logo unita
Co founded by the european union logo
Virtual campus
UNITA and co-funded european logo
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

If you are interested in learning more about UNITA, please consult our UNITApedia.

UNITAPEDIA

UNITApedia is the place to retrieve information on the Alliance, the project, the work that has been done, or to do. You will find multiple indicators to understand everything about UNITA.

Unitapedia navigation on mobile phone

Who are UNITA’s main stakeholders?

UNITA collaborates with a wide range of stakeholders — universities, regional authorities, socio-economic actors, civil organisations, and European institutions — working together to strengthen education, research, and innovation across its territories.

To better understand and engage with this diverse ecosystem, UNITA has designed a Stakeholder Map, a tool that identifies and categorises relevant actors at local, regional, national, European, and international levels who can influence or benefit from the Alliance’s activities.

The stakeholder mapping process involved several stages:

  1. identifying relevant stakeholder categories;
  2. mapping actors within these categories across each region;
  3. classifying and prioritising them according to their motivations and level of influence;
  4. identifying the most relevant areas of activity of the Alliance for each audience.
external audience and internal
Audience part

As a result, UNITA has identified seven internal audiences and ten external audiences, encompassing a total of 261 specific actors.

External Stakeholder Engagement Matrix for UNITA Activities

tabel of geminae

Internal Stakeholders Engagement Matrix for UNITA Activities

Diapositive of geminae

Together, these elements form the basis for a comprehensive stakeholder engagement framework, designed to enhance cooperation, strengthen territorial ties, and ensure that UNITA’s impact reaches all levels of its ecosystem.

1. What is UNITA?

UNITA – Universitas Montium is an alliance created in 2020 in response to the "European Universities" initiative of the Erasmus+ program. It brings together twelve higher education institutions located in rural, mountainous, and cross-border regions in southern, western, and central-eastern Europe, which share similar challenges.

The Alliance comprises a community of over 250,000 students and 22,000 staff members, including faculty and researchers.

2. What is the European Universities Initiative?

The European Universities initiative is an ambitious EU initiative aimed at establishing alliances between higher institutions from all across Europe that will make the European university landscape even stronger, for the benefit of their students, staff and society. It is implemented primarily through Erasmus+ funding.

The EU is funding UNITA as part of its European Universities programme over three years with around five million euros through Erasmus+ and two million euros from Horizon 2020.

3. What does UNITA mean?

The name UNITA is inspired by the words "unidad, unidade, unità, unitate, unité", which evoke the strong bonds and similarities that unite us. In fact, all the partner universities of the UNITA alliance speak Romance languages: Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Romanian.

Universitas Montium, in Latin, highlights our common heritage and our commitment to linguistic diversity and the development of the rural and cross-border mountainous territories where UNITA universities are located.

4. Where is UNITA located?

In seven European countries.

They are, from west to east:

  • Portugal: Universidade de Beira Interior and Instituto Politécnico da Guarda
  • Spain: Universidad Pública de Navarra and Universidad de Zaragoza
  • France: Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour and Université Savoie Mont Blanc
  • Switzerland: Haute Ecole Spécialisée de Suisse Occidentale (Associated partner)
  • Italy: Università di Torino and Università degli Studi di Brescia
  • Romania: Universitatea de Vest din Timisoara and Universitatea Transilvania Brasov
  • Ukraine: Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University (Associated partner)

In addition to these higher education institutions, the UNITA GEIE (UNITA European Economic Interest Grouping) acts as a full member.

Universitas Montium, in Latin, highlights our common heritage and our commitment to linguistic diversity and the development of the rural and cross-border mountainous territories where UNITA universities are located.

5. Does the UNITA alliance have its own legal personality?

Yes. Through the legal entity UNITA GEIE (UNITA European Economic Interest Grouping). This structure grants UNITA its own legal personality, meaning it can acquire rights and assume obligations independently. For example, it can sign contracts, receive funding, manage resources, and take on responsibilities on behalf of the Alliance.

