CIVIS - Europe's Civic University Alliance

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!

06/08/2026

Next destination: Glasgow. 🇬🇧

This September, CIVIS is heading to the EAIE Annual Conference and Exhibition 2026.

We’ll be joining higher education professionals from around the world, and colleagues to exchange ideas, strengthen collaborations and contribute to conversations shaping the future of international learning.

We look forward to reconnecting with familiar faces and meeting new ones in Glasgow.

📍 Glasgow, Scotland
📅 8–11 September 2026

Learn more about the conference: https://www.eaie.org/events/glasgow.html

03/08/2026

How have Blended Intensive Programmes become a signature format for CIVIS?

In the fifth episode of our summer video series, Petra Höpfner, Co-Head of the Mobility Unit, reflects on the role of BIPs in strengthening collaboration and internationalisation across the Alliance.

Blended Intensive Programmes have become a testbed for collaboration and internationalisation, allowing more students and academic teams to work together.

𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝟭𝟳𝟲 𝗕𝗜𝗣𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱, CIVIS has acquired invaluable experience in organising this type of educational activity.

A recent evaluation showed that 𝟵𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 reported a strongly positive assessment of the administrative and organisational aspects of the mobility process.

These results show how BIPs have become a practical way to support new forms of educational collaboration across CIVIS.

Watch the fourth episode: BIPs and CIVIS and learn 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗖𝗜𝗩𝗜𝗦 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀!

28/07/2026

🎙️ “Our analysis is co-created.”

Every conversation has the power to shape knowledge.

In this new episode of CIVIS Connect, part of the CIVIS Waves podcast, Christèle Aubry and Robin Lebrun welcome Noémie Maugan (ULB’s OpenLab.Brussels) to explore how participatory research turns dialogue into a genuine research method.

Using the podcast Le Pain qu’on sème as a case study, the episode shows how researchers, farmers, millers and artisan bakers work together to co-create knowledge rooted in real-world experience.

🌾 Because research becomes richer when it is built together.

🎧 Listen to the latest episode (in French) via the link in our bio.

27/07/2026

What happens when university cooperation connects Europe and Africa through a shared academic agenda?

In this episode of our summer video series, Christian Möllmann, CIVIS Global Partnerships Officer, reflects on collaboration for change and on the partnerships developed between CIVIS European and African Associate universities.

𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮, CIVIS has partnered with 𝘀𝗶𝘅 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀: Université Hassan II de Casablanca, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar (UCAD), University of the Witwatersrand, Makerere University, Eduardo Mondlane University and University of Sfax.

𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰, these institutions have become 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗜𝗩𝗜𝗦, committing to a shared agenda that strengthens cooperation in 𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵.

The results are already visible: 𝟯𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗜𝗩𝗜𝗦 𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲𝘀 and almost 𝟰𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲𝘀 have at least one African Associate Member on board.

These collaborations show how CIVIS is building long-term partnerships rooted in shared challenges, mutual learning and concrete projects.

Watch the episode: Collaboration for Change and learn 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗖𝗜𝗩𝗜𝗦 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀!