A European
Universities Initiative
NEOLAiA (youth in Greek) is the alliance of young European Universities for digital natives, which stands for inclusion, gives personal and tailor-made answers, strengthens democracy and encourages their members to make a difference, becoming game-changers.
Who we are
NEOLAiA is the European Universities consortium that answers global challenges with empowering regions.
We stand for 3 NeoTrends
“Global challenges such as climate change, digitalization, demographics, and urbanization are the Global Challenges of the time. They affect metropolises and regions differently.”

Digitalization and its impact on sustainable development at a regional scale

Diversity and inclusion and their impact on European regions

Global health challenges and solutions at a regional scale
Meet the people behind NEOLAiA
Meet US
NEOLAiA in Figures
“We, as Universities, are the most important drivers of innovation and social change, in our regions, in the EU, and beyond.”
Students
FACULTIES AND SCHOOLS
MASTER'S DEGREE PROGRAMS
BACHELOR'S DEGREE PROGRAMS
Latest News
NEOLAiA History Workshop in Bielefeld University
Bielefeld University has hosted the first NEOLAiA History Workshop on June 10th and 11th, with the participation of most of the partner universities...
Rise of the Digital Professor: NEOLAiA at Ahead by Bett in London
The popular education technology show, Bett, travelling the globe and connecting education specialists across the continents, newly invited in March...
New inclusion course for NEOLAiA students thanks to Bielefeld University
Bielefeld University invites NEOLAiA students to join a course on “International Perspectives on Education. Inclusion and inclusive teaching...
What is the European Universities Initiative?
The aim of this initiative is to bring together a new generation of creative Europeans able to cooperate across languages, borders and disciplines to address societal challenges and skills shortages faced in Europe.
The education landscape across Europe is changing. At the 2017 Gothenburg Summit, EU leaders outlined a vision for education and culture. In its December 2017 Conclusions, the European Council called on Member States, the Council and the Commission to take forward a number of initiatives, including “…strengthening strategic partnerships across the EU between higher education institutions and encouraging the emergence by 2024 of some twenty ‘European Universities‘, consisting in bottom-up networks of universities across the EU which will enable students to obtain a degree by combining studies in several EU countries and contribute to the international competitiveness of European universities”.
Co-developed by higher education institutions, student organisations, Member States and the Commission, the European Universities Initiative responds to this call. Today, it is one of the flagship initiatives of the EU’s ambitions to build a European Education Area.
What is a European University?
European Universities are transnational alliances that will become the universities of the future, promoting European values and identity, and revolutionising the quality and competitiveness of European higher education. In order to achieve this major step forward, the Commission is testing different cooperation models for European Universities with two calls for proposals under the Erasmus+ programme. The alliances will:
Include partners from all types of higher education institutions and cover a broad geographic scope across Europe
Adopt a challenge-based approach according to which students, academics and external partners can cooperate in inter-disciplinary teams to tackle the most pressing issues facing Europe
Be based upon a co-envisioned long-term strategy focussed on sustainability, excellence and European values
Offer student-centred curricula jointly delivered across inter-university campuses, where diverse student bodies can build their own programmes and experience mobility at all levels of study