Five universities are University of Applied Arts Vienna (A), Brno University of Technology (CZ), University of Nicosia (CY), University of Lapland (FI), University of the Peloponnese (GR). Three associated partner institutions are European Forum Alpbach (A), Global Campus of Human Rights (IT), ZKM | Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe (DE).

The EU has launched to have set aside €60 Mio. for this pilot project within its ERASMUS+ programme, the first twleve European Universities of which should be selected by summer 2019. The EU’s long-term aim is to build at least twenty European Universities by 2024 in the context of the European Education Area. The call has resulted in applications from 54 alliances, involving more than 300 higher education institutions from 31 European countries including all EU Member States.

Under the acronym UNIQUE (University for New Interdisciplinary Qualification and Education) the consortium aims at developing and implementing a radically new and innovative European higher education institution, establishing innovative structures on every level of its organization, based on the cross-disciplinary use of its members’ expertise.

UNIQUE shall provide students from all over the world with abilities and knowledge to deal with the global challenges of the future. Beside getting education in inter- and cross-disciplinary working, UNIQUE students will be trained in abilities to identify complex problem fields in all societal areas, as well as to develop and realise solution strategies for such. In addition to the emphasis on integrating new digital technologies, the development and use of creative and artistic strategies is one of UNIQUE’s eight focus points, as there are furthermore: Human Rights and Migration, Economic Equality, Human Labour, Environmental Challenges, Democracy in the Digital Age, and Aging Societies.

Contact University of Applied Arts Vienna:
Dr. Katharina Gsöllpointner, katharina.gsoellpointner@uni-ak.ac.at