PIONEER
The PIONEER Alliance is a European network of universities focusing on inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities in line with Sustainable Development Goal 11. Coordinated by Gustave Eiffel University, it comprises 10 complementary universities in the fields of social sciences and engineering, all offering training related to future cities:
- University Institute of Lisbon ISCTE (Portugal)
- LAUREA University of Applied Sciences (Finland)
- TH Köln University of Applied Sciences (Germany)
- University of Žilina (Slovakia)
- Gustave Eiffel University (France)
- AVANS University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands)
- University of Huelva (Spain)
- Tomas Bata University (Czech Republic)
- University IUAV of Venice (Italy)
- Bern University of Applied Sciences (Switzerland)
The ambition of the alliance is to establish innovative, interdisciplinary European research and training activities that have a positive impact on our cities, urban ecosystems, and beyond. It aims specifically to contribute to cutting-edge knowledge and innovation through new programs in seven areas related to urban issues:
- Nature in the city
- Vulnerability, inclusion, and health in the city
- Mobility
- Energy
- Digital transition
- Resilient and sustainable cities
- Urban transition challenges
The objectives of the ERASMUS+ PIONEER program are as follows
- Foster a European approach to urban life and transitions based on cooperation, exchange, and talent mobility in a spirit of equality, diversity, and inclusion.
- Provide tailored support for leadership and human capital development to enhance skills in addressing societal transitions in cities.
- Stimulate, develop, and share challenge-based learning approaches in an interdisciplinary perspective addressing urban transition.
- Facilitate and nurture society-oriented research and innovation addressing urban transitions.
- Co-create and disseminate solutions with urban, academic, economic, social, and political ecosystems to address common challenges.
- Develop an effective and sustainable governance and administrative model for the Alliance.
- Orchestrate and integrate inter-institutional learning and collaboration to enable long-term alignment of strategies and institutional pathways.
- Share results and experiences to promote SDG 11 and inspire the renewal of the European higher education and research landscape.
With this comprehensive model of learning and innovation, the PIONEER Alliance connects activities and stakeholders across Europe to develop and mobilize a new generation of learners, knowledge producers, and entrepreneurs for future cities and societies.
The universities and associated cities bring together stakeholders and create an ecosystem that acts as an incubator for engaging European citizens, seizing opportunities, and addressing the challenges of future cities, with a view to 2030.
The Alliance involves:
- 130,000 students
- 16,000 staff members
- 34 campuses in 32 cities and 16 regions
It responded to a call for proposals from the European Commission under Erasmus+ to establish more integrated networks of European universities, beyond the multiple partnerships already in place.