The Arqus Alliance
"Building bridges towards a shared future"
The Arqus European University Alliance brings together the universities of Breslavia, Granada, Graz, Lipsia, Lione 1, Maynooth, Minho, Padua and Vilnius, nine European universities renowned for their scientific research activities and for their extensive experience in managing transnational projects shared across different areas of interest. These institutions share a strong international vocation and a deep connection with the surrounding area and the urban environments in which they are located.
Arqus is founded on the desire to redefine, test and create an innovative model of deep inter-university cooperation that lays the foundations for the creation of a genuine European University Campus able to meet the needs and aspirations of the university of the 21st century.
It originated within the European Universities Initiative launched by the European Council in 2017.
What is the European Universities Initiative?
The higher education landscape in Europe is changing. In 2017, the European Council invited the EU Member States, the Council and the Commission to pursue a series of initiatives, including:
"...strengthening strategic partnerships between higher education institutions across the EU and encouraging the emergence, by 2024, of around twenty 'European universities' made up of networks of universities from across the EU, characterised by a bottom-up approach, which allow students to obtain a degree by combining studies in different EU countries and contribute to the international competitiveness of European universities."
In 2021, the Council reiterated that the European universities will make a decisive contribution to achieving:
"...the ambitious vision of a globally innovative, competitive and attractive European Education Area and European Research Area, in full synergy with the European Higher Education Area, helping to strengthen the excellence dimension of higher education, research and innovation while at the same time promoting gender equality, inclusiveness and fairness, enabling continuous and ambitious transnational cooperation between higher education institutions in Europe and stimulating the transformation of higher education."
The response to this invitation is the European Universities Initiative, which led to the creation of 41 university alliances in the first phase of the project. Following the progress made, the initiative is now an integral part of the Erasmus+ 2021-2027 programme, with the addition of new alliances and the goal of reaching 60 European Universities by 2025.
The European Universities Initiative is also one of the main initiatives of the European strategy for universities.
Arqus: Arqus was formally established in Brussels on 27 November 2018, when the rectors and presidents of the institutions that make it up signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen the collaborative ties that already existed between our universities.
The name derives from the Latin term arcus/arquus, meaning "arch": a symbol representing the solid foundations that the consortium began to lay in 2018 and which is also reflected in our motto "building bridges towards a shared future", in order to respond to major global social challenges and to further increase integration among European realities.
For more information, visit the Alliance website
University of Wrocław (Poland)
A very high-quality, research-focused university, founded in 1702.
With 150 different fields of study, it is the most important classical-style university in Poland.
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University of Granada (Spain)
A public, research-oriented, multidisciplinary university, founded in 1531.
Its 27 Faculties and Schools and 124 Departments offer 92 degree courses, 112 postgraduate programmes and 28 PhDs organised into 3 doctoral schools covering all fields of knowledge.
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University of Graz (Austria)
Founded in 1585, it is one of the largest and most innovative universities in Austria.
As a multidisciplinary university, the University of Graz sees itself as an international institution for education and research, dedicated to research and teaching for the benefit of society.
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Claude Bernard University Lyon 1 (France)
A university at the forefront of innovation, founded in 1970.
Lyon 1 combines high-quality education with excellent research in an attractive environment. It enjoys an international reputation in the scientific, technological, health and sports fields.
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Leipzig University (Germany)
A modern, multidisciplinary university with an outward-looking approach, founded in 1409.
With more than 150 degree courses, the degree courses offer a unique variety of disciplines, from the humanities and social sciences to the sciences and medicine.
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Maynooth University (Ireland)
An internationally recognised university 25 kilometres from Dublin.
Maynooth University is one of the 4 universities that make up the National University of Ireland. In 2022 it ranked 1st in the Times Higher Education (THE) Best Young University ranking.
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University of Minho (Portugal)
A young, thriving, multidisciplinary university, founded in 1973.
With degree courses of more than 200 degree programmes each year, at least 140 of which are at postgraduate level (postgraduate programmes and PhDs), the University of Minho is a successful research centre.
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University of Padua
Founded in 1222, it is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in Europe.
The University of Padua is an international university, a leader in research, offering broad and comprehensive degree courses. In addition to 150 degree courses taught in Italian, it offers more than 40 degree courses taught in English.
Vilnius University (Lithuania)
The leading university in Lithuania, founded in 1578.
Ranked among the world’s top 400 universities (QS ranking), the university offers an academic environment focused on excellence in research and teaching.
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Projects and Mobility Office
Palazzo Anselmi,
via Lungargine del Piovego, 35131 Padua
Tel. 049 827 3131
email: arqus@unipd.it
Opening hours
Monday - Friday from 9 am to 5 pm
By appointment only