Coordinated by UPB, nine universities joined forces to form the Alliance "COLOURS" (COLlaborative innOvative sUstainable Regional univerSities).

The application of the Alliance as a "European University" was successful and it will receive funding of around 14 million euros from the European Commission over the next four years, starting in January 2024. COLOURS is now one of a total of 50 "European Universities" throughout Europe.

An overview of all alliances funded in the current round can be found on the website of the European Commission.

In addition to UPB, the alliance includes the following universities:

• Le Mans University (France)
• University of Castilla-La Mancha (Spain)
• University of Ferrara (Italy)
• Kristianstad University (Sweden)
• Jan Dlugosz University (Poland)
• Josip Jurai Strossmayer University Osijek (Croatia)
• University St Kliment Ohridski Bitola (North Macedonia)
• Ventspils University of Applied Sciences (Latvia)

Together the alliance members represent more than 126,000 students and almost 12,300 employees.

The partners aim to strengthen their European network, increase their international visibility, and promote mobility within Europe. They also work to develop a multidisciplinary approach to jointly address current societal challenges.

All COLOURS partners are deeply rooted in their regional, socio-political, and economic environment. Therefore, their approach also focuses on strengthening cooperation between the respective regions and regional actors.

With a "challenge-based approach" in teaching, research, and knowledge and technology transfer, the partners want to use synergy effects by intensifying their cooperation at all levels. For example, the alliance plans to develop new attractive offers for virtual and physical mobility and to create joint study and teaching activities in the long run. Students will be strongly involved in designing these measures.