24 Sep 2026
EUA selected to develop European University Leadership Academy
The European University Association (EUA) has been selected for Erasmus+ funding to develop a comprehensive European University Leadership Academy. Building on the experience of EUA’s Leadership Development Programme, the new Academy will develop a broader European framework for university leadership development and expand opportunities for current and emerging university leaders across Europe.
Over a 24-month pilot phase, EUA will lead the project together with the CHE Centre for Higher Education, Germany, and the University for Continuing Education Krems, Austria, as affiliated partners, as well as the European Association for the Applied Sciences in Higher Education (EURASHE) as an associated partner.
The Academy will develop and test a scalable European leadership development system, combining:
- Innovative training formats;
- Applied research and knowledge production; and
- Peer exchange and community-building.
In addition, it will pilot four complementary formats:
- Leadership development modules addressing key challenges in higher education;
- Foresight labs focused on resilience and sustainability;
- A European mentoring programme supporting female academic leaders;
- Communities of practice enabling cross-institutional learning.
In parallel, a Knowledge Hub will provide open-access resources and curated policy and research insights, while a European Higher Education Leadership Summit and an alumni network will support long-term community-building and dialogue.
As the first integrated European-level leadership development ecosystem of its kind, the Academy will respond to the growing need for structured, transnational support for university leaders in a context of accelerating transformation. By bringing together training, research, policy and practice, the Academy will establish a sustainable and transferable model for leadership development, strengthening institutional capacity and supporting transformation across the European Higher Education Area.
Implementation of the project is expected to start at the end of 2026.