The European University UNIC project brings together universities located in post-industrial cities: Bilbao, Bochum, Cork, Istanbul, Oulu, Rotterdam, Zagreb and Liège. The UNIC project aims to promote the role of these universities as actors of social, technological and economic transition and as drivers of inclusion in regions characterised by the superdiversity of their populations.

Post-industrial cities in Europe face many common challenges in parallel with the transition from a manufacturing-based to a service-based economy. These challenges include youth employment, the impact of new technologies, the transition to renewable energy sources and changing health challenges.

The UNIC project aims to promote the role of partner universities as actors in the social, technological and economic transition and as drivers of inclusion in regions characterized by the super-diversity of their populations.

The UNIC alliance brings together eight universities: University Deusto, Ruhr University Bochum, University college Cork, KOÇ University (Istanbul), University of Oulu, Erasmus University Rotterdam (project leader), University of Zagreb and the University of Liège around a teaching and research project, bringing together some 225,000 students, whose central theme is the redeployment of post-industrial and multicultural cities.

The objective of the consortium is to eventually create an inter-university Campus to enable students, teachers/researchers and staff members to interact without constraint to study, train, teach, do research, work or share services, without any hindrance that may come from their socio-economic and cultural background.

Superdiversity as a common feature

Superdiversity is an important feature of post-industrial European cities in socio-economic and socio-cultural terms. Superdiversity requires the development of more innovative, accessible and inclusive ways of researching, teaching and learning that respond to the needs of populations.

The application of the UNIC project will be submitted to the European Commission in order to be officially recognized among the European Universities.

Campuses, academia and laboratories

UNIC, coordinated by the Erasmus University of Rotterdam and developed in close cooperation with students from different universities, is a long-term alliance based on three pillars.

1. Inter-University Campus: to enable students, staff and researchers/teachers to move seamlessly to study, train, teach, do research, work or share services within UNIC, regardless of their socio-economic and cultural background.
2. Superdiversity Academy: to encourage universities to welcome students and staff from all backgrounds.
3. CityLabs: creating meeting places to exchange knowledge in and with university cities.