CHARM-EU took part in a pan-European conference in Dublin this week to highlight the cross-national collaboration of Irish, French and German partners in shaping a more integrated, competitive, and inclusive European Higher Education Area. All three countries have shown strong commitment to the European University Alliances Initiative, underscored by both institutional participation and financial support.
European University Alliances, of which CHARM-EU is one, are integrated inter-university campuses, where students, staff, and researchers can move seamlessly—physically, virtually, or in blended formats—across partner institutions to study, train, teach, conduct research, work, and share services.
Four universities across Ireland, France, and Germany are members of CHARM-EU: Trinity College Dublin and the University of Montpellier are founding members of the alliance which Julius Maximilians Universität Würzburg and Hochschule Ruhr West joined more recently. A total of 65 French higher education institutions are currently involved in 54 alliances, to which the French government has allocated €100 million since 2019; Germany has provided substantial funding through the DAAD and national programmes, enabling 67 German universities to actively contribute to these alliances; and the Irish government, through the Higher Education Authority, has allocated over €10.35 million to support participation by 14 higher education institutions.
Hosted by the French and German Embassies in Ireland, with the support of the Irish Universities Association (IUA) and the Technological Universities Association (TUA), the conference provided a platform to advance strategic dialogue and showcase best practices. Dr Jake Byrne, Academic Director of CHARM-EU at Trinity College Dublin, and Prof Doris Fischer, Vice President of Internationalisation and Alumni at Julius Maximilians Universität Würzburg, took part in panel discussions which covered the evolving role and added value of European University Alliances in fostering cooperation, democratic resilience and deeper European integration.
Participants included staff and students from 8 French Universities, 7 German universities and 14 Irish Higher Education Institutions, as well as the European Commission and a number of national higher education organisations from the three countries.
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD commented: ‘I am delighted to join with Irish and International colleagues today to highlight and celebrate, the work of the European University Alliances. These are networks which, by their nature, drive creativity, collaboration, and innovation, strengthening the fabric of higher education across Europe. “At their heart, they represent the true spirit of the European project: not just economic cooperation, but a shared commitment to peace, understanding, and people. Research, innovation, education and skills are central to that project, and as Minister, I will continue to lead and invest in these areas, particularly as we prepare to assume the EU Presidency in 2026.’
H.E. Céline Place, French Ambassador to Ireland said: ‘As President Macron recalled in the speech that he gave at the Sorbonne in September 2017, universities are at the heart of Europe’s ambition to be stronger, more sovereign, and more united. 8 years on, this trilateral dialogue between France, Ireland and Germany is a concrete step towards that vision of universities as political forces towards the construction of a Europe of knowledge, cooperation and shared values.’
H.E. David Gill, German Ambassador to Ireland remarked: ‘European University Alliances are not just an academic initiative – they are more: a bold vision for the future of knowledge, collaboration, and identity in the European Union. Germany has embraced this vision wholeheartedly.’
In the lead-up to Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2026, the conference explored pivotal questions about the long-term future and sustainability of university alliances beyond 2027, including how alliances can support strategic European priorities such as competitiveness, sovereignty, technological preparedness, etc. Key elements for these included joint degree development, funding strategies, mobility, skills and innovation ecosystems, and the added value for students in engaging in European university alliances.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
