UNIC: Universities, Cities and Communities Building Europe’s Future Together
European cities face shared challenges such as demographic change, climate adaptation, housing crises, poverty, and energy transition. No single university, city, business, societal partner or individual can solve these problems alone: finding solutions requires transnational collaboration and knowledge exchange.
UNIC, led by the Erasmus University Rotterdam, connects ten Universities and post-industrial cities across Europe, directly linking education to urban challenges. The Alliance is organised in a way that facilitates a close collaboration between the universities, the cities, and various societal partners.
Our methodology is rooted in engagement with local communities through CityLabs, using international expertise to address local problems. A diversity of skillsets and perspectives in the UNIC’s network encourages creativity, innovation and scalability, making the solutions adaptable and useful across Europe.
By linking education, research, and city engagement, UNIC develops skills and knowledge essential for European citizenship and democratic resilience.
Innovative and future proof education
The UNIC Alliance developed an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master degree RePIC — Redesigning the Post-Industrial City. The programme focuses on real-life challenges faced by contemporary cities and prepares the next generation of change-makers to address the challenges of post-industrial cities and diverse societies. Examples of such challenges are inclusion, sustainability, participation, and social cohesion.
Pavao, UNIC Student Representative 'UNIC represents a community that connects people and ideas. It’s a space where different cultures collaborate, where knowledge is shared, and where students have the opportunity to grow, explore and create positive change across Europe.'
Urban problem solving
UNIC’s CityLabs are collaborative spaces bringing together universities, municipalities, civil society organisations, and local communities. Together, they identify urban challenges and co-create solutions. Through the CityLab methodology, students engage directly with the realities of post-industrial cities, connecting academic knowledge with hands-on experimentation and community-based learning.
Redefining international mobility
By offering a variety of forms of mobility, both physical and online, UNIC creates an inclusive environment encouraging collaboration and learning from people of different backgrounds and perspectives.
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