CHARM-EU has secured €7.2 million from the European Commission to fund the alliance for two further years until 2028. In total, €145.6 million was allocated by the Commission to 20 university alliances to advance transnational collaboration between European universities until the EU’s next Multi-Annual Financial Framework (MFF).

To date, 235 students have graduated from CHARM-EU’s Masters’ in Global Challenges for Sustainability and over 5,000 have taken part in a course designed using CHARM-EU’s values and educational methodology.

This additional funding will enable CHARM-EU to scale up its innovation and educational activities across the alliance’s nine partner universities.

Key priorities for the next two years will include:

  1. Strengthening CHARM-EU’s role in a changing geopolitical landscape: equipping the alliance to address cross-border societal, democratic, and political challenges through collaborative European action.
  2. Accelerating digital transformation and AI integration: embedding AI and advanced digital tools across CHARM-EU’s education, research, and innovation activities.
  3. Driving systemic change: improving European national higher education systems and policythrough innovation, collaboration, and evidence-based practice.
  4. Advancing a flexible, skills-based education model: expanding student-centred learning that aligns with European priorities and enables learners to tackle real-world challenges alongside industry and societal partners.
  5. Scaling lifelong learning for Europe’s workforce: expanding stackable micro-credentials, modular programmes, and flexible pathways to help address skills shortages and support learners throughout their careers.

'CHARM-EU has shown what is possible when universities work across borders, disciplines and sectors to address real societal challenges', said Dr Jake Byrne, School of Education and  Co-Director of CHARM-EU in Trinity College Dublin. ‘This new funding allows us to deepen that work, creating more opportunities for learners, academics and professional staff across our nine universities to develop future-focused skills, collaborate with industry and societal partners, and scale successful innovations across our transnational campus.’

‘I am delighted that the European Commission has selected CHARM-EU for additional funding,’ said Doris Alexander, Associate Director of European Engagement at Trinity and Co-Director of CHARM-EU. ‘It speaks to the success of the deep institutional, innovative, transnational cooperation already achieved by CHARM-EU and  will allow further consolidation and scaling in the development of a true inter-European university campus model.’

To find out more about CHARM-EU or to get involved, see www.charm-eu.eu

L-R: Conor Spillane, Doris Alexander, Meritxell Chaves, Prof. Joan Guàrdia, Nadja Simons, Prof Orla Sheils, Patricia Maguire, Dr Jake Byrne at the recent European University Alliances event in Maynooth University