The UNITA GEIE is a starting point toward a new legal entity model designed to serve the needs of European universities. Through this tool, we will shape the path to transforming the Alliance into an institutionalized European university, capable of managing UNITA's assets, accelerating policy convergence, facilitating resource pooling, and integrating universities while preserving their autonomy.

6. What are UNITA's main objectives?

This alliance aims to innovate in education, foster research and innovation in the six priority areas (green energy, cultural heritage, circular economy, inclusive societies, digital transition, and global health), create an international virtual campus, and promote European citizenship and multilingualism through intercomprehension among Romance languages.

The UNITA GEIE is a starting point toward a new legal entity model designed to serve the needs of European universities. Through this tool, we will shape the path to transforming the Alliance into an institutionalized European university, capable of managing UNITA's assets, accelerating policy convergence, facilitating resource pooling, and integrating universities while preserving their autonomy.

7. Is there a slogan that summarizes the UNITA alliance?

Yes. UNITA's slogan is "Climb your future," which reflects our commitment to supporting the aspirations of our graduates and communities by fostering their resilience to face life’s challenges.

The UNITA GEIE is a starting point toward a new legal entity model designed to serve the needs of European universities. Through this tool, we will shape the path to transforming the Alliance into an institutionalized European university, capable of managing UNITA's assets, accelerating policy convergence, facilitating resource pooling, and integrating universities while preserving their autonomy.

8. How can I contact UNITA?

For more information about UNITA or any other inquiries, please contact the UNITA offices at each university (see below). 

9. Who are UNITA’s main stakeholders?

Who are UNITA’s main stakeholders?

UNITA collaborates with a wide range of stakeholders — universities, regional authorities, socio-economic actors, civil organisations, and European institutions — working together to strengthen education, research, and innovation across its territories.

To better understand and engage with this diverse ecosystem, UNITA has designed a Stakeholder Map, a tool that identifies and categorises relevant actors at local, regional, national, European, and international levels who can influence or benefit from the Alliance’s activities.

The stakeholder mapping process involved several stages:

1. Identifying relevant stakeholder categories;Descripción de la imagen

2. mapping actors within these categories across each region;

3. classifying and prioritising them according to their motivations and level of influence;Descripción de la imagen

4. identifying the most relevant areas of activity of the Alliance for each audience.

As a result, UNITA has identified seven internal audiences and ten external audiences, encompassing a total of 261 specific actors.

 

External Stakeholder Engagement Matrix for UNITA Activities

Descripción de la imagen

 

Internal Stakeholders Engagement Matrix for UNITA Activities

Descripción de la imagenTogether, these elements form the basis for a comprehensive stakeholder engagement framework, designed to enhance cooperation, strengthen territorial ties, and ensure that UNITA’s impact reaches all levels of its ecosystem.

1. What initiatives and activities are dedicated to students?

  • Virtual Mobility: UNITA students have the opportunity to enroll in online courses offered by partner universities, allowing them to remain at their home institution while earning ECTS credits upon completion.
  • Rural Mobility: The UNITA Rural Mobility program offers students internships in institutions, companies, and municipalities located in rural areas across Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Romania, and Switzerland. These internships aim to enhance professional and soft skills while contributing to the revitalization of rural and mountainous regions.
  • Blended Intensive Programmes (BIPs): These Programmes combine short-term physical mobility abroad (ranging from 5 to 30 days) with a mandatory virtual component. This format facilitates collaborative online learning and teamwork among students and staff from at least three higher education institutions within the UNITA alliance.
  • UNITA Virtual Campus: The UNITA Virtual Campus serves as a comprehensive digital platform connecting the Alliance's community. It facilitates international collaboration and learning opportunities in a multilingual environment.
  • Internships: UNITA facilitates innovation and research internships in companies, research centers, or institutions, primarily focusing on renewable energy, circular economy, and cultural heritage. These internships provide students with hands-on experience in knowledge transfer processes and rural development dynamics.
  • Student Assembly: The UNITA Student Assembly comprises representatives from the Alliance's twelve universities, meeting periodically to discuss and influence decisions impacting academic life. This body serves as a bridge between the student population and the Alliance's governance, ensuring student voices are integral to UNITA's development.

