5 years of ENLIGHT: from a pioneering network to an integrated and united European alliance

Born out of Erasmus+ projects and the Horizon Europe programme, the ENLIGHT alliance has gradually evolved into an inter-institutional partnership rooted in the very functioning of universities, profoundly influencing education, research, student engagement and societal impact. The alliance has stimulated unprecedented academic momentum, with growing participation by researchers and teachers in international collaborations, driven by centralised calls for projects such as the ENLIGHT Thematic Networks or the Incubator grants.

The creation of an international non-profit association (AISBL, Association Internationale Sans But Lucratif), planned for early 2026, will anchor this cooperation over the long term, marking the transition to a sustainable university network. Students, who are heavily involved through the ENLIGHT Student Network, actively participate in governance, launch their own initiatives and represent the alliance on the European stage. A pioneer in impact culture, ENLIGHT has developed widely shared methodologies and tools, as evidenced by the publication in 2025 of the first ENLIGHT Impact Assessment Report, the result of a collective effort. Finally, the alliance facilitates mobility through a multilateral Erasmus+ agreement and is preparing a common framework for joint doctorates, a major step forward for international collaboration.

New governance for a new chapter

Since 1 January 2026, Professor Anders Hagfeldt, Vice-Chancellor of Uppsala University in Sweden, has been serving as President of ENLIGHT for a one-year term, which is extendable for a further year. He was appointed unanimously.

"It is an honour to take on the role of ENLIGHT President at a time when democracy is being severely tested and education issues are the subject of intense debate within the EU," he stated on taking office. "For Uppsala University, this appointment underscores its important and significant responsibility to actively contribute to strengthening an already solid alliance."

Opportunities for all members of the university community

The integration of ENLIGHT into the operations of partner universities opens up concrete opportunities:

• For students: a growing portfolio of joint courses, mobility opportunities and, in the long term, joint degrees designated as "European Degrees", fully integrating students into the ENLIGHT community, rather than simply as visitors abroad.
• For teachers: joint educational initiatives and thematic networks to co-create innovative educational experiences across institutions, enriching the opportunities available to students.
• For researchers: ENLIGHT partners become natural collaborators for Horizon Europe consortia and other initiatives, with standardised cooperation processes and shared support structures.
• For administrative staff: simplified processes for mobility, collaboration and European cooperation, making cross-border work a natural extension of day-to-day operations.

Human beings at the heart of collaboration

Beyond structures and strategies, ENLIGHT's success is built on people. The alliance has encouraged the emergence of new professional profiles such as 'translators' and 'European project engineers', as described by the Ministry of Higher Education and Research in its 'Report on the qualitative assessment of the "transformative effect' for six French institutions of being members of a European University Alliance’, published in December 2025.

As Alexandra Doring, head of the ENLIGHT unit at the University of Bordeaux, points out, "It is above all a question of connecting and bringing together diverse groups of actors from different cultural backgrounds around common objectives, overcoming differences between partners with different interests, breaking down barriers, and transforming ambitious plans into practical realities through the concrete implementation of collaborative tools."

This work requires a detailed understanding of institutional contexts, expertise in European policies, cross-sector integration skills and strategic foresight, raising coordination from the administrative level to that of strategic advice.

Navigating a complex European context

The road ahead is not without challenges: geopolitical, technological and economic issues, funding uncertainties and competitive pressures pose significant problems for European higher education. ENLIGHT's ambitions require constant support, both at the alliance level and within each institution. But the alliance's commitment to mutual support, open dialogue and the inclusion of all partners provides a solid foundation that embodies Europe's motto: "United in diversity".