I dimension (empowerment to be actors of change), through integrated collaboration between institutions and other actors in local ecosystems notably those located in Widening countries;
- Modernised research careers in higher education sector, interoperable with other sectors and improved global competitiveness of research in HEI by strongly increased critical mass in terms of upskilling, knowledge creation and circulation in the green transition and other key European policy areas such as European Missions;
- Accelerated digital transition of the R&I dimension of the higher education sector across the entire ERA;
- Contribution to implementation of the relevant ERA Policy Agenda actions in higher education sector.