From Campuses to Communities: Key Insights from the Third FOREU4ALL Workshop

Gathering at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, 58 university alliances have shared key insights on fostering a true sense of belonging and driving long-term transformation in European higher education.

From 2 to 3 June 2026, the European Parliament in Strasbourg hosted the third FOREU4ALL workshop, entitled From Campuses to Communities. Initiated by Unite! and UNITA and organised by a coalition of leading alliances, including CHARM-EU, EPICUR, and ENHANCE, the workshop gathered representatives from 58 European University Alliances to explore belonging, community-building, and the future of European higher education.
 

A Workshop Rooted in Collaboration 


As a co-initiator of FOREU4ALL, an Erasmus+-funded Community of Practice, Unite! played a pivotal role in shaping the event. The programme focused on sharing best practices, fostering peer learning, and driving long-term transformation in higher education. In her opening speech, Barbara Guyomarch, Unite! Project Manager for Professional
Development and Training and co-chair of the FOREU4ALL Community Engagement Topical Group, emphasised the profound importance of European citizenship, belonging, and engagement. She also contributed to the Faculty and Staff Engagement breakout rooms, alongside other dedicated Unite! representatives:

  • Elisa Hausherr, Key Student Liaison Officer
  • Benedetta Gennaro, from TU Darmstadt’s Inclusion and Diversity unit, who moderated two breakout rooms
  • Anna Hejno, Deputy Key Student Liaison Officer at Wroclaw Tech

Key Insights from 58 Alliances

The workshop’s discussions centred on building a genuine European community and the role of
universities in shaping this experience. Six key insights emerged from the sessions:

  • Community-building takes time: A resilient community is the true engine of European
  • University Alliances. It simply cannot be rushed or treated as a mere project deliverable
  • Project periods are too short: Current funding cycles do not allow alliances to meaningfully create, grow, and sustain communities over the long term
  • Diversity is a strength: Cultural and linguistic diversity should be celebrated and properly resourced, not just managed
  • High-impact activities need support: Transformative initiatives require structural and financial commitment from leadership to move beyond pilot status
  • Community drives change: When alliances foster a true sense of belonging, they attract active members and generate real impact
  • European values need space: Creating environments where shared values unite participants across borders requires sustained investment

As an outcome, 12 initiatives were prototyped as replicable models to foster student and staff engagement across alliances. These will be compiled and shared very soon.
 

A Vibrant and Growing Movement

The scale of participation and diversity of perspectives highlighted the remarkable growth of the alliance movement. The organising team and all participating alliances deserve recognition for making this workshop a rich and memorable experience.
As we move forward, we look forward to continuing these conversations and bringing their outcomes into the strategic development of our alliances. Together, we are redefining what it means to belong in a European academic landscape.