We have published our 2026 policy white paper on dual higher education. It brings together four years of evidence from the EU4Dual Alliance. The paper sets out twelve recommendations across three levels of governance.
EU4Dual is an alliance of nine professional higher education institutions across nine EU countries. Since 2023, we have worked with over 18,000 business partners on dual higher education. This white paper turns that experience into practical policy guidance.
Europe’s higher education systems face a skills gap. Graduates often lack the practical, workplace-ready competences that employers need. Dual higher education, which combines academic study with structured workplace learning, offers a tested solution.
The paper draws on evidence from six areas of alliance activity. These include governance, quality assurance, joint programmes, research, and cross-border mobility. It also includes findings from a survey of teaching staff and researchers across nine institutions.
Key figures (2023–2026)
- 2,241 degree students enrolled in dual programmes across the alliance
- 340 micro-credentials available in the EU4Dual catalogue
- 2 accredited joint dual master’s programmes, with two more in development
- 968 students with international mobility experience
- 44 collaborative research project applications submitted across partner institutions
What we recommend
EU level
- Establish a European reference framework for dual higher education
- Clarify and reduce regulatory obstacles to cross-border work-based learning
- Align Erasmus+ programme rules with dual mobility requirements
- Strengthen European Degree Label criteria for work-integrated learning
- Establish a dedicated data monitoring system for dual higher education
National and regional level
- Establish or strengthen national legal frameworks for dual higher education
- Align national and regional funding with dual programme costs
- Embed dual higher education in regional smart specialisation strategies
Alliance and institutional level
- Consolidate and extend the DHE Framework as a European quality standard
- Scale the Knowledge Valorisation Hub model for industry-embedded research
- Strengthen equity, inclusion and learner support across the alliance
- Develop sustainable revenue and governance models beyond the grant cycle
The recommendations are practical and evidence-based. Each one names the governance level with the power to act. Read the full white paper for the complete evidence base.