2. How are students represented in the UNITA alliance?

Students within the UNITA alliance are represented through the UNITA Student Assembly, a dedicated body comprising student representatives from each of the 12 member universities. This assembly serves as a key conduit between the Alliance's governance and its approximately 250,000-strong student population, ensuring that student perspectives and feedback are integral to decision-making processes.

Engaging in the Student Assembly elections empowers students to influence decisions that shape their academic environment and university experience. Active participation ensures that the diverse voices within the UNITA community are heard and considered in the Alliance's ongoing development.

3. Can I just take a language course?

Yes, UNITA offers language courses that you can enroll in. These courses are primarily focused on intercomprehension among Romance languages and are available to students, teaching staff, and administrative staff across the Alliance

4. What mobility opportunities does UNITA offer me?

UNITA offers three main mobility opportunities:

  • Virtual Mobility: Enroll in online courses from partner universities while staying at your home institution and earning ECTS credits.
  • Rural Mobility: Participate in internships in rural areas across Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Romania, and Switzerland, enhancing professional skills while contributing to regional development.
  • Blended Intensive Programmes (BIPs): Combine short-term physical mobility (5-30 days) with a virtual component, fostering collaborative learning among students and staff from at least three UNITA universities.

5. What PhD opportunities are available?

UNITA offers a variety of PhD opportunities across its alliance of universities, catering to diverse research interests and disciplines.

One relevant initiative is the CHORAL (Cultural Heritage Outreach in Romance Languages) doctoral programme, co-funded by the European Union under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. This programme focuses on cultural heritage and is designed for graduate students holding a Master's degree in Social Sciences, Arts, Humanities, or Architecture. CHORAL aims to train high-quality international researchers through interdisciplinary, international, and inter-sectoral research. The programme offers 14 fully funded, three-year PhD positions under joint supervision, requiring international mobility between partner universities.

Additionally, each UNITA member university offers doctoral programmes in various fields. Application procedures, eligibility criteria, and funding opportunities vary by programme and institution. Prospective candidates are encouraged to consult the specific university's doctoral school or admissions office for detailed information.

1. What initiatives of UNITA can I join as a lecturer or a researcher?

As a lecturer or researcher, you can engage with several UNITA initiatives:

  • Thematic research hubs: Collaborate within interdisciplinary groups focusing on areas such as Cultural Heritage, Renewable Energies, Circular Economy, and more.
  • UNITA research infrastructures: Participate in shared research infrastructures to advance joint projects.
  • Matching Events: Participate in networking sessions designed to connect researchers, academics, and professionals from UNITA partner universities. These events facilitate the exchange of ideas, the formation of new research collaborations, and the development of joint projects in key thematic areas such as Cultural Heritage, Renewable Energy, and Circular Economy.These initiatives aim to foster collaboration, innovation, and professional development across the UNITA alliance.
  • Intercomprehension courses: Enhance your ability to understand and collaborate across Romance languages.
  • Virtual mobility programs: Engage in online teaching with partner universities

2. How can I join UNITA initiatives?

Keep yourself up to date on our website and social media and apply to the events or initiatives that interest you the most. In each partner university, there are UNITA offices that spread relevant information about UNITA activities and initiatives and provide additional information about the project.

1. What UNITA initiatives can I join as an administrative staff member?

To participate in these initiatives, it is advisable to contact your university's UNITA Office or visit the official UNITA website for specific information on upcoming programs and application procedures.

2. How can I enrol in UNITA?

Contact your university’s UNITA Office and explore the UNITA website, and social media.

3. How can I join UNITA initiatives?

Keep yourself up to date on our website and social media and apply to the events or initiatives that interest you the most. In each partner university, there are UNITA offices that spread relevant information about UNITA activities and initiatives and provide additional information about the project.

Where every question brings you closer to our alliance