EPICUR Expands Further and Receives Millions in EU Funding

7.2 million euros to expand the European university alliance involving KIT and three new partner universities

Building of the Roma Tre University — From Karlsruhe to Seville: The EPICUR university alliance has grown to include eleven partner universities in nine European countries.

The European university alliance EPICUR (European Partnership for an Innovative Campus Unifying Regions), of which Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is a member, continues to grow: With the universities Pablo de Olavide in Seville (Spain), Roma Tre in Rome (Italy), and Basel (Switzerland) as associated partners, the network now comprises eleven universities in nine countries. To deepen this collaboration, EPICUR will receive 7.2 million euros between November 2026 and the end of 2028 under the Erasmus+ funding initiative “European Universities.”

This is the third time that the European Commission has supported EPICUR, underscoring the network’s importance for the further development of the European education area. The alliance now brings together approximately 280,000 students, 29,000 researchers, and 17,000 staff members.

European Networking as a Model for the Future

“EPICUR opens up excellent opportunities for exchange, collaboration, and innovation for our students, researchers, and staff,” says Professor Thomas Hirth, Vice President for Transfer and International Affairs at KIT. “The fact that the alliance continues to grow and has once again received funding demonstrates the strong appeal and relevance of this European project.”

EPICUR was founded in 2019 and brings together research-intensive universities with the long-term goal of establishing a European university confederation. During the new funding phase, the partners aim to strengthen links between regional innovation ecosystems and further expand shared structures. KIT is one of the founding members of EPICUR.

am, October 29, 2026