Charles University (Czech Republic) Charles University backs establishment of EU and Eastern partnership universities consortium
Charles University contributed to the EU Eastern Partnership area and develop a more targeted consortium of universities within the framework of the newly emerging Eastern Partnership University Cluster, in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic and after consultations with the European Commission and some other member states.
The opening ceremony of the Conference of the initiative took place on 19 October 2022 at 10 a.m. in the Patriotic Hall at Charles University, with the participation of the Rectors of the partner universities, representatives of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, and the diplomatic corps.
As a pilot project, the Eastern Partnership University Cluster creates a consortium of cooperating universities from the European Union and the Eastern Partnership countries to systematically develop inter-university cooperation in education, science, and research. This consortium was created under the umbrella of the European University Alliance 4EU+, as its core will consist of three members of Alliance.
In the first phase, the whole concept of the initiative will focus on cooperation with partner universities from the associated countries of the Eastern Partnership.
“I’m very glad it is Charles University that stands behind this initiative. Thanks to projects like this, the university has been truly an open space that supports students and students across countries and cultures. I believe this initiative will make a significant contribution to the spread of European academic practice,” says Milena Králíčková, the Rector of Charles University, about the project.
At the Conference’s official opening, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between all 11 partner universities that have expressed interest in joining the initiative. Specifically, the EU partner universities are Charles University, University of Milan, University of Warsaw, University of Cologne, and Eötvös Loránd University, as well as partner universities from the associated countries of the Eastern Partnership (Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia): Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv (Ukraine), Uzhhorod National University (Ukraine), Ivan Franko National University of Lviv (Ukraine), Oles Honchar Dnipro National University (Ukraine), Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (Georgia), Moldova State University (Moldova)
The Conference presented the cooperation expectations of partner universities within the emerging consortium. In addition, experts from the participating universities also introduced concrete examples of successfully implemented projects focused on science, research, and education.