Member States call for stronger synergies between European University Alliances and the ECF

The EU's 27 member states have emphasised that the European university alliances should be strengthened through synergies with the European Competitiveness Fund (ECF) and Horizon Europe.

During the Education Council held on 11/05/2026, education ministers adopted their position on the Erasmus+ programme for 2028-2034, saying that "support for all dimensions of the alliances, including research and innovation and their contribution to the competitiveness of the Union, should be pursued through synergies with other instruments, such as the European Competitiveness Fund and Horizon Europe".

During her speech in the debate, Janja Zupančič, State Secretary at the Ministry of Education of Slovenia, said: "Slovenia expresses its strong support for advancing synergies between Erasmus+ and the ECF... Strengthening complementarities between these instruments is key to equipping Europe with the skills needed for its strategic ambitions... We consider the current direction promising, but underline that these synergies must be more clearly anchored and operationalised, also in the ECF…