9 July 2026
After two successful Erasmus+ funding phases (2019–2022 and 2022–2026), YUFE’s application to the Erasmus+ 2026 “European Universities” call has also been approved. This is a major milestone for the YUFE Alliance, which continues to be a frontrunner among European University Alliances.
A pulse keeps a system alive, adaptive, and forward-moving. YUFEPULSE marks the next vital beat of the YUFE Alliance, signaling a shift from experimentation to sustained impact.
A funding that supports our mission
This funding comes from the European Commission’s Erasmus+ programme, especially its 2026 call. Through a mechanism of bridge funding, it provides two years of financial support to help Alliances build on the progress they’ve already made and scale up their most successful initiatives, from joint courses to student mobility, until the EU’s next MFF funding cycle begins in 2028.
What YUFE will focus on with this funding
Built on strong governance and innovative educational and societal pilots, YUFE is ready to enter this next phase. With YUFEPULSE, we aim to consolidate and scale up what has already proven to work, making it accessible to more learners, staff, and partners across our ten universities. Concretely, this means:
- Strengthening the joint, European university ecosystem YUFE has built so far, so it works seamlessly across all partner institutions.
- Accelerating innovative, open teaching approaches and expanding talent development opportunities at every level.
- Deepening collaboration with regional partners, cities, businesses, and communities around YUFE’s campuses.
- Ensuring these achievements are built to last beyond a single project cycle.
Together, these efforts reflect YUFE’s core values – quality, equity, diversity, inclusivity, openness, multilingualism, and social responsibility. The result is a strong contribution to a more competitive, resilient, and socially responsible European Higher Education Area.
’We are delighted that this additional funding will allow us to further pursue our ambitions to develop a true European University Alliance.’’
Maria-Valerie Schegk, YUFE Secretary General
What next?
Bringing together ten young, research-intensive universities, our mission is to continue creating a truly transnational learning environment across borders, disciplines, and sectors. Our student-centered approach empowers globally minded lifelong learners, while strong regional embeddedness links local realities with European objectives. Together, we keep building the future of European Higher Education.
