The European University Initiative: an idea whose time has (finally) come (again)?

Autor/inn/en	Hartzell, Courtney; Craciun, Daniela
Titel	The European University Initiative: an idea whose time has (finally) come (again)?
Quelle	In: European Journal of Higher Education, 16 (2026) 2, S. 160-179Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Link als defekt meldenVerfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	online; gedruckt; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	2156-8235; 2156-8243
DOI	10.1080/21568235.2025.2506119
Schlagwörter	Europäische Integration; Europäische Universität; Hochschulsystem; Europäische Zusammenarbeit; Ausland; Europa
Abstract	In 2017, after 70 years, an idea resurfaced in a political speech on the future of Europe: The European University. Within months, the idea made its way to the European Union (EU) higher education agenda and was adopted. The resulting European Universities Initiative (EUI) became the EU's flagship project on higher education, a sector that falls under the subsidiarity principle. How did this old idea gain so much traction in such a short timeframe? This article investigates this puzzle using Kingdon's Multiple Stream Theory that explains policy change through the coupling of problems, politics, and policy streams that open a window of opportunity for policy entrepreneurs. Based on a content analysis of policy documents supported by interviews with key actors, the study finds that a window of opportunity opened in 2017 due to focusing events in the problems and politics streams - Brexit and French President Macron's speech at Sorbonne University - that enabled the European Commission to act as a policy entrepreneur and push the idea through the policy cycle. The article contributes to understanding EU-level policy change in higher education and explains how the European Commission plays an active role in an area where it has supporting competencies. (HRK / Abstract übernommen).
Erfasst von	Hochschulrektorenkonferenz, Bonn
Update	2026/4