About Arqus

Building bridges towards a shared future

The Arqus European University Alliance brings together the universities of Granada, Graz, Leipzig, Lyon 1, Maynooth, Minho, Padua, Vilnius and Wroclaw, nine longstanding comprehensive research universities who share extensive experience in joint projects and a common profile as internationalized institutions with deep regional engagement in medium-sized cities.

The Alliance’s name stems from the Latin term arcus/arquus, for arch, representing the strong foundations the consortium has laid since 2018 to build bridges towards a shared future, to respond to the grand global societal challenges and to advance towards deeper European integration. 


Mappa Arqus

The principal ambition of the Arqus Alliance is the design, testing and implementation of an innovative model for deep inter-university cooperation, which will serve as the basis for a truly European campus fulfilling all the missions of a university for the twenty-first century. It was born as part of the European University Initiative launched by the European Union in 2017.


About the European University Initiative

Higher Education in Europe is at a turning point. In 2017 The European Council called on Member States to:

"strengthen strategic partnerships between higher education institutions across the EU and promote the establishment by 2024 of 20 “European Universities”, which would be bottom-up networks of universities across the EU, enabling students to graduate by combining periods of study in several EU countries and contributing to the international competitiveness of European universities”.

In 2021 the Council has stressed how the European University will contribute decisively towards achieving:

"the ambitious vision of an innovative, globally competitive and attractive European Education and Research Area, in full synergy with the European Higher Education Area, by helping to boost the excellence dimension of higher education, research and innovation, while promoting gender equality, inclusiveness, and equity, allowing for seamless and ambitious transnational cooperation between higher education institutions in Europe, and inspiring the transformation of higher education.

The answer to this call was the European University Initiative that, with the first 2019 Call, resulted in the creation of 41 university alliances. Following the success of the first phase the Initiative is now an integral part of the Erasmus+ 2022-2027 Call that increased the number of alliances with a goal of 60 total alliances by 2025.

Linea rossa

Arqus: The Arqus European University Alliance was formally established in Brussels on 27 November 2018 when the rectors and presidents of our member institutions signed a Memorandum of Understanding in order to strengthen the cooperative links which already exist between and among us.

The Alliance’s name stems from the Latin term arcus/arquus, for arch, representing the strong foundations the consortium has laid since 2018 to build bridges towards a shared future, to respond to the grand global societal challenges and to advance towards deeper European integration.

 

Visit the Alliance website for more information

 

  Our partnersLinea rossa

University of Granada

A public comprehensive research university founded in 1531

Its 27 Faculties and Schools and 124 Departments ofer 92 undergraduate degrees, 112 Master’s degrees and 28 doctoral programmes organized in three overarching doctoral schools, covering all fields of knowledge.

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University of Graz

Founded in 1585, one of the largest and most innovative universities in Austria

As a comprehensive university, the University of Graz regards itself as an international institution for education and research committed to research and teaching for the benefit of society.

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Leipzig University

An outward-looking and modern comprehensive university founded in 1409

With more than 150 degree programmes, the university offers a unique variety of subjects, from the humanities and social sciences to the natural sciences, life sciences and medicine.

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Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1

A university at the forefront of innovation founded in 1970

Lyon 1 combines quality education and excellent research within an attractive environment. It also benefits from an international reputation in the fields of science, technology, health and sport.

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Maynooth University

An internationally recognised institution located 25 kilometres outside of Dublin, Ireland.

One of four constituent universities of the National University of Ireland, Maynooth University in 2022 ranked # 1 in Ireland in the latest Times Higher Education (THE) Best Young University Rankings.

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University of Minho

A Portuguese young, thriving, comprehensive university founded in 1973

Offering more than 200 degrees every year, of which more than 140 at postgraduate level (Master and PhD), UMinho is a successful research university.

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University of Padua

Founded in 1222, one of Europe’s oldest and most prestigious universities

The University of Padua is a leading international university for research and boasts a broad and comprehensive academic portfolio. On top of 150+ Italian-taught degree programmes, it offers over 40 English-taught degree programmes.


Vilnius University

Lithuania’s leading academic institution founded in 1578

Ranked among the top 400 universities worldwide (QS), the university offers an academic environment focused on excellence in research and teaching.

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University of Wroclaw

A top-quality research university founded in 1702

With 150 fields of study, it is the most important classical university in Poland.

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Projects and Mobility Office

Palazzo Anselmi, 
via Lungargine del Piovego, 35131 Padova
Tel. 049 827 3131
email: arqus@unipd.it

Opening hours:
Mon-Fri  9.00 - 17.00
by appointment only