Edinburgh joins European universities group
Edinburgh has reinforced its commitment to European engagement by joining UNA Europa – a group of seven leading universities that is seeking to redesign the sector in Europe.
The group is developing long-term cooperation and integration between its members, focusing on innovative research and teaching and boosting international opportunities for students and staff.
University leaders say that by going beyond traditional boundaries – both geographical and within disciplines – the collaboration will produce graduates equipped to shape the future.
Mobility is a key principal of the group, with students from UNA Europa universities able to combine studies in seven EU countries – Spain, Italy, France, Belgium, Poland, Germany and the UK.
UNA Europa
The group was formally founded at a ceremony in Krakow on Friday 1 February.
Edinburgh joins existing members Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Uni-versité Paris 1 Panthéon – Sorbonne, KU Leuven, Freie Universität Berlin and Jagiellonian University, Krakow.
UNA Europa is part of a European Council initiative to create European university networks aimed at strengthening academic performance and increasing European cooperation.
Partnerships make the University of Edinburgh what it is today – a global institution, influencing the world and helping to change lives for the better. Joining UNA Europa underlines Edinburgh’s commitment to working with our European colleagues and ensuring continued international experiences and collaboration for our students and staff.
Continental connections
The UNA Europa group is the latest development in Edinburgh’s long-standing links with Europe.
Edinburgh is the UK’s largest participant in Erasmus+ and the number one destination in Scotland for inbound Erasmus students.
Since 1987, the University has sent more than 12000 students to Europe to work and study with a similar number coming to Edinburgh.
The academic year 2017/18 saw an increase in the number of European students choosing to study at Edinburgh, both at undergraduate and postgraduate level.
Edinburgh has participated in more than 300 large European collaborative projects, contributing to areas such as Health Research, Information and Communications Technology and High-Performance Computing.