Earlier in September, delegations from across the Emerge alliance met in Brussels to plan the launch of the next – and significant – chapter in the university collaboration. However, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences (INN) is already involved in six Emerge projects, in addition to various mobility activities for both students and staff.
– There are both large and small projects. All faculties are now involved in at least one project with academic environments at one or more of our partner universities, and every partner in the alliance has at least one collaboration with INN. The overall picture at the institutional level is excellent, says Senior Adviser in the Department of Education, Bente Gaalaas Rønningen Bolme.
Along with Pro-Rector for Education, Stine Grønvold, she sits on the steering committee for the Emerge alliance.
Read more: Prestige and NOK 20 million to INN University
14 million euros for collaborative projects
At the end of June this year, the European Commission announced that it was granting INN University and our university alliance, Emerge, the status of European University.
The European Universities Initiative (EUI) is funded by the Erasmus+ programme and targets higher education alliances that commit to close institutional collaboration. This leads to increased mobility, academic development, and research.
The total funding for the project is a substantial 14,359,208 euros, of which INN's share amounts to around NOK 20.3 million, to be paid out over a four-year period.
This means that the collaboration will gain even more momentum in the new year and will be filled with more extensive content.
– The grant allows us to realise the ambitions of the Emerge project. The support will go towards building the structure and framework, said Pro-Rector for Education, Stine Grønvold, when the good news from the European Commission arrived.
Starting in January
Work is now underway to establish frameworks and prepare for the projects to launch in January.
– There are many large administrative issues that need to be addressed, not least the institutions must work on identifying the required competencies and ensuring staffing to carry out the tasks, says Bolme about the meetings in Brussels.
Alongside Bolme and Grønvold, Rector Peer Jacob Svenkerud, international advisor Gunnar Klinge, as well as project leader Irene Thorsplass and associate professor Brit Ragnhild Svoen from the Centre for Lifelong Learning (SELL), were also involved.
Involved in many work packages
SELL is leading the work package on lifelong learning, which is one of a total of nine work packages in the project. INN is also heavily involved in several other work packages, especially the one focused on strategy and leadership of the alliance.
– We also have specific tasks in the work package related to civic and societal engagement, and the one called the European Academic Pathway, says Bolme, elaborating:
– This involves collaboration within our education programmes, with the goal of developing seamless mobility solutions for students and creating joint European degrees. As if that is not enough, we are also partly responsible for a work package focused on inclusive and sustainable campus development, where the Centre for Collaborative Learning for Sustainable Development (CCL) is our main actor.
– In addition, we have both smaller and larger tasks in the remaining work packages, such as developing language courses and handling digitalisation tasks, Bolme adds.
Increased impact from Emerge engagement
Bolme is confident that both staff and students will feel the effects of the Emerge collaboration and its projects moving forward.
– Both students and staff will have more exchange opportunities in the long term. Many staff members will be involved in specific tasks or notice increased attention on our partners when it comes to project ideas, for example, says Bolme.
She also highlights the fact that the EU turns to university alliances when seeking input on European education policy. This will give us a much greater opportunity to influence the field, both nationally and internationally.
More information
- Read more about the Emerge University Alliance
- Emerge's website
- Prestige and NOK 20 million to INN University
Contact information
- bente.gaalaas.ronningen@inn.no
- Phone
- +47 62 51 76 00