At the end of 2023, for the first time in the history of Lesya Ukrainka University, a significant event took place – joining the Alliance of European Universities – European University COLOURS.
The idea of creating Alliances of European universities was first voiced by French President Emmanuel Macron during his speech on the occasion of the 800th anniversary of Sorbonne University in September 2017. Such an initiative was designed to significantly increase the mobility of students, teachers, and researchers, as well as to contribute to improving the quality, inclusiveness, and competitiveness of European higher education.
In 2019–2023, the European Commission selected 50 Alliances of European universities due to the Erasmus+ competition. The European Union allocated 402.2 million euros for the development of European universities in 2021-2027. In total, each alliance should receive almost 14.4 million euros over four years. From 2022, Ukraine and the United Kingdom, as participating countries of the Bologna Process, are entitled to be involved as associated partners in such project initiatives. In total, the Alliances have united more than 430 European HEIs and more than 1,700 associated partners, the location of which is shown on the map.
As of the end of 2023, 30 Ukrainian higher education institutions have joined the Alliances. Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University is one of them as an associate partner of one of the Alliances of European universities – COLOURS (COLlaborative innOvative Sustainable Regional universities). This Alliance was created in 2023 after selection by the European Commission. COLOURS officially started its work on January 1, 2024.
COLOURS includes: University of Paderborn (Germany), University of Le Mans (France), University of Castilla-La Mancha (Spain), University of Ferrara (Italy), University of Kristianstad (Sweden), Jan Dlugosz University (Poland), University of Osijek Josyp Juraj Strosmayer (Croatia), Ventspils University of Applied Sciences (Latvia), St. Kliment Ohrid University in Bitola (North Macedonia).
COLOURS includes more than 126,000 students and 12,300 lecturers.
Various European universities' activities within the Alliance are aimed at solving a set of tasks:
– strengthening of the European higher education institutions network;
– development of an interdisciplinary approach to solving social problems;
– expansion of international educational and scientific cooperation;
– encouragement of academic mobility;
– promotion of cooperation between relevant regions and regional universities;
– strengthening cooperation in the field of research, as well as transfer of knowledge and technologies;
– development of joint training programmes;
– implementation of virtual academic mobility programs, and more.
Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University has already participated in the meeting of representatives of the COLOURS Alliance three times: 1) in November 2023 at Jan Dlugosz University of Natural Sciences and Humanities (Republic of Poland); 2) in February 2024 during the online meeting of all Alliance members (kick-off); 3) March 18-19, 2024 at the University of Paderborn (Germany).
In November 2023, Alliance representatives presented profiles of their universities and outlined the areas of interest for the development of their institutions.
In February 2024, the first virtual meeting of Alliance representatives took place to determine the key directions of its development for the coming years.
The programme of the meeting in March 2024 was the most intense. Paderborn was the first location for the offline meeting of all Alliance representatives. Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University was represented by Rector Anatolii Tsos and Vice-Rector for Scientific and Pedagogical Work and International Cooperation Liudmyla Yelisieieva.
Before the official opening of the Alliance, the working meetings of teams representing various higher education institutions responsible for various areas of work were held: development of joint curricula, conducting scientific research, ensuring academic mobility, development of student self-government, information support, development of the "Double Diploma" program me and others models of joint learning.
For our University, an important event in Paderborn was the meeting of the rectors and vice-rectors of all ten HEIs members of the Alliance. They confirmed their readiness to cooperate with Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University, involve Ukrainian students and academics in joint activities and help with the search of funding to cover such expenses for students, lecturers and researchers of Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University.
Vibrant events were the grand opening of the Alliance's work and the presentation of HEI during the COLOURFUL Market Square. During the "Festive COLOURS Kick-Off", Rector of the University of Paderborn Birgitt Riegraf, Vice-Rector of University of Paderborn Torsten Meier delivered welcome speeches. Panel discussions of rectors and students of various higher education institutions on the following topics were held: "COLOURS as an accelerator of the transformation of European universities", "COLOURS as a change driver in regional innovation ecosystems", "The expectations, challenges and students role in COLOURS".
During the ceremonial opening, the results of the study of students' language preferences were presented reflecting the intentions of many applicants to study other languages of the partner universities that are part of the Alliance. By the way, young people showed the greatest interest in learning Spanish and Italian languages. In addition, this meeting was also diversified by the playing of the saxophone and the joint performance of the anthem "We Are the COLOURS!"
However, the most colorful event was COLOURFUL MARKET SQUARE. Its main tasks were to promote networking and the establishment of relations between the participants, demonstrate the diversity and strengths of each partner institution, show the colors of the countries and regions of all partners' locations, promote the establishment of intercultural dialogue, and more. Each member of the Alliance had to decorate "his place" using the colours and symbols of the university, region, and country. For three hours, Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University delegation actively answered questions from partners and discussed ways of future cooperation.
Alliance partners also provided colourful presentations.
Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University has already signed an Erasmus+ agreement with the Spanish University of Castilla-La Mancha. Negotiations are currently underway with representatives of other higher education institutions of the Alliance. Hopefully, such an unusual event in the University life will also become a landmark for our lecturers and students regarding the expansion of educational and scientific opportunities and the exchange of experience!
