EPICUR (European Partnership for an Innovative Campus Unifying Regions) is a first-generation (2019) alliance of European universities, winner of the European Commission's call for projects under the Erasmus+ programme. With other 49 alliances, EPICUR is looking for new ways of long-term cooperation for education, research and innovation across Europe. The alliance is made up of 9 European higher education and research institutions and is led by the University of Strasbourg.
The objectives of the EPICUR alliance are to create a unique environment for interdisciplinary teaching and research, and to become a federation of universities offering a European educational and academic experience for all.
EPICUR offers a new model of education through innovative programmes that have been created in cooperation with partner universities, students and staff. Since its launch in 2019, almost 1,000 students have benefited from EPICUR mobility by following the alliance's various training programmes.
EPICUR alliance has entered a roll-out phase called SHAPE-IT in November 2022.
The EPICUR alliance is implementing a number of actions to achieve the following objectives:
In addition to teaching and learning activities of EPICUR-SHAPE-IT, EPICUR-RESEARCH project aims to support and promote early career researchers. Emphasising inter- and trans-disciplinary research, EPICUR alliance focuses on the fields of sustainable development, public health, migration and identity, in three stages:
EPICUR alliance currently has 3 satellite projects funded by the European Commission, in which some EPICUR members are participating:
FOCI (Future-proof Criteria for Innovative European Education) is an Erasmus+ funded policy experimentation project (2023-2024) that will explore the fundamental needs and expectations towards the European Degree label, from the perspective of not only the higher education sector, but also broader society.
EPIDI (The European Partnership for Innovation in Distant Internships) (2021-2023) focused on university distance internships, with an emphasis on identifying best practices, general and more specific recommendations, as well as developing e-learning modules on how to conduct a successful distance internship.
The Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, named after a prominent Polish poet, is one of the three leading Polish universities and can draw on 100 years of history. More than 40,000 students and 1,300 doctoral students take courses and conduct research in 15 faculties in total.
The University of Amsterdam, founded in 1632, enjoys a reputation for world-class excellence in research and training. This general university currently ranks among the top 20 European universities. It is, like the University of Strasbourg and the University of Freiburg, a member of the LERU (League of European Research Universities). More than 30,000 students take courses in its seven faculties and more than 3,000 doctoral students are conducting research.
With its 74,000 students, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki is the largest Greek university. Founded in 1925, this general university is one of the scientific centres of attraction in South East Europe. More than 4,000 doctoral students and more than 2,000 researchers conduct research in its ten faculties.
Founded in 1457, the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg im Breisgau welcomes some 25,000 students. It is characterised by a mix of traditional disciplines and modern technology. Its comprehensive training offer extends from information technology to the humanities and social sciences, through to natural sciences and medicine.
The University of Haute-Alsace has 8,500 students, enrolled in 170 courses from DUT level, Bachelor degree, engineering degree, master degree, up to PhD level, taught in 4 faculties, 2 IUTs and 2 engineering schools in Mulhouse and Colmar, France. It also has 14 research laboratories carrying out fundamental to applied research. As a highly innovative multidisciplinary university, it is recognised for the quality of its vocational education (including more than 35 apprenticeship programmes) and cross-border training (with more than 10 bi- or tri-national) programmes.
Being „The Research University in the Helmholtz Association“, KIT creates and imparts knowledge for the society and the environment. It is the objective to make significant contributions to the global challenges in the fields of energy, mobility and information. For this, about 9,300 employees cooperate in a broad range of disciplines in natural sciences, engineering sciences, economics, and the humanities and social sciences. KIT prepares its 25,100 students for responsible tasks in society, industry, and science by offering research-based study programs. Innovation efforts at KIT build a bridge between important scientific findings and their application for the benefit of society, economic prosperity, and the preservation of our natural basis of life.
The University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna is a centre for training and research on renewable resources and sustainability and includes the natural sciences, technology and economics. About 12 500 students take courses in its 15 departments.
The University of Strasbourg welcomes 51,000 students, of which 20% are international students covering 150 nationalities. With its 35 components, 78 laboratories and research units, it is distinguished by the multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary nature of its training offer. It conducts a research of excellence provided by nearly 2,800 lecturer-researchers, including four active Nobel Prize winners.
The University of Southern Denmark will be the ninth member of the EPICUR at the end of 2022. It has 6 campuses located in Odense, Esbjerg, Kolding, Sonderborg, Slagelse and Copenhgen, and propose 115 study programmes within 5 faculties. Among 27,000 students that has chosen SDU, almost 20% are international students.
