European Degree: from idea to today

News Tank Academic - Brussels - Synthesis #455138 - Published on 29/09/26 at 17:18
©  D.R.
Awarding of the first Joint European Degree Labels - ©  D.R.

The European Commission awarded the first two Joint European Degree Labels to the CHARM-EU and EU-CONEXUS alliances on 15/07/2026, nine years after French President Emmanuel Macron called for "European university networks" in his Sorbonne speech.

News Tank Academic and News Tank Éducation & Recherche look back at the stages that led from the idea to the label through a selection of their articles.

The road has been gradual. After the European Strategy for Universities of 18/01/2022 made a common European degree one of its flagships, six Erasmus+ pilots tested European criteria in 2023-2024 and identified more than 50 obstacles to joint programmes.

The Commission then proposed, on 27/03/2024, a voluntary path with two entry points: a label and a European degree.

On 12/05/2025, after what…

©  D.R.
Awarding of the first Joint European Degree Labels - ©  D.R.

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