For a week, the campus of Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg became the hub of European university collaboration: From 5 to 7 May 2026, presidents, delegations, students and representatives from the partner universities gathered in Magdeburg for the Board of Rectors Meeting of the EU GREEN Alliance. The focus was on a joint discussion about the future of the Alliance, the further development of a European campus and issues relating to the digital transformation of universities.
A key outcome of the meeting was the joint commitment by all presidents to further develop the EU GREEN Alliance in the long term and to anchor it even more firmly within the partner universities from a strategic perspective. Clear priorities were defined for the coming phase: these include, amongst other things, greater harmonisation of study programmes and the continuation of joint degree programmes, intensified Erasmus+-supported mobility, regional knowledge transfer, joint communication activities and increasing the Alliance’s collective visibility. At the same time, the role of EU GREEN as a platform for promoting European values and a common European higher education area was emphasised. With the second ‘Conference of Parties’ due to take place at the end of the year, cooperation with cities and regions will be further expanded. In parallel, the implementation of the Alliance’s joint digital infrastructure is also progressing.
A particular highlight of the week was EU GREEN’s first hybrid panel discussion at the University of Magdeburg. Together with experts from other European University Alliances, participants discussed the role that European university alliances can play in digital transformation and the development of innovative teaching and learning formats. At the same time, the event provided a forum for an alliance-wide exchange on shared challenges and prospects. A recording of the discussion is available online.
The exchange between students from the university and the EU GREEN Student Council also highlighted the importance of European cooperation beyond institutional levels. Discussions about personal experiences, expectations and the question “What does Europe mean to us?” focused in particular on student perspectives within the alliance.
The central importance of Europe for the EU GREEN Alliance was reaffirmed in the opening address by Rainer Robra, Minister for European Affairs of Saxony-Anhalt. He described Europe and the European Union as “our best chance of securing peace and prosperity” and emphasised the importance of Europe as a resilient and values-based community. At the same time, he paid tribute to the European University Alliances as an important expression of European values and highlighted that EU GREEN specifically strengthens rural regions and their potential in research and innovation. His participation thus underlined the central role of European cooperation and shared values for the Alliance and its long-term development.
“European university alliances are no longer just an additional project, but a central building block for the future of the higher education system. Anyone who wants to remain competitive in Europe must strengthen the networking of universities and enable them to act as a joint European campus,” said the President, Prof. Jens Strackeljan. For the university, this represents a profound boost to its development and a great opportunity, Prof. Strackeljan went on to explain: “It means greater international visibility, greater academic appeal and greater access to European talent, ideas and funding structures." Such a European higher education area would also have a tangible impact on the city of Magdeburg and the state of Saxony-Anhalt, according to the university rector. “A university that is part of a European campus attracts international students, researchers and partners. This not only strengthens the region as a centre of scholarship, but also the city as an open, dynamic and international place to live. For Saxony-Anhalt, this presents an opportunity to position itself more strongly in European competition as a hub for knowledge, skilled workers and future technologies. The fact that this debate took place in Magdeburg in May strengthens both the university and Saxony-Anhalt as a centre of research.”
During the week, it became clear that EU GREEN had grown into a trusting alliance over recent years, according to Dr Anne Herbik, EU GREEN coordinator at the University of Magdeburg. “Driven by long-term commitment, close cooperation and the shared goal of strengthening the network between European universities.”
Alongside the Board of Rectors meeting, further events took place, including the ‘Growing up the Future: Education for Sustainability’ conference and a visit by a delegation of senior administrators from the University of Angers, in which guests from various partner universities within the alliance participated.
In addition to the Board of Rectors, other key bodies of the Alliance also met in Magdeburg: the Board of Rectors sets the strategic direction for EU GREEN. Based on this, the Senate develops specific priorities for research, teaching, internationalisation and social engagement. The Executive Committee oversees the practical implementation of the Alliance’s work across the various areas of activity. The structure is complemented by the Student Council, which represents students’ interests and brings their perspectives to bear on the Alliance’s work.
“The week highlighted just how intensively collaboration within EU GREEN is now being practised, not only at an institutional level, but also through exchanges between students, academics and staff at the participating universities,” said Anne Herbik. “We, the EU GREEN team, would like to thank all the presidents, delegations, students, staff and experts for the open discussions, the constructive atmosphere and the shared exchange of ideas.”
The European university alliance EU GREEN brings together nine partner universities with the aim of making the European Higher Education Area more sustainable, better connected and more international. The partner universities are working together on innovative concepts for teaching, research and mobility, as well as on shared digital and academic structures.
