As of July 28, 2024, the European Commission has approved the proposal submitted by European University Cyprus for the establishment of a new European University Alliance under the acronym SUNRISE, in collaboration with eight other academic institutions.
The SUNRISE (Smaller (strategic) Universities Network for Regional Innovation and Sustainable Evolution) project, with a total budget of €14.4 million, is led by Ilmenau University of Technology in Germany. The alliance will comprise a total of nine universities, with European University Cyprus participating as a full partner with a dedicated budget of €1.6 million. The remaining member universities are:
- Ilmenau University of Technology (Germany)
- Free University of Bozen-Bolzano (Italy)
- University of Information Technology and Management in Rzeszow (Poland)
- University of Technology of Compiègne (France)
- Mälardalen University (Sweden)
- Marche Polytechnic University (Italy)
- Džemal Bijedić University of Mostar (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
- Polytechnic University of Viana do Castelo (Portugal)
SUNRISE is one of the 14 newly established European university alliances under the 2024 Erasmus+ call for European Universities, bringing the total number of such alliances to 64, thereby achieving the EU’s strategic objective of forming at least 60 alliances by mid-2024.
Strategic Objectives of the SUNRISE Alliance
The core strategic objectives of SUNRISE include:
- Promoting international education and developing new and innovative academic programs.
- Establishing key pillars of the university alliance, focusing on education, science, research, and administration.
- Advancing European values and fostering a shared identity.
- Enhancing international research collaboration across disciplines.
- Strengthening academia-industry cooperation through all university missions.
- Fostering innovation, technology transfer, and the creation of a common stakeholder network.
The SUNRISE alliance consists of nine relatively small European universities with a strong focus on STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Arts Mathematics). These institutions are located in non-metropolitan, regional areas and share common goals, challenges, and values. The alliance is committed to enhancing the strategic role of smaller universities in fostering the growth and prosperity of sustainable regional economies and societies.
The members of SUNRISE will learn from one another and complement each other’s strengths, aiming for modernization and advancement in academic, research, and administrative domains. This collaborative approach will strengthen their capacity to improve the multifaceted activities of higher education institutions, benefiting students, researchers, regional stakeholders, and European development strategies.
Furthermore, the alliance will facilitate knowledge-sharing and stakeholder participation, driving progress in all four fundamental pillars of higher education institutions: education, research, innovation, and societal engagement.
Ultimately, the members of the SUNRISE alliance aim to contribute significantly to the EU’s “triple transition”, addressing the digital, green, and social challenges faced by contemporary European societies.
Alongside 48 associated partners—including Cyprus Employers & Industrialists Federation (OEB) and SMEs such as Lumoscribe and BioNano in Cyprus—the SUNRISE alliance will work towards the collective development of regional excellence. This initiative will serve as a bridge, connecting SUNRISE regions with the global community while simultaneously bringing regional diversity to the global stage.
By doing so, the SUNRISE alliance will act as a catalyst for change, fostering progress and development among its members and contributing to European society at large.
Source: European University Cyprus | News & Events | News (https://tinyurl.com/hzr8yjae)