Eunice - European University
University of Catania is part of a European University Alliance of higher education institutions, promoting European values and identity and collaborating for a challenge-based approach according which students, academics and external partners can cooperate in inter-disciplinary teams.
The European Commission has included the project and the transnational network “Eunice - European University for Customised Education” among the new 24 “European Universities” selected under the 2020 Erasmus+ Call for the specific action European University Initiative (EUI).
The funding received has enabled the implementation of actions aimed at creating a European university model designed to solve social and economic challenges, both globally and locally. The goal is a paradigm shift from traditional education to customised education, which is flexible, open, intercultural, innovative, that meets the needs of society, the labour market and the industrial sector.
The alliance is nurtured by seven universities’ intellectual and infrastructure input, resulting in a solid network of crossed interactions between educational institutions, industry and business partners, as well as other social, cultural, artistic and sports stakeholders.
The Eunice Alliance consists of seven existing public universities in Europe: Politechnika Poznanska (PUT, Poland), who leads the consortium; Brandenburgische Technische Universitat Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU, Germany), Universidad de Cantabria (UC, Spain); Université de Mons (UMONS, Belgium); Università di Catania (UNICT, Italy), Université Polytechnique Hauts-de-France (UPHF, France); and Vaasan Yliopisto (UVA, Finland).
The role of Unict
Within Eunice, Unict leads the Training, Research & Development for Industry-oriented problems “work package”. Its main strength is the creation of flexible actions to prepare European citizens to work transversally and to face the challenges of a changing Europe and world.
The Eunice International Internship Portal (EIIP) is aimed at providing the students from all Eunice universities (undergraduates, graduates and postgraduates) with cross-sectoral and multidisciplinary internship, encouraging mobility and multilingual work experience. Opportunities are also open to high school students, in order to facilitate cooperation and develop projects between educational institutions and business partners, under the strategic view of the European universities.
More than 200 business companies have already joined an ever-growing network.
University of Catania's associated partners in the project include: Municipality of Catania, Chamber of Commerce, Confindustria, Sicily Micro and Nano Systems Technology District, INFN, CSFNSM, CNR, ST Microelectronics, Enel Green Power, Fidia Farmaceutici, SIFI, Medivis, Sasol e Parmalat.
