Leibniz University Hannover becomes part of a European University

In 2020, Leibniz University Hannover (LUH) initiated the alliance “EULiST - European Universities Linking Society and Technology”. Together with nine partners, LUH has acquired funding within the framework of the European Commission's European University initiative amounting to a total of 14.3 million euros provided over a period of four years. 1.6 million euros are allocated to LUH. Specifically, the money will be invested in sub-projects in the areas high-quality education, affordable and clean energy, industry, innovation and infrastructure, sustainability and climate action, which are part of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

“This is a tremendous success – for EULiST and, of course, directly for us as Leibniz University Hannover.  Working closely on the application with our partners and developing the concept brought us closer together as an alliance and fostered a trusting atmosphere and cooperation based on partnership. The funding will be used to further develop innovative educational opportunities and to plan and design a digital inter-university campus that brings together teaching staff, students and researchers while promoting mobility", says Prof. Dr. Volker Epping, President of LUH and senior chairperson of the EULiST Presidents‘ Board. Prof. Dr. Christina von Haaren, Vice President for International Affairs and Sustainability, emphasises: “With the alliance, we want to contribute to realising the ambitious vision of an innovative, globally competitive and attractive European Education and Research Area with a strong culture of diversity, inclusion and sustainability. We intend to educate multilingual, socially responsible European citizens, bridging the gap between science and society and bringing them closer together.”

“I congratulate Leibniz University Hannover and the EULiST alliance on acquiring funding, which I am sure will contribute to developing innovative and sustainable projects. The approach of the ten EULiST partners to bring together social sciences, natural sciences and engineering in order to tackle major social challenges is both innovative and necessary”, says Falko Mohrs, Minister of Science and Culture of Lower Saxony.

LUH’s partners in the EULiST alliance are based in Finland, France, Greece, Italy, Austria, Sweden, Spain, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Partner institutions include Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology, Institut Mines-Télécom, National Technical University Athens, Università degli Studi dell'Aquila, Technische Universität Wien, Jönköping University, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Slovak University of Technology Bratislava and Brno University of Technology.

Through joint and integrated approaches in social sciences, natural sciences and engineering, EULiST aims to develop new sustainable solutions to major social challenges that we face today and in the future. To achieve this, complementary educational opportunities as well as an inter-university campus will be developed in order to bring together teaching staff, students and researchers as well as to promote mobility.

Further information on EULiST: https://www.uni-hannover.de/eulist

Background information: European Universities

In 2018, the European Commission launched the European Universities initiative in order to transform collaboration between higher education institutions and take it to a new level. University networks are intended to promote strategic partnerships between higher education institutions across the EU. The aim is to develop European Universities, which will, among other things, allow students to obtain a degree by studying in several EU countries. Further information on the initiative and existing European University alliances can be found here:

https://eu.daad.de/infos-fuer-hochschulen/programmlinien/foerderung-von-hochschulkooperationen/europaeische-hochschulen/de/66020-europaeische-hochschulen/

Note to editors:

For further information, please contact Mechtild Freiin v. Münchhausen, spokesperson of Leibniz University Hannover and head of Communications and Marketing (Tel. 0511 762-5342, Email kommunikation@uni-hannover.de).