Education and Science, EU – Baltic States, Latvia

Of the 54 applications, the Commission has picked 17 European universities uniting 114 higher education institutions, including the University of Latvia and the Art Academy of Latvia. The universities represent 24 European Union member states.

The universities were selected based on an assessment provided by 26 independent experts, including university rectors, professors and researchers.

"The initiative is designed to significantly strengthen mobility of students and staff, and foster the quality, inclusiveness and competitiveness of European higher education," the European Commission said in a statement.

The EU Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, Tibor Navrascics said that the 17 European universities will act as role models for others across the EU.

“They will enable the next generations of students to experience Europe by studying in different countries. I am convinced that this initiative, a key building block of the European Education Area, will be a real game changer for higher education in Europe, boosting excellence and inclusion,” the EU commissioner said.

The selection of European Universities includes a broad range of higher education institutions from across the EU, from universities of applied sciences, technical universities and universities of fine arts to comprehensive and research-intensive universities.

European Universities will become inter-university campuses around which students, doctoral candidates, staff and researchers can move seamlessly. They will pool their expertise, platforms and resources to deliver joint curricula or modules covering various disciplines. These curricula will be very flexible and will allow students to personalize their education, choosing what, where and when to study and get a European degree.

European Universities will also contribute to the sustainable economic development of the regions where they are located, as their students will work closely with companies, municipal authorities, academics and researchers to find solutions to the challenges their regions are facing.

The total budget available to the 17 universities is up to EUR 85 mln. Each university will receive up to EUR 5 mln under the initiative in the next three years.