Founded in 2019, the UNITA Alliance initially brought together six universities.
Today, it comprises 12 institutions, all sharing the ambition to strengthen integration and cooperation in the fields of education, research and innovation.
By pooling their resources and expertise, the member universities of the UNITA Alliance aim to create an integrated academic environment. This enables students, teachers, researchers and administrative staff to benefit from better mobility opportunities, joint research projects and initiatives designed to meet local and global needs.
The UNITA Alliance focuses on concrete actions to improve the quality of education and research, while fostering active engagement with local communities and promoting sustainable practices.
The UNITA Alliance has established a European Economic Interest Grouping (EEIG) to strengthen institutional cooperation among its members. This EEIG, named UNITA-Universitas Montium, was created to facilitate transnational collaboration and support the institutional missions of member universities, thereby providing excellent training to more than 250,000 students and strengthening research partnerships for academic staff.
The main objective of UNITA EEIG is to facilitate the creation of a solid and transparent hub for higher education, research and innovation. By leveraging its institutional framework, UNITA EEIG enables its members to:
Develop improved university training programmes and research partnerships.
Promote innovation in local, regional and transnational territories.
Implement recognised certifications and micro-certifications in partner institutions.
Organise professional training programmes, MOOCs, summer and winter schools, conferences and other knowledge-sharing events.
Strengthen cooperation with public and private partners to stimulate regional and European innovation.
UNITA EEIG also serves as a platform for broader collaboration beyond its founding members. Other national and regional higher education institutions, research organisations and public or private partners can join or establish enhanced cooperation agreements to further improve academic and research opportunities.
In summary, UNITA EEIG represents a key initiative to strengthen university cooperation in Europe, offering legal structures and collaboration models tailored to contemporary academic needs, foreshadowing the envisaged European confederal university.
Ultimately, this legal entity opens up new prospects for pooling our resources in order to support the Alliance's cross-cutting activities.
An Alliance rooted in cross-border, rural and mountainous areas
The UNITA Alliance is deeply rooted in cross-border, rural and mountainous territories and is actively committed to strengthening ties with local communities in these regions. The Alliance's member universities are located in diverse geographical areas, including mountainous and rural regions, enabling them to understand and respond to the specific needs of these territories.
The UNITA Alliance collaborates with associate partners to develop initiatives that directly benefit local communities. These associate partners include local institutions, businesses, non-governmental organisations and other key actors who share the Alliance's commitment to sustainable development and innovation.
The involvement of our associate partners is reflected in all areas of activity of the UNITA Alliance and its member institutions. The UNITA Alliance remains open to new collaborations with all partners in our territories who are keen to be part of this ambition and wish to benefit from this European network bringing together public decision-makers, private entities and stakeholders in higher education and research.
An Alliance committed to sustainable development
The UNITA Alliance is firmly committed to sustainable development, recognising the crucial importance of protecting our environment and promoting sustainable practices for future generations. Our commitment is demonstrated through several initiatives and concrete actions aimed at reducing our ecological footprint and encouraging a culture of sustainability within our university communities and beyond.
Key Initiatives:
Sustainable Research and Innovation: We encourage and support research in areas related to environmental sustainability, such as renewable energy, natural resource management, and green technologies. Our member universities collaborate on research projects that aim to develop innovative solutions to current environmental challenges.
Green campuses: Each member university of the UNITA Alliance strives to make its campuses greener by adopting sustainable practices. This includes reducing energy consumption, improving waste management, promoting sustainable transport, and integrating biodiversity into the management of green spaces.
Education and awareness: We integrate sustainability principles into our educational programmes to raise student awareness of the importance of environmental protection. Courses, workshops and seminars on sustainability are offered to encourage awareness and responsible action.
Collaboration with local communities: We work closely with local communities to promote sustainability initiatives. This includes sustainable development projects that directly benefit communities, as well as partnerships with local organisations to strengthen the impact of our actions.
