UNeECC is pleased to announce the addition of new members to its network in recent years. Following the joining of Politechnica University Timisoara, Lithuania's Vytauas Magnus University has also joined the membership in 2021. The latter was organising the UNeECC Annual Conference in 2022. The Archiepiscopal College (Veszprém, Hungary), the International Hellenic University (Thessaloniki, Greece) and the Nord University (Bodø, Norway) became our new members in 2022.
In 2023, the Acedemy for Music, Dance and the Fine Arts 'Prof. Asen Diamandiev' (Plovdiv, Bulgaria), the West University of Timisoara (Romania), and Istanbul Gedik University (Turkey) joined our network. In 2024, Academy of Arts and Culture in Osijek and the University of Piraeus (Greece) joined UNeECC.
The network currently has 61 members from 27 countries, including one non-university member.
Here you can read the short introduction of the new members:
University of Piraeus (Greece) - member since 2024
The University of Piraeus is a modern, innovative, internationally acknowledged, prestigious university guided by its commitment to excellence in education and research. Over the course of its existence, the University of Piraeus has substantially contributed to the development and foundation of the sciences it services, both on a research level and by creating scientists who staff the private and public sector in our country and internationally.
Based on the values of excellence in teaching and research and by means of developing strategic international cooperations it substantially contributes to the production, organization, and dispersal of knowledge. It also contributes to the creation of leaders characterised by their ability to promote people, enterprises, and society on a national and international level.
The cultivation of a mutual respect culture, of solidarity and academic freedom, the creation of appropriate conditions to enhance creativity, to realize potential, and achieve innovation constitute the keystone pillars of our university. Making the most of everybody’s capabilities and with our sight set firmly on the future, we are ready and determined to plan together and materialise an innovative programme of development for the University, Science, and Society.
The University of Piraeus’ mission is based on the principle ‘creating and developing together’ in order to educate confident people, able to operate on an international level who will promote and enhance knowledge through innovative interdisciplinary research. Our goal is to cultivate talents with an international vision, ethical principles, innovative spirit, and practical abilities so that we can respond to the future challenges of society and realise the basic principles of our university following the international models. The rectory authorities commit themselves to the value of academic ethics regarding the principle of candour on the performance of their duties.
Read more: https://www.unipi.gr/en/home
Academy of Arts and Culture in Osijek (Croatia) - member since 2024
Academy of Arts and Culture in Osijek is an interdisciplinary institution, combining education in several artistic fields (music, theatre, creative arts, visual arts, media arts) and the scientific fields of research cultural studies, media studies, media studies, and cultural management. Students and their mentors are involved in production os numerous cultural events and projects, like theatre productions, concerts, festivals, exhibitions, publishing, promotions, workshops etc. Academy is constantly shaping the cultural and artistic landscape of the city and region.
Read more: http://www.uaos.unios.hr/eng/
Istanbul Gedik University (Turkey) - member since 2023
Gedik Holding, one of the well-established and largest companies of the Turkish industry, established the Gedik Education Foundation in 1994 to share its 50-years experience with the youth of our country. Gedik Holding established Gedik Vocational School in 2010 and Istanbul Gedik University (IGUN) in 2011 in order to accelerate the development of our country's industry and service sector and to meet the need for qualified personnel, by associating the know-how acquired with its companies with academic studies.
The most basic mission of IGUN is to set an exemplary model for industry-education cooperation in Turkiye. In this context, Istanbul Gedik University develops projects for its students to receive some of their education abroad, to learn the necessary foreign languages, and to develop their professional self-confidence. Another indispensable aim of IGUN, having 6 faculties, 3 associate level schools, 1 postgraduate education institute, 54 graduate and more than 100 undergraduate education programs, more than 9,000 graduates and more than 700 active international students, is to train the experts needed by the industrial sector in Türkiye and to make a qualified contribution to science, with training programs that focus on both academic and theoretical knowledge and professional practice.
Read more: https://www.gedik.edu.tr/en
West University of Timişoara (Romania) - member since 2023
Universitatea de Vest din Timișoara (UVT) / West University of Timişoara (WUT) is the main higher education institution and research pole in Western Romania. Its community comprises roughly 16000 students and over 700 academic staff. It is a comprehensive university in character and includes 11 faculties with their respective departments, as well as a Department of Teacher Training. The faculties functioning within the framework of UVT offer nationally accredited study programmes at Bachelor, Master and PhD level in the following subject areas: Arts and Design; Chemistry, Biology, Geography; Economics and Business Administration; Law; Letters, History and Theology; Mathematics and Computer Science; Music and Theater; Physical Education and Sports; Physics; Political Sciences, Philosophy and Communication Sciences; Sociology and Psychology.
