EDUC was founded almost exactly seven years ago with a clear vision: to create a shared space where students, scholars, and administrative staff can collaborate without administrative, cultural, or social barriers. Has that vision become a reality?
Britta van Kempen: Absolutely. That said, I would argue that cultural and social barriers were never particularly high to begin with. If anything, the real challenges — then and now — have been administrative. But I tend to focus less on obstacles and more on opportunities, and we’ve made very good use of those across the board. In many ways, EDUC is a structure that leverages existing opportunities. When I first joined the alliance, what struck me most was the strong sense of community, almost like a family, with close exchange and genuine cohesion among the partners.
Katharina Kloss: I really like that image — a structure that leverages existing opportunities. To me, EDUC’s development is somewhat comparable to the early history of the European Union. In its first years, up to around 1959, the foundation was laid. In that sense, the six years we’ve spent building EDUC is actually a very short time. The 1960s were about testing how far cultural commonalities could carry cooperation, and the 1970s brought expansion — both phases we’re now seeing within EDUC as well. In a way, we’ve become a kind of “mini-EU,” complete with coordination processes and discussions that are fascinating from a cultural perspective. It’s a long-term effort, but one that is absolutely worth it.
And if we stay with the idea of structure: EDUC is a living network — like a rail system spanning Europe, and still expanding. The alliance has grown to include two additional universities in Norway and Spain, and we also work closely with partner institutions in the United Kingdom (Nottingham) and Ukraine (Ivano-Frankivsk).
What defines this shared space — and what makes it distinctive?
Katharina Kloss: At its core is the EDUC Virtual Campus, which is designed to make the European idea tangible in a digital environment. We offer a shared course catalog, a joint Moodle system, and a research platform. From a technical standpoint, it was a major undertaking to define interfaces and integrate this shared platform into existing IT infrastructures. Now, with the portal completed at the end of 2025, we have a central hub that brings together all EDUC offerings. Students, researchers, and staff can find what’s relevant to their studies or work in just a few clicks.
EDUC is one of dozens of European university alliances launched in recent years — there are now 65. What sets EDUC apart?
Britta van Kempen: What sets us apart is the “D” in EDUC — a strong commitment to digitalization, which underpins both our connectivity and all forms of mobility within the alliance. In that sense, we also serve as a role model, particularly for newer alliances. Some of those are more thematically focused, whereas we, as a “digital European university,” aim to reflect the full breadth of what a university does.
Katharina Kloss: Another defining feature of EDUC is that we place digital sustainability, sovereignty, and human dignity at the center of what we’re building. Open-source platforms like Moodle and Nextcloud act as key drivers of local development at our partner institutions.
European university alliances are also rooted in a broader European idea — the notion that we are connected in many ways, and more than the sum of our parts. How does that play out in EDUC?
Katharina Kloss: A current example is our policy roundtable on cooperation with schools. Researchers already work internationally, and many students are familiar with programs like Erasmus. But the further you move away from the university context, the less visible that European dimension becomes. That’s why we’ve spent a great deal of time within the alliance discussing how each university organizes its partnerships with schools — to show that engagement with Europe can begin early on. It’s been fascinating to see how differently each institution approaches this.
Britta van Kempen: We’re also very aware that if we want to be a true game changer, we need more time. The Bologna reforms, for example, replaced the traditional Magister with the bachelor’s and master’s system. That was a revolutionary shift — implemented broadly across institutions, but still a lengthy process at each one. We’re still in a developmental phase, and the next crucial step is to involve faculties and academic disciplines more systematically.
Katharina Kloss: In a sense, we’re laying the groundwork — and that takes time. But at the individual level, the added value is already very clear. We collect student feedback after every course, and participants from Potsdam regularly highlight how enriching it is to experience different perspectives. What’s especially encouraging is that we’re finding ways to build lasting, meaningful connections.
Britta van Kempen: As I mentioned earlier, EDUC is about making the most of existing opportunities and structures. We see that very clearly in our ongoing exchange with colleagues across partner institutions. At its core, the alliance is about learning from one another at a deeper level.
