Abstract

In 2023, an initial development of a monitoring framework for European Universities Initiative was introduced. The framework aims to act as a guideline of criteria and topics used to assess the progress and transformational potential of the European University Initiative over time, with respect for the diversity of European University Alliances, identifying their unique strengths, challenges, and added value, in line with their long-term joint strategies. The introduction of this framework presented a unique opportunity not for evaluation, but instead strategic reflection across several layers of an alliance. This includes: 1) its overall perspective, 2) impact on the wider higher education system, 3) its governance and cooperation, 4) contribution to and engagement with society and economy, as well as 5) its facilitation of research and innovation.

While the extent of this framework is not yet fully implemented, the expectation is to revisit it every 3 to 4 years and to continuously integrate input from European Universities Alliances over time. In light of this ambition, ENHANCE and Nehem have been involved in the implementation of and the reflection on using this framework, adjusting and adding to its contents to suit ENHANCE’s unique context as an alliance of technological universities dedicated to driving sustainable transformation. This has led to better understand ENHANCE’s own strengths and weaknesses, recognise its expected areas of growth, and gain clear insights on its added value across all stakeholder levels.

In order to implement the monitoring framework, Nehem built upon its complimentary work in other European projects to take an approach that consisted of three modules for data collection: i) desk review, ii) online questionnaires, and iii) key informant interviews and focus groups. This allowed for the synthesis of different data types and ensured robust and reliable results within a multilateral context.

The experience of piloting this framework with ENHANCE provided unique challenges and opportunities. While the framework set the direction, the real-world application demanded flexibility, adaptability, and consistent communication among stakeholders. Several lessons emerged from this collaboration between Nehem and ENHANCE. Firstly, the richness of data yielded from the three modules was invaluable. However, synthesizing these multiple data streams required a coherent and systematic approach to guarantee actionable insights. Secondly, the iterative nature of this framework demanded a mindset of continuous improvement, with constant feedback mechanisms in place to identify and rectify potential pitfalls early on. Lastly, the importance of maintaining an open dialogue with all alliance members was underscored, as their insights and contributions were central to adapting the framework and reflection process to ENHANCE's specific context.

In its presentation, Nehem and ENHANCE aim to showcase the transformative potential of the European Universities Initiative monitoring framework, provide key insights into how it can be beneficial and adapted to unique alliance contexts and used to further contribute to the development of European Universities Alliance’s long-term joint strategies moving forward.