HEROES Alliance Accelerates Collaboration and Joint Initiatives During Semi-Annual Meeting in Vilnius

On May 19–21, 2026, representatives of the HEROES European University Alliance gathered at Vilniaus kolegija / Higher Education Institution (VIKO) in Vilnius, Lithuania, together with associated partners from Ukraine, Kosovo and France, for the HEROES Semi-Annual Meeting.

Over three days, academic, institutional, and project teams met to review progress, strengthen collaboration, and shape the next phase of joint activities across the alliance. The meeting focused on advancing cooperation in education, research, mobility, digitalization, lifelong learning, community engagement, and communication.

The event highlighted significant progress in the development of joint educational opportunities, including interdisciplinary study modules, minors, and future double and dual degree pathways. More than 100 academic staff members across partner institutions are already involved in developing new joint learning offers, while Challenge-Based Learning initiatives have already engaged more than 800 students throughout the alliance.

Research and innovation cooperation also continues to grow, with multiple collaborative European project proposals under development and increasing involvement of researchers, doctoral candidates, and associated partners. The meeting also marked the launch of the first HEROES Research Magazine, strengthening the visibility of alliance research activities.

Partners further advanced work on digital infrastructure and lifelong learning initiatives, including joint MOOCs, micro-credentials, staff training programmes, and preparations for the launch of the HEROES Virtual Campus on 18 June 2026. The Virtual Campus will serve as a central gateway for learning, collaboration, mobility, and community engagement across the alliance.

Mobility, inclusion, and sustainability remained important priorities during the discussions, alongside continued efforts to strengthen community engagement, communication, and visibility of HEROES activities across partner campuses and regional ecosystems.

The meeting in meeting demonstrated the strong commitment of HEROES partners to building an innovative, collaborative, and resilient European University Alliance that creates meaningful impact for students, staff, researchers, institutions, and society across Europe. Next meeting is scheduled in November in Aalborg, Denmark.