Chemnitz starts with Across: Europe connected to Europe!

Chemnitz starts with Across: Europe connected to Europe!

Chemnitz, Deutschland - On March 4, 2025, the kick-off meeting of the European Cross-Border University Across took place at the Technical University of Chemnitz. The Rector of the TU Chemnitz, Prof. Dr. Gerd Strohmeier warmly welcomed the guests present. This initiative is particularly emphasized in one year in which Chemnitz was recognized as the cultural capital of Europe. The necessity of a united in Europe, as Winston Churchill already addressed in 1946, becomes clear again by today's geopolitical situation. Current challenges such as the war of international law in Russia against Ukraine, outbursts of violence in the Middle East and the rise of right -wing populism make it clear that the role of universities in the European unification process is of central importance to ensure peace and security.

The European Cross-Border University Across specifically promotes cooperation across country, cultural and technical borders. Four European border regions that represent around 200 million citizens are responsible for the initiative. A total of ten universities are involved, including an institution from Ukraine, with around 100,000 students and 10,000 employees. The aim is to establish cross -border research and teaching as well as to promote democratic values, tolerance and diversity. In this context, the TU Chemnitz, which has received 14.4 million euros in funding from the EU as part of the European University Initiative, is once again influencing its influence and responsibility in the European University System.

Initiative Across for a common future

The TU Chemnitz has taken over the lead in the Allianz "Across-The European University for Cross-Border Knowledge Sharing". With nine partner universities in European border regions, the initiative wants to develop a unique university area that addresses both challenges and opportunities in these regions. These include universities such as Udine (Italy), Girona (Spain) and Białystok (Poland). Measures are planned to intensify intermediate university relationships and to promote internationalization and digitization in teaching, further education and research.

Particular attention is paid to the principles of sustainability and inclusion. The establishment of cross-border engagement centers, which are supposed to act as places of cooperation between science, companies and civil society, is also sought. These strategic steps are part of a larger strategy of the European Union that wants to strengthen the role of universities as a lighthouses of the European lifestyle.

The contribution of universities on European integration

According to the European Union, universities play a key role in realizing a common educational area and the development of sustainable economies. Europe can refer to almost 5,000 university institutions, 17.5 million students and 1.35 million teachers. The aim of the EU is to equip 45 % of 25- to 34-year-olds with a university degree by 2030. The university education is considered crucial for the provision of employment opportunities and to improve international competitiveness.

The EU strategy includes several key goals, including strengthening the European dimension in the university area and the support of universities in the green and digital change. Transnational cooperation is considered essential to cope with the diverse challenges of today. Against this background, the "Across" initiative is viewed as an essential building block for solidarity and innovative strength in Europe, whereby the focus is on cooperation and exchange between educational institutions.

Overall, the activities at the Technical University of Chemnitz and the founding of the European Cross-Border University Across show how European universities work together to shape a more peaceful and cooperative future.