The Guild
Twenty-one universities from all over Europe form the university network The Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities. This new network aims to lobby for research, education, and improved knowledge transfer of research outcomes to society. Radboud University, together with the University of Groningen, is one of the two Dutch members of The Guild.
Participating universities
Aarhus University, Babeș-Bolyai University, University of Bern, University of Bologna, Ghent University, University of Glasgow, University of Göttingen, University of Groningen, Jagiellonian University, King's College London, University of Louvain, University of Ljubljana, University of Oslo, Université de Paris, Radboud University, University of Tartu, University of Tübingen, Uppsala University, University of Vienna, University of Warwick, Pompeu Fabra University.
Strengthening Europe’s Universities at a time of global transformation
Responding to the European Commission’s Communications on the European Research and Education Areas, presidents of The Guild’s universities set out a vision for Europe’s universities over the next ten years.
The speed of social, economic and geopolitical change, accelerated through the current Covid-19 pandemic, forms an urgent context for articulating how Universities can best support society through research, education and innovation in the future. In response, The Guild’s presidents have articulated a vision for the future of Europe’s universities. The ways in which universities need to change to embrace future challenges must always be informed, presidents argue, by a deep reflection of the values that define us.
Faced by dramatic change through digitalisation, The Guild affirms the importance of all subjects in addressing complex societal challenges in a truly interdisciplinary manner. Pressing issues such as the Covid-19 pandemic or climate change can only be tackled through in-depth disciplinary expertise, coupled with rich contributions from all subject domains, including the social science and humanities.
The European Union has an important role to play in supporting the research and teaching excellence of universities in Europe, and in bringing Europe’s universities together through exchange, partnership, and collaboration in teaching and research. The EU provides an important context for mutual learning, international standard-setting, and bridge-building.
It is thus essential that the development of the European Research Area and the European Education Area is informed by a deep understanding of the rich potential of our universities, and our most pressing challenges. University research within and across institutions needs to be strengthened, The Guild’s presidents argue, in all its dimensions. This must include fundamental, frontier-led research, to ensure we are equipped to respond to the unknown challenges of the future. At the same time, they emphasize the need for pedagogical change in a digital age, building on the educational excellence of universities to develop new, appropriate pedagogies.
The Guild’s presidents underline their vision with an urgent call to enhance the autonomy of universities, and for public authorities to develop a close partnership with universities to strengthen the public understanding of science and its role in public policy and debate. They emphasize the importance of embracing transformation, to ensure that changes strengthen, rather than deflect from, the core mission of comprehensive universities.
- Read more about The Guild's vision on the website
- Or download Looking to the future: Vision for Europe's Universities (pdf, 3,3 MB)
President of the Board Daniël Wigboldus on 'innovation', during the (online) presentation of The Guild's vision for the future:
Contact and additional information
In case of specific questions, please contact Mechteld Bous, EU Liaison Officer. You can find additional information on the website: www.the-guild.eu