MEP's report backs greater role for European Universities Alliances in Horizon Europe

A French MEP drafting the Parliament's report on the European Commission's proposal for Horizon Europe 2028-2034 has called for a greater role in the research programme for European Universities Alliances.

Laurence Farreng, a French MEP from the liberal Renew group, will present her draft report on Horizon Europe to the Parliament's Culture committee on 27/01/2026.

The report, which was published on 22/01/2026, suggests adding a paragraph to the European Commission's proposal for the research and innovation programme, saying that "the European Universities Alliances serve a multidimensional purpose, contributing both to the realisation of the European Research Area and the European Higher Education Area, and their proven success contributes to the competitiveness objectives of the Union".

Farreng's addition is in response to what she describes as "the fragmentation of the Union’s higher education and research sectors which undermines the capacity of the Union to safeguard its sovereignty, promote its values and assert global influence".

According to the report, "greater integration…