Image: Illustration: Ida Åberg
Image: Illustration: Ida Åberg
EC2U is a collaboration between nine European universities including each higher education institution's associated partners. The work within the alliance includes education, research, campus development, student activities, and sustainability.
Within the European alliance EC2U, nine comprehensive universities collaborate to enhance mobility, quality, and strengthened competitiveness. The work is conducted within ten focus areas called "work packages" and includes education, research, campus development, and sustainability. The alliance also discusses various administrative processes, such as working methods and procedures to facilitate student mobility. Umeå University has been part of the EC2U alliance since 1 May 2025.
Read more about EC2U on the Alliance website (ec2u.eu)
France: University of Poitiers (coordinator)
Portugal: University of Coimbra
Romania: Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași
Germany: Friedrich Schiller University Jena
Italy: University of Pavia
Spain: University of Salamanca
Finland: University of Turku
Austria: Johannes Kepler University Linz
Sweden: Umeå University
In addition to the member universities, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv (Ukraine) participates as a strategic partner in the work of EC2U. Read more on the Alliance website (ec2u.eu)
Illustrative map of Europe showing participating countries in the EC2U alliance.
ImageEC2UAll universities in the European alliance collaborate with the surrounding community by engaging several associated partners.
Umeå University's associated partners: Umeå Municipality, Region Västerbotten with Norrland University Hospital in Umeå, IKSU, Folkuniversitetet, Västerbotten's Chamber of commerce, Umeå University Holding AB and the Student Unions at Umeå University.
The work within the EC2U alliance is organised in ten work packages. Umeå University has representatives in all work packages and co-leads work package 2.
* EC2U's work in work packages 4-7 relates to the UN's Global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Good Health and Well-being (SDG#3), Quality Education (SDG#4), Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG#11), and Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (SDG#16).
The EU's initiative on European Universities alliances aims to have universities in different European countries collaborate across disciplines in deep strategic alliances to address various future issues and societal challenges. The goal is to improve the quality of European higher education and contribute to inclusion and strengthened competitiveness. Students within the alliance should be able to customise their education with courses from the different universities.
European Universities – A European Education Area by 2025 – In Swedish (uhr.se)
About the European Universities Initiative (education.ec.europa.eu)
