OpenEU at the Erasmus+ Higher Education Mobility Days: building the future of European Universities

The Erasmus+ Higher Education Mobility Days (Jornadas de Movilidad Erasmus+ de Educación Superior), organised by SEPIE and hosted by the University of Valencia, brought together more than 300 participants from across Spain to discuss the future of international cooperation in higher education.

The event closed with a round table moderated by Pastora Martínez Samper, Vice President od UEUE and coordinator of the OpenEU Alliance, who also presented our alliance to the national and European audience.

The session aimed to reflect on the role of European University Alliances within Erasmus+: how they are reshaping the higher education landscape, what challenges they face, and how Spain — as one of the leading countries — contributes to this transformative process.

Panel Participants

• Pastora Martínez Samper, coordinator of OpenEU Alliance.

• Meritxell Chaves, coordinator of CHARM-EU Alliance, presenting FOREU4All.

• Carles Padilla, member of the FORTHEM Alliance.

• Núria Sempere, Director General, Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya (ESMUC), representing artistic higher education institutions also engaged in alliances.

4 Key Messages

• A European vision beyond mobility: “This initiative is not only about collaboration; it is about rethinking the future of European universities,” said Pastora Martínez Samper.

• Spanish leadership: Spain participates in 46 alliances, with 13 coordinators — making it the third country in Europe.

• Collaboration over competition: Alliances promote co-creation and intercultural campuses.

• Challenges: Structural funding, bureaucratic complexity, and proving impact remain major hurdles.

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