04/10/2023 (Agence Europe) – On Tuesday 3 October, the European Commission opened the fifth call for projects to continue the deployment of the “European Universities” initiative. With €189.2 million from Erasmus+, the aim of the call is to support the creation of new university alliances. There are currently 50 such alliances, and the 2022 strategy ‘empowering higher education institutions for the future of Europe’ envisages 60 European Universities alliances bringing together more than 500 universities by mid-2024 (see EUROPE 13159/10). The call supports “deeper institutional transnational cooperation between higher education institutions”, as well as the creation of a ‘Community of Practice of European Universities’, i.e. a forum for the exchange of best practice between alliances. It will close on 6 February 2024. (HS)