From 17–20 September, the European Reform University Alliance (ERUA) participated for the first time as an exhibitor at the European Association for International Education (EAIE) 2025 event in Gothenburg. At ERUA booth, the Alliance presented its reform philosophy and underlined the social impact of universities.

During the event, ERUA highlighted three main strategic directions. Reform at Our Core emphasized inclusivity, critical thinking, and student-centred learning. Breaking Boundaries focused on connecting social sciences, humanities, and the arts with STEM to tackle global challenges. Shaping a Human-Centered Europe underlined social innovation, lifelong learning, and civic engagement.

A strong focus was placed on student involvement. ERUA ambassadors, together with initiatives such as the ERUA Student Magazine and the Young Forum for Action on Climate Change, showed that students were not only observers but active co-creators within the Alliance. The student-designed exhibition Faces of ERUA further demonstrated that alliances are not abstract structures but vibrant communities of students, academics, and researchers working together.

ERUA also underlined its role in the FOREU4ALL project, where it led the thematic group on quality assurance and actively contributed to governance activities.

At EAIE 2025, discussions revolved around joint study programmes, innovative learning models, short-term mobility, SSH–STEM collaboration, quality assurance, and the sustainability of alliances. While systemic change and long-term funding challenges were acknowledged, ERUA’s participation demonstrated the great potential of alliances and their importance in shaping the future of higher education in Europe.