HKA: quantum leap in internationalization
Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences (HKA) is the only university of applied sciences in the federal state of Baden-Württemberg to receive EU funding under the "European Universities" initiative
August 1, 2022
The "European Universities" funding line is the flagship initiative of the European Union in the field of education and research. The objective is to support particularly ambitious models of cooperation between European universities in order to develop a long-term joint strategy for education, with regard to research and innovation as well as society as a whole.
HKA is the only university of applied sciences in the federal state of Baden-Württemberg to be awarded the grant following its INGENIUM project application. Together with our partner universities, we will receive 14.4 million euros from the EU over four years, of which just under 1.6 million euros will go to HKA.
Members of the INGENIUM alliance are
- Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences (HKA) (Germany)
- Universidad de Oviedo (Spain)
- Munster Technological University (Ireland)
- Högskolan i Skövde (Sweden)
- Medical University Sofia (Bulgaria)
- Università degli Studi "G. d'Annunzio" Chieti-Pescara (Italy)
- Universitatea Tehnică "Gheorghe Asachi" din Iaşi (Romania)
- Université de Rouen Normandie (France)
- University of Crete (Greece)
- Southeast Finland University of Applied Sciences - Xamk (Finland).
The ten partners plan to create a European inter-university "campus" with a high degree of physical, virtual and / or mixed mobility of students and staff from all partner institutions to collaborate through teaching, research and learning. Students will be able to obtain tailor-made European degrees or other academic qualifications in a wide range of subjects based on jointly developed, innovative curricula. Thus, students will benefit from the very wide choice offered by the social, economic and cultural diversity of each member, their local, regional and national ecosystems and, not least, the different types of higher education institutions represented by the alliance members.
"We are incredibly proud to be the first university of applied sciences in Baden-Württemberg to have been accepted into the circle of 'European universities,” says a delighted Prof. Dr. Angelika Altmann-Dieses, Vice-President for Academic and International Affairs. "After several successful applications to increase internationalization in recent years, this funding is the highlight of HKA's internationalization strategy."
On a global level, around 1.1 billion euros are expected to be available for the entire duration of the "European Universities" initiative. The goal is to increase the current 41 alliances to 60, with 500 participating higher education institutions, by mid-2024. At least ten percent of the universities in Europe are to be included in the initiative, an increase from current number of around five percent, with 300 participating universities. There will be further calls for proposals in 2023 and 2024. A total of 52 applications were received for the current round of funding, with 22 German universities being successful, including six from Baden-Württemberg. HKA is one of only three universities of applied sciences in Germany to receive funding.
