CIVIS - Europe's Civic University Alliance

04/09/2026

PolyCIVIS Agora Forum | 23.09 | BRUSSELS

Polycrisis: Towards Adaptation and Transformation through Collaboration

How can governance systems become more adaptive, inclusive and transformative in a world characterised by interconnected and compounding crises?

Join the PolyCIVIS Agora Forum in Brussels for a high-level conversation on:
🔹 Understanding the polycrisis
🔹 Building more adaptive and inclusive governance
🔹 Turning research and evidence into action
🔹 Exploring new pathways for Europe–Africa collaboration

Bringing together European and African leading voices from academia, policy, diplomacy, international institutions and civil society, including UNDP, the Council of Europe, ECDPM, UNU-CRIS and the Nordic Africa Institute.

📅 23 September 2026 | 13:30–17:30
📍 ULB-VUB Site USquare
Door AC, 210A Boulevard Général Jacques, 1050 Ixelles (Brussels)
Registration required by 18 September

🔗Register here: https://ow.ly/mhRX50ZIRhq

Join us as we explore pathways towards more resilient, inclusive and transformative governance in an era of polycrisis.

03/09/2026

Glasgow, we’re almost there!

In just a few days, CIVIS will be back at for four days of conversations, exchanges and connections with the international higher education community.

Coming to Glasgow? Come and find us at booth F55. 👋

📍 Glasgow
📅 8–11 September

See you there!

01/09/2026

Civizens on the move!🎒

A new academic year is on the horizon, with new experiences, connections and opportunities waiting along the way.

Where will CIVIS take you next? 👀

31/08/2026

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗖𝗜𝗩𝗜𝗦 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀?

In the final episode of our summer video series, María Isabel Soldevila Brea, Head of Communication, reflects on what it takes to communicate, disseminate and bring to life the results of a European University alliance.

Making resources and lessons learnt available, boosting motivation, breaking down barriers and supporting innovation all require creativity, empathy and strong communication.

In CIVIS, this has meant working to translate a very abstract construct, a European University alliance, into something concrete, real and human.

Some 𝟮𝟬𝟬 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 have been organised and over 𝟭.𝟲𝟬𝟬 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 have been completed by CIVIS universities and the central Communication Unit in the past four years.

But numbers only tell part of the story. Community does not emerge from branding alone. It flourishes when communication becomes 𝗮 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗼𝘂𝗿, 𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

CIVIS is news because it goes beyond numbers, while also producing the quantity and quality of activities and resources our institutions and communities need to take the first steps towards change.

Watch the final episode: Communicating and Disseminating CIVIS News, and stay tuned for 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗜𝗩𝗜𝗦 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦 𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗪!

27/08/2026

Meet our new civizen: Donia Matine 🌍

Behind CIVIS projects, mobilities and international collaborations, there are people working every day to make them possible.

At ULB - Université libre de Bruxelles, Donia Matine is one of them. As an administrative assistant on the CIVIS team, or, as she likes to put it, the “woman who does it all”, she supports projects from conception to completion, primarily on the logistical side. She is also involved in financial matters and provides support across the ULB CIVIS team.

Working within a European University alliance means navigating different cultures, institutions and ways of working. For Donia, this complexity is also an opportunity for continuous exchange and growth.

What motivates her most is seeing people from different backgrounds come together, share ideas and develop projects with an international dimension. Through her work, she also contributes to making ULB a welcoming, inclusive and safe space for international students and staff.

💬 “Seeing very different people collaborate and share their ideas is what inspires us the most. CIVIS allows everyone to bring their projects to life, regardless of their background”.

🔗 Discover Donia’s full story in the News section:

Working within a Eurpean University alliance means navigating cultural, institutional, and organisational differences. This is permanent and exciting challenge, which Donia Matine - administrative assistant on the Université libre de Bruxelles’ CIVIS team - successfully tackles. But, for her it i...

24/08/2026

Why should policymakers pay attention to European Universities alliances?

In this episode of our summer video series, Yann Maël Bideau, Policy Officer at the European Commission, reflects on the 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗜𝗩𝗜𝗦 and the wider role of European Universities alliances.

By pushing the boundaries of innovation and enhancing Europe’s profile in the world, alliances like CIVIS add a new layer to the institutional ecosystem, creating opportunities both locally and internationally.

CIVIS remains committed to addressing major societal challenges through education, research and innovation, particularly in the areas of democracy, climate and environment, health, culture and heritage, cities and mobility, and digital transformation.