Katharina Kloss: Very much in the spirit of Europe.
How compatible are the partner universities’ teaching and research cultures? Where have compromises been necessary — and where can you learn from one another?
Katharina Kloss: There are differences, no question. But the alliance is built on the idea that we don’t all have to become the same. Each university stays true to its strengths — and that’s exactly what makes it a valuable part of EDUC. We’ve had many conversations about this: being part of a university alliance doesn’t mean merging into a single European university. It means each institution contributes what it does best. The key is finding common ground that works for our different audiences. And since much of this is new territory, it sometimes takes time.
Can you think of EDUC as a kind of engine, where each university is a different component with a distinct role? If so, what role does the University of Potsdam play?
Katharina Kloss: The University of Potsdam serves as the network’s coordinator — essentially the central hub. We keep track of key developments and coordinate joint proposals, which allows us to see when partner universities can come into the process and where their particular strengths lie.
Britta van Kempen: In practice, the collaboration has evolved so that partners take on different areas of focus. That division of roles reflects the individual strengths of each institution — and together, they form a complete picture. That’s precisely why these universities came together in the first place. For example, the University of South-Eastern Norway and the University of Pécs are particularly strong in community engagement.
Katharina Kloss: Masaryk University, as well as Rennes and Cagliari, place a strong emphasis on integrating research into teaching. Spain, in turn, has a strong focus on digitalization. What matters is that every partner identifies points of connection across all areas — so that students, scholars, and staff can actively participate. At the moment, we’re also discussing how to make more productive use of the alliance’s multilingualism, for example through tandem programs or language courses.
Has working within the alliance changed the way you look at your own university?
Britta van Kempen: Yes, it has. One example is how the alliance’s focus on innovative teaching formats has raised the profile of this topic at the University of Potsdam. We’ve now introduced regulations for certificate programs that make it easier to integrate smaller learning units — so-called microcredentials — into degree programs. That’s not only useful for incorporating courses from partner universities but also opens up more flexible learning pathways overall. Another concrete outcome is reflected in recent amendments to Brandenburg’s Higher Education Act: students from partner institutions can now take courses at the University of Potsdam — such as a summer school — without being formally enrolled here. This makes short-term study visits within the alliance possible, and those experiences can count towards a student’s degree at home.
We’re also seeing the emergence of several double-degree programs — qualifications awarded jointly by multiple EDUC universities. These are important steps that directly benefit students.
Katharina Kloss: And finally, the alliance has led to lasting changes in digital infrastructure across all partner universities. We hope this will have a positive impact on teaching and learning for years to come.
What are your hopes for the future?
Britta van Kempen: I hope that, through EDUC, the University of Potsdam will come to fully embrace the European idea as something lived and taken for granted in everyday academic life. That’s the direction I want the alliance to move in.
Funding for EDUC is set to run out at the end of 2026. What happens next?
Katharina Kloss: At the beginning of March, we submitted a proposal for an additional two years of funding. If successful, we’ll be able to retain the team and continue the program. But our planning already looks much further ahead — through to 2035. The goal is to establish shared structures that will have a lasting impact. We want to take a strategic approach and ensure that everything we’ve built so far delivers real value for all partner universities.
Britta van Kempen: We’ve already reached a point where we can — and should — say that the European dimension EDUC offers is genuinely attractive to students and researchers. It also gives our universities a meaningful competitive advantage.
Are there plans for how EDUC could continue beyond EU funding?
Britta van Kempen: We should build on what we’ve already established. We’re a reliable, close-knit network with joint degree programs that support high-quality study opportunities and mobility. At the same time, I’m confident that the EU has a strong interest in continuing to support and sustain these alliances. EDUC stands for Education, Digitalization, University, and Citoyen — that is, a community of citizens. These multidimensional connections are incredibly valuable and position EDUC as a strong alliance for the future.
Learn more about EDUC: https://www.uni-potsdam.de/en/educ/index