“The European University is a Great Opportunity”

Around 100 participants at the University of Bremen learnt about and discussed what the European university of the future could look like. The event took place as part of the “Das Rektorat Informiert” series along with a World Café.

The president of the University of Bremen, Professor Bernd Scholz-Reiter, spoke of a historic moment: “We are experiencing the establishment of a European university. This is a great opportunity,” he stated. The aim is to rethink and redesign the concept of university. Within this process, the university members have the chance to develop the idea of a new European university “right from the beginning,” emphasized the president during his welcome speech.

The YUFE Vision: Studying Across Europe

In the coming years, the University of Bremen will create a European university together with seven other young and innovative partner institutions – the YUFE alliance. The EU Commission is funding the project. Alongside the University of Bremen, the universities of Maastricht, Antwerp, Carlos III Madrid, Eastern Finland, Essex, Roma Tor Vergata, and Cyprus belong to the YUFE – Young Universities for the Future of Europe - network. Students will be able to easily transfer between the locations of the participating universities, study in more than one language, and move around between various European cultures. All university members will be able to experience this new quality of mobility. YUFE connects universities to society and promotes cooperation between higher education institutes, the public and private sectors, and citizens throughout Europe.

World Café on YUFE Topics

What do University of Bremen members imagine the European university of the future to be like? What chances do they see? What are the critical aspects that need to be considered? In order to comprehensively discuss these questions, the University Executive Board invited university members to a World Café – or in this case YUFE Café - in the frame of the event series. Spread out over many tables, the participants discussed the challenges and aims connected to topics such as “Student Journey”, “Staff Journey”, “Innovation and Entrepreneurship”, “YUFE in our Cities”, and “Diversity and Inclusion”. Subsequently, many constructive ideas and suggestions were presented. They ranged from the suggestion of slimming down the administration processes, to ideas such as a YUFE train ticket, which would guarantee mobility between the universities, and the reference to the differing university laws in the countries in question. The many ideas and suggestions will now be handed over to the YUFE task forces.

“Building a European University on a Solid Foundation”

Professor Eva-Maria Feichtner, vice president international and diversity, was delighted with the many ideas and suggestions: “Creating a truly European university requires time, but above all the support of all those involved. I am sure that we are on the right path. We will be able to build the European university on a solid foundation.”

How Can You Help to Create YUFE?

People interested in helping to create YUFE should contact the YUFE coordinator Leonie Wiemeyer: yufe-info@uni-bremen.de

November 11: YUFE Panel Discussion in the City

For the first time, the university will provide information on the YUFE project at a public event on Monday, November 11, 2019. Everyone is invited to an open panel discussion at EuropaPunktBremen, Carl-Rönning-Strasse 2. Representatives from science, politics, and economy will hold talks on the European university. An invitation stating the exact time and further information will follow in the coming weeks.

YUFE funded by EU Commission

In the frame of a pilot process, the EU Commission chose the YUFE alliance to create one of the first European universities at the end of June 2019. The network will receive 5 million euros in the next three years. Over 50 networks handed in applications and 17 will receive funding from the EU. The project funding will officially begin on December 01, 2019.