Graz, Austria – February 7, 2024
During a meeting held on 5th and 6th February at FH Joanneum in Graz, Rectors from the 9 EU4Dual universities have convened to take stock of progress in building the European Dual Studies University.
Taking Stock
One year after our inaugural meeting in Kuopio, EU4Dual is now a fully operational entity, with a staffed central office jointly run out of Mondragon and Stuttgart, numerous academic and governance committees as well as local offices established in each of the 9 participating institutions. The meeting in Graz saw the completion of this process with the appointment of the Advisory Board and the Industry Consultative Council.
We have launched a Centre of Excellence on Dual Studies, and appointed Prof. Georg Nagler as its director, with the intention of setting up a world-class cluster of expertise in the field.
Next Milestones
Building on this early momentum, 2024 will see two milestones for the Alliance:
- EU4Dual will launch its course catalogue, giving opportunities to study with the alliance for the first time. 5 Joint Masters Degrees, and over 120 micro-credentials are in various stages of planning, with the first masters degree a tranche of 50 micro-credentials and a Summer & Winter School due to launch in time for next September;
- April will see the organisation of the first European dual studies conference on the 10th and 11th, in Paola, Malta. With over 50 papers submitted and over 200 participants registered at this time, the conference will bring academics, policymakers and business together to set the agenda for the sector.
2024 will also be characterised by increased mobility of students and staff and the creation of new research collaborations between our various institutions.
Finally, we have agreed to define on the basis of the intercultural and institutional experiences of Rectors in their respective partner countries, strategic priorities for the future of the Alliance in the context of dual education and the important role that employers and their Chambers will play for the sustainability of the European University of Dual Studies.
Plans for the Future
During the Graz meeting, Rectors have also appointed a working group to start design work on the first European Joint Industrial PhD. The working group will spend the next few months working with Heads of Studies and Business Leaders across the continent to propose a model for a multi-country work-integrated programme that can prepare students to manage, research and invent at the highest levels across Europe.
We are committed to being standard-bearers for the dual-education model globally, and have begun planning an outreach strategy to work with other HEIs and governments to strengthen its role as a key pillar of Higher Education in Europe.
Have a look at this video for a summary of the 4th Rectors Council.
