KU Leuven to co-operate with six Central European universities
The University of Leuven has completed preparations for Celsa, a strategic alliance with six universities in Hungary, Slovenia and the Czech Republic
“Diamonds in the rough”
The seven universities will set up joint study programmes and work together to find solutions for major European problems. In addition, the universities aim to secure more European research funding by submitting joint projects, particularly from Horizon 2020 – a European Union research programme worth nearly €80 billion.
“The universities with which we are collaborating are diamonds in the rough – institutions that, for various reasons, haven’t fully achieved their potential yet,” said KU Leuven rector Rik Torfs. “We will help them to achieve this, while also benefiting from the collaboration.”
“Government support for universities is dwindling due to the economic crisis,” said Ivan Svetlik, rector of the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia. “That’s why we have to look more to European funding, and KU Leuven will definitely be able to help us with their expertise in that area.”
According to the European Commission, too much money is going to the strong Western European universities. Celsa will allow KU Leuven specialists to assist the six partner universities in Central Europe with the complex procedures involved in securing research funding.
Photo: Faculty of Arts, Charles University, Prague
©Petr Vilgus/Wikimedia