West University of Timişoara is a comprehensive university fostering a multi- and inter-disciplinary approach to higher education and research, with a clear focus towards the internationalization. The university has over 350 bilateral agreements fostering exchanges in the Erasmus+ and EEA Grants programme and over 100 other bilateral agreements with higher education institutions worldwide. On an annual basis, West University of Timisoara has over 550 outgoing students (studies and placement) pursuing a mobility abroad, as well as over 350 incoming mobility students. West University of Timisoara also hosts 15 study programmes taught in a foreign language (English, French and German) with around 15 full-time foreign lecturers and over 50 incoming short term teaching mobilities, yearly. Our university is committed to supporting the personal and profesional development of students in an increasingly internationalized academic world. Highly focused on the internationalization of curricula, West University of Timisoara is more and more oriented towards opportunities for graduates’ absorbtion within an increasingly globalized labour market.
WUT is also a part of a European Consortium of Universities called UNITA, involving Universidade de Beira Interior (Portugal), Universidad de Zaragoza (Spain), Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour (France), Université Savoie Mont Blanc (France) and Università di Torino (Italy). 165 000 de students and over 13 000 members of academic and administrative staff are connected through mobilities and activities organized in an interuniversity virtual campus, communicating in all five languages represented in the consortium based on the principle of intercomprehension and inclusion. The Consortium has three priority areas: Cultural Heritage, Renewable Energies and Circular Economy.
Academy for Music, Dance anfFine Arts ’Prof Asen. Dimandiev’- Plovdiv (Bulgaria) - member since 2023
AMDFA ‘Prof Asen Diamandiev’ - Plovdiv is a fully accredited higher education institution offering bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees education in many specialties from various arts: Pedagogy of music or fine arts education, Performing arts (classical, folk or pop and jazz instruments or singing), Conducting (classical or folk choirs and orchestras), Bulgarian folk choreography, Ballet art, Graphic design and photography, Scenography, Murals, Fashion Design, Graphics, Sculpture, Multimedia and Virtual Reality, Sound Direction, Art Management, etc.
The Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts in Plovdiv is one of the most prestigious higher education institutions inBulgaria, a long-time active member of the Association ofEuropean Conservatories, Musical Academies and Higher Education Schools, The Association of Balkan Universities the central European Initiative for Music in Higher Education, and since October 2022 an official partner of the New European Bauhaus initiative.
The academy has been establishedin 1964 and today all its diplomas are recognized worldwide. We are the only Art Academy outside the capital of the country. In its education and creative work the Academy combines classical and contemporary, traditions and innovation, research and applied studies, creates opportunities for practical and creative approaches to art, science and academic knowledge. The Academy provides high-quality education in the fields of musical-theoretical and performing arts classical, folklore and modemprofile, visual and fine arts and design, and teachingpedagogy in arts. Culture is diversity, empathy, unity, inquisitiveness, beauty, inclusion, bridge. The education in Arts and Culture is the fundamental base for having a vivid civic society, flowing democracy and upgrade based on ethical and aesthetic values existing through empathy and speaking both to the mind and the heart.
We recognize the right ofeveryone to participatein the cultural life of society, to enjoy arts, participate in scientific progress and benefit from its achievements. We believe and work within the principle that art should be accessible to everyone and that creativity must be given the space to be an active tool for enriching lives, and be a major driving force of society. We are open and embrace different ideas, different art forms and different communities and want to be the change we crave.
Read more: https://www.artacademyplovdiv.com
Nord University (Bodø, Norway) - member since 2022
Through research, education and social engagement, Nord University contributes to the creation of a sustainable future.
In cooperation with society, business and industry in Northern and Central Norway, our 11,500 students and 1,350 staff promote innovative solutions and knowledge-based practice, both locally and internationally.
Nord University has four strategic focus areas: blue and green growth, sustainable innovation and entrepreneurship, societal security, and health, welfare and education.
Nord University is conducting the evaluation of the European Capital of Culture „Bodø2024”.
Read more: www.nord.no
International Hellenic University - University Center of International Programmes of Studies (UCIPS) (Greece)
The International Hellenic University (IHU) was initially established by Law (No 3391/2005) and was based in Thessaloniki, Greece. The IHU was Greece’s first public university where programmes were taught exclusively in English comprised three (3) Schools which offered twenty-four (24) master programmes.
The International Hellenic University was re-established by Law (No 4610/2019), is based in Thessaloniki, comprises nine (9) Schools and thirty-three (33) Departments and is located in Thessaloniki, Kavala, Serres, Drama, Katerini, Kilkis, Didymoteicho. The two Schools (School of Humanities, Social Sciences and Economics and the School of Science and Technology) of the IHU belong to the University Center of International Programmes of Studies (UCIPS) of the International Hellenic University offering programmes that are taught exclusively in English.
