The UNITA Alliance is proud to announce the release of European Universities Alliances and the Law, a new open-access volume examining the legal challenges and opportunities surrounding the institutionalisation of the European Universities Alliances (EUAs).
The book is edited by Barbara Gagliardi, Professor in the Department of Law at the University of Turin; Damien Bouvier, Alexandre Guigue, Professors of Law at Université Savoie Mont Blanc, Louis-Marie Chauvel, Associate Member at the Institut de l’Ouest Droit et Europe, University of Rennes; and Arnaud Lecourt, Professor at the University of Pau and Pays de l’Adour.
The publication explores the legal issues arising from the development of the European Universities Alliances and proposes solutions to support long-term academic cooperation, contributing to the vision of a truly integrated European University.
European Universities Alliances were established to strengthen cross-border cooperation between higher education institutions, fostering academic excellence, innovation, and mobility across Europe. Since the initiative was launched by the European Union in 2017, alliances have progressively evolved from cooperation projects into ambitious models of institutional integration.
A significant milestone in this process came in 2023, when the European Commission launched ten pilot projects to explore new legal structures capable of supporting the implementation of the future European Degree. These pilots introduced innovative governance approaches designed to address the legal and organisational challenges associated with deeper integration among universities.
Building on this broader European context, European Universities Alliances and the Law brings together the perspectives of legal scholars from across Europe to analyse the complex legal questions emerging from this transformation. The authors examine issues such as the legal status of the alliances, membership models, governance structures, and operational frameworks that comply with both European Union and national legislation. The volume also discusses the challenges associated with the cross-border management of resources, staff, and data, highlighting the need to reconcile compliance with EU regulations—including data protection and competition law—with the diversity of national legal systems.
Now available in open access, the book provides an important reference for researchers, policymakers, and higher education professionals interested in European Union law, higher education governance, and the future of European university cooperation. The contribution of UNITA further confirms the alliance’s active role in shaping the legal and institutional framework that will support the next generation of European Universities.
