In the past 36 years, we have made structural investments in building relationships with universities across the world, and Erasmus+ funding has been invaluable in supporting these efforts. The European Commission is currently reviewing the programme. This is thus the perfect time for us to share the value of and our hopes for Erasmus+.
African-European collaboration
For 26 years, Radboud University medical center (Radboudumc) has been collaborating with Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center (KCMC) in Tanzania. The collaboration initially focused on building capacity through joint education and research activities around malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV. Since then evolved into a long-term, equitable partnership involving different departments in patient care, teaching and scientific research across a number of healthcare fields. The researchers involved have a close working relationship, resulting in joint research projects aimed at solving today’s health challenges to society. Radboudumc and KCMC also work together to educate healthcare professionals and students. Erasmus+ funding was essential in growing this initiative to the sustainable and impactful partnership it is today. Quirijn de Mast, coordinator of the collaboration and internist, explains: “Sometimes you need this type of seed funding to push the collaboration to a higher level”. For example, this long-term cooperation has been instrumental in the recent establishment of an Africa-Europe Cluster of Research Excellence (CoRE) on Translational Research in Infection Immunity and Inflammation. These Clusters of Research Excellence are an initiative of the Guild of Research-Intensive European Universities and the African Research-Universities Alliance (ARUA) and aim to bring together researchers from both continents that are committed to addressing the Sustainable Development Goals through scientific excellence.
European Master's in System Dynamics
The Radboud University Faculty of Management Sciences has a long tradition with Erasmus+ funding. The European Master’s programme in System Dynamics is a direct result. What started as an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s programme with partners in Bergen, Palermo and Lisbon has grown into an ongoing collaboration and an ambitious educational programme. The first international programme in Europe to focus solely on System Dynamics, it offers students the unique experience of studying in three different countries.
Sustainable Futures
Erasmus+ funding is used to create impact worldwide. One excellent example is the Sustainable Futures initiative, in which universities across the world work together to ‘facilitate ethical, interdisciplinary, and international partnerships to address global challenges’. Radboud University is involved in the Participatory Policy Hub, together with partners in Europe, Africa and Asia. This hub studies processes relating to the development, implementation and evaluation of policies, with the specific objectives of reducing the power inequalities that manifest themselves in these processes. Erasmus+ was essential to the growth of this collaboration, thereby offering students, educators and researchers a platform for co-building research agendas with communities and stakeholders to ensure real impact.
Position Paper
The relationships with our global partners are growing stronger and flourishing, and Erasmus+ is the fertiliser that allows these seeds to grow. To ensure lasting, equitable and sustainable collaboration, however, the programme must evolve to fit the current global context and help universities continue to address the challenges facing our society together, in synergy with the Horizon Europe programme. Radboud’s recommendations are detailed in the attached position paper.