The UCIPS, developed to facilitate modern learning methods, is situated on a 16,000m² campus outside Thessaloniki, the second largest city in Greece with an uninterrupted history of 2,300 years. Our state-of-the-art facilities, such as virtual classrooms, electronic library, IT labs, Digital Manufacturing and Materials Characterization Laboratory, Molecular Ecology/Molecular Biology Lab, as well as the storage room of the finds of the University's archaeological excavation at Neo Rysio, create an environment conducive for higher learning and research for our students.
Read more: https://www.ihu.gr/ucips/
Archiepiscopal College of Veszprém (Hungary) - member since 2022
The Archiepiscopal College of Veszprém is a tertiary education institution maintained by the Hungarian Catholic Church. The faith, mission and social responsibility of the College spring from the knowledge, experience and samples accumulated in the Scriptures and Holy Traditions, in the teachings of the Church over the millenia.
The top priority of the Archiepiscopal College of Veszprém - az an institution offering teacher of religious education, social worker programme, and further trainings in pedagogy - is to bevome a dominant intellectual and spiritual centre in Veszprém and in its region, to evolve into a knowledge sharing and value preserving space that is characterised by moral order built on Christian culture, social responsibility, social sensitivity and innovative capacity useful for the national economy.
The Archiepiscopal College of Veszprém participates not just in missionary and evangelistic activities, but is strongly engaged in transmitting values, this implementing and conveying cultual values.
Read more: https://www.ersekifoiskola.hu/
Latvia is also actively involved in ECoC preparations. Three organisations indicated their intention to join our network: the Daugavpils City Municipality, the Daugavpils University and the Latvian Academy of Culture.
The Latvian Academy of Culture (Latvia) - member since 2022
The Latvian Academy of Culture (LAC) is an interdisciplinary culture and arts university, focusing on culture and art research, artistic creativity; it is also a centre for creative industries. The Latvian Academy of Culture has been a space for greetings, conversations, celebrations and daily life since 1990. LAC administers accredited academic Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral study programmes. Main five departments are: Department of Theory and History of Culture, Department of Sociology and Management of Culture, Department of Cross-cultural Communication and Foreign Languages, Department of Performing Arts and Department of Audiovisual Art.
Read more: https://lka.edu.lv/en/
Daugavpils University (Latvia) - member since 2022
Daugavpils University is the largest regional university located in Latgale – one of the most multilingual, multi-ethnic, and multi-religious regions in Latvia. It has five faculties (the Faculty of Humanities, the Faculty of Social Sciences, the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, the Faculty of Music and Art, and the Faculty of Education and Management) and two research institutes – the Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Institute of Life Sciences and Technologies with multiple research centres and departments. It offers 50 bachelor, master, and doctoral study programmes and has extensive experience of international collaboration in the past and on-going EU Programme for Research and Innovation (FP7, Horizon 2020) projects.
Read more: https://du.lv/
Daugavpils City Municipality (Latvia) - member since 2022
Daugavpils City Municipality is the city's highest self-regulatory institution. Daugavpils is the second largest development centre of national significance in Latvia, an important centre of socio economic development in the Baltic States near the EU Eastern border. Daugavpils is an industrial and educational centre, as well as an important cultural, sports and recreation centre. The State city of Daugavpils and Augšdaugava municipality - the largest in terms of population and the most economically significant State city with a functional territory in the Eastern Baltic, unique in its diversity, with creative, educated, and spiritually rich people, strong identity of Latgale and Sēlija and equally attractive environment for local people, entrepreneurs and tourists. Daugavpils moto is driving force for economic development in the Eastern Baltic.
Read more: www.daugavpils.lv
Politechnica University Timisoara (Romania) - member since 2021
Politehnica University Timisoara, a university of advanced research and education, is today one of the traditional Romanian schools, recognized nationally and internationally both through the work of generations of teachers and the outstanding work of prestigious academics. The mission of Politehnica University Timisoara resides in meeting the competence requirements of the societal environment by providing superior training at undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate levels and by creating new knowledge and technological solutions through empirical and applied research.
Read more: https://www.upt.ro/Universitatea-Politehnica-Timisoara_en.html
Vytauas Magnus University (Lithuania) - member since 2021
VMU is a comprehensive university devoted to excellence in teaching, learning, research, arts and innovation, and fostering critical thinking, imaginative response as well as the desire and capacity for lifelong learning of our students who will have an impact on the world, locally and globally.
VMU has a reputation as a university with a globally oriented, free-spirited, liberal mindset. The time spent at VMU is a formative step in the lives of our students, facilitating not only career opportunities but also personal growth, strength of character and a sense of self-fulfilment.
Read more: https://www.vdu.lt/en/
UNeECC is waiting dor the applications of universities and non-university institutions. You can apply here: https://uneecc.org/members/how-to-join