From Campuses to Communities: FOREU4ALL Workshop at the EU Parliament

The workshop was an iniative by Unite! and UNITA, organised by a coalition of leading alliances (CHARM-EU, EPICUR and ENHANCE). The event gathered representatives from 58 European University Alliances to explore belonging, community-building, and the future of European higher education.

A Workshop Rooted in Collaboration

As a co-initiator of FOREU4ALL, an Erasmus+-funded Community of Practice, Unite! played a key role in shaping the event. The programme focused on sharing best practices, fostering peer learning, and driving long-term transformation in higher education.

In her opening speech, Barbara Guyomarch, Unite! Project Manager for Unite! Cm.6 – Professional Development and Training and co-chair of the FOREU4ALL Community Engagement Topical Group, emphasised the importance of European citizenship, belonging, and engagement. She also contributed to the Faculty and Staff Engagement breakout rooms, alongside other Unite! representatives:

• Elisa Hausherr, Key Student Liaison Officer
• Benedetta Gennaro, from TU Darmstadt’s Cm.3 – Inclusion and Diversity, who moderated 2 breakout rooms
• Anna Hejno, Deputy KLO at Wroclaw Tech

Key Insights from 58 Alliances

The workshop’s discussions centred on building a genuine European community and the role of universities in shaping this experience. Six key insights emerged:

• Community building takes time: A resilient community is the engine of European University Alliances—it cannot be rushed or treated as a project deliverable.
• Project periods are too short: Current funding cycles don’t allow alliances to meaningfully create, grow, and sustain communities.
• Diversity is a strength: Cultural and linguistic diversity should be celebrated and resourced, not merely managed.
• High-impact activities need support: Transformative initiatives require structural and financial commitment from leadership to move beyond pilot status.
• Community drives change: When alliances foster belonging, they attract active members and generate real impact.
• European values need space: Creating environments where shared values unite participants across borders requires sustained investment.

As an outcome, 12 initiatives were prototyped as replicable models to foster student and staff engagement in alliances. These will be compiled and shared soon.

A Vibrant and Growing Movement

The scale of participation and diversity of perspectives highlighted the growth of the alliance movement. The organising team and all participating alliances deserve recognition for making this workshop a rich and memorable experience.

As we move forward, we look forward to continuing these conversations and bringing their outcomes into the strategic development of our alliances. Together, we are redefining what it means to belong in a European academic landscape.