Working hand in hand with its European members and Associate Members in Africa, CIVIS embodies a form of higher education diplomacy rooted in cooperation, civic engagement and shared priorities.

Watch the ninth episode: Policy impact of CIVIS and learn why 𝗖𝗜𝗩𝗜𝗦 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀!

20/08/2026

How can digital platforms help connect a European University alliance?

In this episode of our summer video series, 𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗱 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝘇𝗼𝘁, 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘀 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁, reflects on the digital journey developed within CIVIS.

From opportunity discovery through public websites, social media and other channels, to application management, course participation and evaluation, the CIVIS digital environment supports both students and academics.

For CIVIS, platforms are not only technical tools. They are becoming part of the everyday infrastructure that helps ideas, projects and educational experiences take shape across the Alliance.

A user-centred mix of centralised and decentralised tools allows CIVIS members to propose projects, develop them through online courses and take part in different educational experiences.

Interoperability and the embedding of these tools in local contexts remain key challenges ahead for CIVIS and other alliances.

Watch the episode: Platforms to connect and learn why 𝗖𝗜𝗩𝗜𝗦 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀!

17/08/2026

How is CIVIS opening new mobility opportunities for students and staff?

In the 𝘀𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 of our summer video series, Lars Banzhaf, Co-Head of the Mobility Unit, reflects on how European Universities alliances are creating new ways to move, learn and collaborate across institutions.

Through the 𝟲𝟬 𝘁𝗼 𝟲𝟱 𝗕𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲𝘀 organised by CIVIS universities every year, students can access newly created courses, including those who may not be able to take part in long-term mobility.

Between 2022 and 2025, 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝟴,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 took part in mobility opportunities across CIVIS programmes, including Blended Intensive Programmes, long-term exchanges, student-led projects, internships and joint educational initiatives.

By 2025, CIVIS had also enabled nearly 𝟭,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗳𝗳 𝗺𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 for teaching and training.

With challenges still ahead, including sustainable and virtual mobility, CIVIS is already making an impact beyond numbers.

Watch the seventh episode: CIVIS on the move and learn why 𝗖𝗜𝗩𝗜𝗦 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀!

13/08/2026

Meet our civizen: Nadia Fernández de Pinedo 🌍

What can universities achieve together that they could not achieve alone?

For Nadia Fernández de Pinedo, Rector’s Delegate for CIVIS at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and one of the key figures behind the Alliance, collaboration is central to transforming higher education in Europe.

Involved in CIVIS since its early stages in 2019, Nadia has contributed to the development of new programmes and approaches to shared education. Her work spans joint degrees, BIPs and microcredentials, as well as the SMARTT project, which explored the challenges of co-designing joint programmes and contributed to the work around the European Degree Label.

At the heart of this work is a belief that universities need to collaborate, share practices and listen to students in order to build more flexible education that responds to societal needs and a changing labour market.

For Nadia, this is also at the core of what it means to be a civizen:
💬 “A civizen has to be someone open-minded, who understands that the university’s mission goes beyond teaching content. It must contribute to building a better society, grounded in democratic values and helping people become better individuals”.

🔗 Discover Nadia’s full story on the CIVIS website:

Do you know what a ‘civizen’ is? Meet them all! This story by student ambassador Laura Carmona Navajo puts the spotlight on Nadia Fernández de Pinedo, UAM’s Rector’s Delegate for CIVIS and one of the key figures behind the Alliance.Long before becoming actively involved in CIVIS, Professor ...

10/08/2026

What makes an educational activity truly CIVIS?

In the sixth episode of our summer video series, Enrique Martín Santamaría, Innovative Pedagogies Officer, reflects on the elements that constitute the CIVIS DNA.

One of the key elements of “civisness” is the involvement of at least 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗖𝗜𝗩𝗜𝗦 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 in the organisation of any educational activity.

𝗕𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲, 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗜𝗩𝗜𝗦 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲𝘀 were co-led by more than three universities, reaching an outstanding 𝟳𝟳% 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗕𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲𝘀.

At least 𝟯𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗜𝗩𝗜𝗦 𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲𝘀 also include universities from Africa as co-creators and teaching staff, a figure that rises to 𝟯𝟴% 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗕𝗜𝗣𝘀.

With 𝟮𝟵 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗱𝗮𝗴𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽𝘀 involving more than 𝟰𝟱𝟬 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 organised in the last few years, CIVIS is contributing to opening new pathways for learners across the Alliance.

Watch the sixth episode: The CIVIS DNA and learn why 𝗖𝗜𝗩𝗜𝗦 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀!